Lonely Planet Istanbul (Paperback)

~ (Author), Verity Campbell (Author) "The Mediterranean region was inhabited as early as 7500 BC, during Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age) times..." (more)
Key Phrases: yeni otogar, pide salonu, valide sultan, Taksim Square, Golden Horn, Ottoman Empire (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Note from Publisher: This title is the old edition of Lonely Planet's guide to Istanbul.

Lonely Planet's new edition of Istanbul may be found by typing the ISBN number, 1740594835, into the search box.

The amazing new 4th edition has a female author to give a woman's perspective on this ancient city, dedicated Culture and History chapters which merge past and present, and walking tours of atmospheric neighborhoods and excursions to nearby cities and islands.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Lonely Planet Publications; 3rd edition (February 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1740590449
• ISBN-13: 978-1740590440
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,090,419 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Package Tour in Book Form, February 14, 2000

By	"vagrant-lbc" (Long Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lonely Planet Istanbul (2nd ed) (Paperback)

If you are interested in seeing Istanbul beyond its tourist districts, buying Tom Brosnahan's book is a mistake. Although LP Istanbul covers Sultanahmet and its attractions in depth, the rest of the city is largely left out, and what is included is organized in a format that defies logic. If you are visiting Istanbul on a package tour you might find the book useful, but if your aim is to explore the nooks and crannies of the city I would suggest Eyewitness Guides' Istanbul. It's full of pictures and more expensive than LP Istanbul, but it is by far the most comprehensive guide to the city that I have read.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars On the fence, February 10, 2004

By	Tyler Tanner (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is one of two books that my wife and I took with us for our week in Istanbul. The other being DK's Eyewitness guide. While we would call neither a difinitive guide, both were helpful. We found the Lonely Planet to be hit and miss. Practical layouts and maps were very helpful with key sights. We never would have found the crusader tomb in the Aya Sofya without it. Nor would we have thought to go to the Museum of Archeology if it was not for it's strong endorsement. The overview of the history was surprisingly in depth and very informative. And what to expect as far as the people and tips on bartering were dead on. The condition of the public restrooms (yikes!) was also a nice heads up.
However, if this is the most recent guide it is outdated. It mentions a book bazaar that has since closed when we arrived in October of 2003. This wasted a signifigant portion of our day looking for it. Also the restaraunt guide was frustrating. The Cozy Pub lived up to it's endorsement. Friendly folks who delighted in telling us the do and dont's of Turkish cuisine. We dined there three times. But the "five star" Sarnich restaraunt was the biggest dissapointment. Even though you could not beat the atmosphere (dining in a 1000 year old cistern)the waitstaff was rude and the food was just plain bad. I swear to god, french fries and frozen veggies with meat the size and hardness of hockey pucks with moderatley decent wine for two for a 100 bucks.

I do recommend this book but with the strong reservations mentioned. There were things that we found in this guide that were not in our other one and vice versa. But this is to be expected, since I have never relied solely on one book for any country.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Real men drink tea, November 1, 2003

By	D. P. Birkett (Suffern, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lonely Planet Istanbul (2nd ed) (Paperback)

It's more lively and entertaining (and cheaper) than the Blue Guide. Sometimes it tries too hard for laughs. I didn't notice any Turks amused at naive tourists drinking non-caffeinated apple tea instead of the hard stuff. Some of the penny-pinching Lonely Planet stuff doesn't make a lot of sense in country that is so cheap once you get there but so expensive to get to. It's full of interesting and practical information but the Blue Guide remains the standard reference for serious study (if serious study is what you travel for).
I'd recommend reading this before you go but carrying the Blue Guide with you at the sites.