National Geographic Walking Istanbul

Fifteen step-by-step itineraries for exploring Istanbul, plus streamlined tours for seeing the city in a day, in a weekend, for history lovers, with kids, and more.

First published in 2005. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The relaunched National Geographic Traveler guidebooks are in tune with the growing trend toward experiential travel, providing more insider tips and expert advice for a more authentic, cultural experience of each destination. These books serve discerning, curious travelers and supply information and interpretation not available on the Internet. In response to the interests of today's traveler, the acclaimed National Geographic Traveler series includes exciting new editorial features, a contemporary redesign, and inviting new covers.

See the best of Amsterdam with this streamlined walking guide, complete with 11 step-by-step itineraries and maps, to help you explore the city like a pro and navigate like a local. Created in a handy, take-along format, this guide is written by a seasoned travel writer to help conjure the spirit of the place in elegant text enhanced by National Geographic's famous eye for good pictures. More than just a guidebook, Walking Amsterdam is full of information about the city and its people. The guide is divided into the following sections: The Whirlwind Tours section shows you how to see the entire city in a day or a weekend; what sites will interest kids most; plus tours catered to shoppers and history lovers. The Neighborhoods section presents the city broken down into six itineraries that lead you to the best sites in each of the city's greatest neighborhoods--from Niewe Zijde and Oude Zijde to the Museum District and New South. Each itinerary includes such special features as "Distinctly Amsterdam...," highlighting quintessential aspects of the city (tulips, Genever & beer, and Dutch design); "Best Of," providing specific thematic groupings of sights, such as biking around town, canals, and Dutch food; and "in-depth" spreads that take a deep dive into a major museum or other iconic sight along the route. Travel Essentials provides information on how to get to the city and how to get around once you're there, as well as hand-picked hotels and restaurants. Walking Amsterdam is part of an exciting pocket-guide series from National Geographic that showcases the world's great cities. Travelers will find top-notch, streamlined, and useful local knowledge that goes beyond the Internet basics to ensure a rewarding, authentic, and memorable urban experience.

You can count on Rick Steves to tell you what you really need to know when traveling in Istanbul. Following Rick's self-guided tours, you'll experience the wonders of East and West in this fascinating city—the capital of two great empires. Explore one of the world's largest domed churches, haggle with merchants in the exotic Grand Bazaar, and discover the secrets of the sultan's harem in Topkapi Palace. Wander through monumental mosques, shop along sophisticated avenues, and watch whirling dervishes in action. Cruise the Bosphorus for a quick trip to Asia, and end the day relaxing in a Turkish bath. Rick's candid, humorous advice will guide you to good-value hotels and restaurants in delightful neighborhoods. You'll learn how to get around on the city's trams and ferries, and which sights are worth your time and money. More than just reviews and directions, a Rick Steves guidebook is a tour guide in your pocket.

From the New York Times bestselling author of My Paris Kitchen and L'Appart, a deliciously funny, offbeat, and irreverent look at the city of lights, cheese, chocolate, and other confections. Like so many others, David Lebovitz dreamed about living in Paris ever since he first visited the city and after a nearly two-decade career as a pastry chef and cookbook author, he finally moved to Paris to start a new life. Having crammed all his worldly belongings into three suitcases, he arrived, hopes high, at his new apartment in the lively Bastille neighborhood. But he soon discovered it's a different world en France. From learning the ironclad rules of social conduct to the mysteries of men's footwear, from shopkeepers who work so hard not to sell you anything to the etiquette of working the right way around the cheese plate, here is David's story of how he came to fall in love with—and even understand—this glorious, yet sometimes maddening, city. When did he realize he had morphed into un vrai parisien? It might have been when he found himself considering a purchase of men's dress socks with cartoon characters on them. Or perhaps the time he went to a bank with 135 euros in hand to make a 134-euro payment, was told the bank had no change that day, and thought it was completely normal. Or when he found himself dressing up to take out the garbage because he had come to accept that in Paris appearances and image mean everything. Once you stop laughing, the more than fifty original recipes, for dishes both savory and sweet, such as Pork Loin with Brown Sugar–Bourbon Glaze, Braised Turkey in Beaujolais Nouveau with Prunes, Bacon and Bleu Cheese Cake, Chocolate-Coconut Marshmallows, Chocolate Spice Bread, Lemon-Glazed Madeleines, and Mocha–Crème Fraîche Cake, will have you running to the kitchen for your own taste of Parisian living.

The west belt of concentric canals--with its brick buildings and cobbled streets--is the best distinguishing feature of the capital of the Netherlands, one of the liveliest cities in the world. Amsterdam offers an exciting cultural scene that you can tour with this comprehensive guide's 13 walking and driving tours: See the paintings of the Dutch Masters on display in the renovated Rijksmuseum and the exclusive Van Gogh Museum. Amble through the largest historical district in Europe, full of cafes facing the canals and bizarre boutiques. Take a trip back in time through the narrow streets of celebrated Jordaan, full of art galleries, antique shops, gardens, and charming bars and restaurants. And don't miss visiting Prinsengracht house, where Anne Frank hid for two years. Finally, plan a few hours to get lost in the largest flea market in Europe, IJ-hallen. Find all this and more in this beautifully illustrated and easy-to-navigate guide to one of the greatest cities in Europe.

See the best of New York with this streamlined, itinerary-driven guide, created in a handy, take-along format.