Lonely Planet Istanbul

by Virginia Maxwell

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher

Lonely Planet Istanbul is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Take in the ancient treasures at Aya Sofya, shop your way through the Grand Bazaar, or visit a hamam for an indulgent steam bath; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Istanbul and begin your journey now!

Inside Lonely Planet's Istanbul Travel Guide:

Full-colour maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, architecture, literature, film, cuisine Free, convenient pull-out Istanbul map (included in print version), plus over 20 colour maps Covers Sultanahmet and Around, Bazaar District, Western Districts, Beyoglu, Besiktas, Ortakoy, Kurucesme, Uskudar, and more

eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones)

Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing

The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet Istanbul, our most comprehensive guide to Istanbul, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled.

Looking for just the highlights of Istanbul? Check out Pocket Istanbul, a handy-sized guide focused on the can't-miss sights for a quick trip. Looking for more extensive coverage? Check out Lonely Planet's Turkey guide for a comprehensive look at all the country has to offer, or Lonely Planet's Discover Turkey, a photo-rich guide to the country's most popular attractions.

Authors: Written and researched by Lonely Planet and Virginia Maxwell.

About Lonely Planet: Since 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel media company with guidebooks to every destination, an award-winning website, mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference

566 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 27, 2002

Reviews

[Yasaman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What looks like a perfectly cromulent guide to Istanbul. I'm headed there in May and mostly wanted this for the maps and neighborhood by neighborhood guides.

[Aditya Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really useful travel guide

[Sharlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

does one truly finish a travel guide? in any case i read a good chunk for my trip and was helpful.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much of the information (including typos) is the same from year to year but this is the most current edition 2021 so it was good to update my notes with it.

[Marketa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Could have been more detailed.

[New · Rating 2 out of 5]

twas ok

[Joyce Meijs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear overview of the city, well structured.

[David Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book I read to research this post was Lonely Planet Istanbul which is an excellent book which I bought from kindle. Istanbul officially has a population of 14 million but unofficially it is thought to be closer to 20 million and on average it receives 8 million visitors per year making it Turkey's top tourist destination. In general the hotels are a little expensive but this is made up by the plethora of free attractions. It is one of the great historical cities of the world. In Islam it is the 4th holiest city behind Jerusalem, Medina & Mecca. It spans two continents Europe and Asia and one of the best attractions is the Golden Horn Ferry which is on the Bosphorous and links the 2 halves of the city. There is also the Hagia Sophia which is very old and has an immense dome and has at different times been a church and a mosque and is now a museum. It took several attempts to erect the dome which kept collapsing and was built by trial and error. There is the very important Blue Mosque considered a shrine by Muslims. Istanbul has been the centre of various empires especially the Byzantine & Ottoman but isn't currently the capital city of Turkey as they built Ankara specifically for that purpose to try and open up the interior of the country which is sparsely populated. There is a city wall around the ancient city much of it still intact. In the 60's & 70's many hippies visited this city which then was a budget destination. Turkey did suffer a major economic collapse in 2001 and elections had to be called as a result but does seem to be gradually recovering. Fairly recently it joined the EC and does seem to have put its past of military coups and totalitarian governments behind it. Turkey is the most populated country in Europe after Russia and it is rapidly growing. I did really enjoy this book which is very informative and the authors' enthusiasm does come through.

[Lorri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adequate. I'm not a big city person and I can't imagine spending more than a day or two in Istanbul before heading out and away from the crowds. An entire book describing every mosque and place to shop was underwhelming. I suppose it's a wise marketing ploy on Lonely Planet's part - send a researcher to Istanbul and put the information into a book on the city, a chapter on the country, another chapter on the area, and some bits in those coffee table books.

[Monica Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's obvious that Virginia Maxwell knows and loves Istanbul. Her LP guide to the city is a great resource for museums, restaurants and historical sites if you're visiting only the city. I would suggest another book if you're visiting other cities, however.

The photographs are great. The metro stops, maps and hours of featured sites are also helpful.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of the two guides to Istanbul which I read, I generally like this one more. Both have the same information and some different information although this one has nice sections which help to split up the information.

[Jerry Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I own many Lonely Planet books, but got this one from the Library, with such a short time to read it, and looking for the most to do in the short time that I will be in Istanbul, I was yet again impressed with the information provided by Lonely Planet.

[Renuka Vijay Kumar]

Hamans, Doner Kebabs, fish sandwiches.....I'm coming!!

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

we used this extensively in Istanbul

[Theut · Rating 3 out of 5]

Davvero troppo sintetica...

[Randolph Breschini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great guide when we were in Istanbul!

[Vanlilith · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Theut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ottima guida, consigliatissima!

[reveurdart · Rating 4 out of 5]

"İstanbul's strategic location has attracted many marauding armies over the centuries. The Greeks, Romans and Venetians took turns ruling before the Ottomans stormed into town and decided to stay – physical reminders of their various tenures are found across the city. The fact that the city straddles two continents wasn't its only drawcard – it was the final stage on the legendary Silk Road linking Asia with Europe, and many merchants who came here liked it so much that they, too, decided to stay. In so doing, they gave the city a cultural diversity that it retains to this day."