Time Out Istanbul (Time Out Guides)

Rating:
Summary: Gunaydin Istanbul!
Review: Well written and chock full of what appears to be some very recent photographs. The book starts off with twenty-some pages of Turkish history including several pages devoted to Istanbul for women--governmentally secular, Turkey is nonetheless 90% Islam. The travel section contains critiques of dozens of hotels and even lists web sites and email addresses. A rarity even in current travel books. Web search engines tend to overwhelm the senses with too much data, so finding a source that actually evaluates hotels on an individual basis is a revelation. Likewise the section on dining, drinking and shopping covers a wide range of price choices with many recommendations that have the ring of authority to them. With 5,000 of years of history, Istanbul would require several lifetimes to investigate properly. Sightseeing is arranged in neighborhood fashion and gives the armchair traveler an opportunity to plot a variety of routes depending on time and inclination. The more you read, the more time you want to spend peeling back the layers of archeological wonder. Time Out includes almost 50 pages devoted to arts and entertainment and provides a comprehensive guide to adult night life in Istanbul. The factual style of writing lends an air of believability and authenticity. One of the off putting elements in the book is the inclusion of magazine style advertising throughout the text. And, the map section leaves a great deal to be desired. Ten pages at the back of the book split into areas of the city, without hotel indexes, and only identifying major streets. All in all, if you have only one guidebook for Istanbul, this is the one. There is a small section on Turkish language and vocabulary, and where to go to get instructions in Turkish. Covering virtually every aspect of the city the editors have created a concise yet detailed guide to what used to be Constantinople.