Rick Steves Istanbul - 9th Edition by Rick Steves & Lale Surmen Aran & Tankut Aran (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Walk in the footsteps of emperors and sultans, marvel at some of the greatest monuments on earth, and experience the wonders of East and West with Rick Steves! Inside Rick Steves Istanbul you'll find:

• Comprehensive coverage for exploring Istanbul
• Top sights and hidden gems, from the world's largest domed churches and monumental mosques to relaxing Turkish baths
• How to connect with local culture: Haggle with merchants in the lively Grand Bazaar, shop along sophisticated avenues, and watch whirling dervishes in action
• Beat the crowds, skip the lines, and avoid tourist traps
• The best places to eat, sleep, and relax
• Self-guided walking tours of lively neighborhoods and incredible museums
• Detailed neighborhood maps for exploring on the go
• Strategic advice from trusted Rick Steves Europe tour guides Lale and Tankut Aran on how to get the most out of your time and money, with rankings of their must-see favorites
• Useful resources including a packing list, a Turkish phrase book, a historical overview, and recommended reading
• Over 400 bible-thin pages include everything worth seeing without weighing you down
• Complete, up-to-date information on Istanbul's neighborhoods, plus a cruise along the Bosphorus Strait

Make the most of every day and every dollar with Rick Steves Istanbul.

Review Quotes

"...he's become the unofficial guide for entire generations of North American travelers, beloved for his earnest attitude and dad jeans."--Outside Magazine

"[Rick Steves] laces his guides with short and vivid histories and a scholar's appreciation for Renaissance art yet knows the best place to start an early tapas crawl in Madrid if you have kids. His clear, hand-drawn maps are Pentagon-worthy; his hints about how to go directly to the best stuff at the Uffizi, avoid the crowds at Versailles and save money everywhere are guilt-free."--TIME Magazine

"Every country-specific travel guidebook from the Rick Steves publishing empire can be counted upon for clear organization, specificity and timeliness."--Society of American Travel Writers

"His guidebooks are approachable, silly, and even subtly provocative in their insistence that Americans show respect for the people and places they are visiting and not the other way around."--The New Yorker

"Pick the best accommodations and restaurants from Rick Steves...and a traveler searching for good values will seldom go wrong or be blindsided."--NBC News

"Steves is a walking, talking European encyclopedia who yearns to inspire Americans to venture 'beyond Orlando.'"--Forbes

"Steves is an absolute master at unlocking the hidden gems of the world's greatest cities, towns, and monuments."--USA Today

"The country's foremost expert in European travel for Americans."--Forbes

"Travel, to Steves, is not some frivolous luxury--it is an engine for improving humankind, for connecting people and removing their prejudices, for knocking distant cultures together to make unlikely sparks of joy and insight. Given that millions of people have encountered the work of Steves over the last 40 years, on TV or online or in his guidebooks, and that they have carried those lessons to untold other millions of people, it is fair to say that his life's work has had a real effect on the collective life of our planet."--The New York Times Magazine

About the Author

Lale Surmen Aran and Tankut Aran, an Istanbul-based couple who have been married for 11 years, lead tours for Turkish and American groups to wherever they can (including Best of Turkey tours for Rick Steves Europe). They have a passion for unusual travel destinations, and always enjoy learning about the past, present, and future of the peoples of the world. With each trip, they say they become new souls, enriched and enlightened, taking one step forward. In addition to traveling, tour guiding, and guidebook researching, they run an Istanbul-based travel agency, SRM Travel (srmtravel.com).

Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about 100 days a year exploring Europe. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. A New York Times-bestselling author, Rick produces a guidebook series, a public television series, and a public radio show, and he organizes small-group tours that take over 30,000 travelers to Europe annually. He does all of this with the help of more than 100 well-traveled staff members at Rick Steves' Europe in Edmonds, WA (near Seattle). When not on the road, Rick is active in his church and with advocacy groups focused on economic and social justice, drug policy reform, and ending hunger. What's the ideal vacation for a professional traveler? For Rick, it's to play his piano, relax at his family cabin in the Cascade Mountains, and spend time with family and friends at home in Edmonds. Find out more about Rick at RickSteves.com and on Facebook.

Connect with Rick:
facebook.com/RickSteves
Twitter: @RickSteves
Instagram: ricksteveseurope