If, like me, you are a bit tired of the ethnocentric social commentary that seems to come with certain well known guidebooks then you could do worse than try this one. Simple to use, well written and accurate, I found it invaluable and couldn't fault any of its recommendations nor descriptions. -- Yurt (Amazon reviewer) Turkey is so diverse it could almost be described as a continent rather than a country. In the west, mountains and pine forests frame a staggeringly beautiful coastline. The central steppe has the peculiar rock churches and underground cities of Cappadocia and the cosmopolitan capital of Ankara. In the east, there are biblical rivers, a fabled mountain and haunting cities and palaces. Then, there is the magnetism of Istanbul. Turkey s location straddles Asia and Europe. The three great Empires that ruled the country for thousands of years left a legacy of enchanting cultures and more ancient sites than even Italy or Greece can boast. Covered in detail are where to stay, where to eat, shopping, sightseeing and adventures, both cultural and physical, from walking in the footsteps of St. Paul to joining in the local festivals, from yoga and Turkish baths to art classes and cooking courses. This guide combines in-depth text information with color maps & photos on almost every page. Existing guides are largely text-only or mostly graphics and lacking the practical details travelers need. The second you land in Istanbul two things hit you: how vast it is and how chaotic. The cauldron of noise builds in the morning with the first call to prayer. As the city springs to life, ferries and tankers weave their way across the Bosphorus Strait from Asia to Europe. Hundreds of fishermen line the Galata Bridge in search of their daily catch to sell in cafes nestled below, while seagulls swoop and squall. At the end of the bridge, locals crush into the dark passageways at Eminonu's spice market and along the warrens of the Grand Bazaar for another day of haggling. Walk around the ancient walls of the city, built in 200-400 AD, go to the ancient Golden Gate, where Constantine, Justinian and the other emperors rode their horses in and out of the city. Visit the Hagia Sofia temple and the emperor's palace, built nearly 2,000 years ago. These are sights you will never forget.
