Istanbul Guidebook
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I used the Kindle version, and the navigation was awkward. The maps were difficult to read, and the index was nonfunctional. However, the writing and background information are excellent.
Heidi in Doha, Qatar 01/29/2012
Hi,
I love your books...Please write one for all of Turkey and not just Istanbul!! :)
Jessie in Groton, CT USA 01/13/2012
Excellent guide book, particularly liked the self paced walks! The Sycamore tree is still standing!
George Braun in Manassas, VA USA 11/29/2011
RE the self-guided museum tours, I would have found easier/faster if the "name" of the artifact... in the book were identical to the English ones used by the museum.
Dave in Aurora, ON Canada 10/17/2011
take comments seriously and act on them, there are many complaints about this restaurant
Calder in N. Vancouver, BC CDN 10/13/2011
Other than the comments on the restaurants and hotels above, we used the book every day and it was invaluable. One personal note: one of us has great difficulty with heights and stairs, and it was not clear (from your book or any other) just how hilly the city is, or how many stairs there are to get to many places (for example, the Eminonu and Karakoy tram stops require going down and then up stairs to exit to the street). The hill problems are expecially pronounced in the Galata area; we had to skip this entirely after one challenging experience. The Sultanahmet and Istiklal areas are much easier to navigate.
Harold Chasen in Philadelphia, PA USA 10/11/2011
Immediately stop recommending the City Walls Walk.
Joe Mackenzie in Kenmore, WA USA 08/06/2011
As always the book was well organized and informative. We liked the guided walks and the detailed info for all the sites. Our 16 yr old son particularly enjoyed the background information in the boxes. Several locations had recommended by Rick Steve's in their windows.
Anna McHale in Kensington, Md USA 04/25/2011
Maybe you need to have non-local staff vet the restaurants more carefully.
Joe Costantino in Sofia, bulgaria 04/10/2011
Include more travel advise for Asian Istanbul. The day we took the ferry to Harem and walked along the promenade between this community and Uskudar, where we had the best of all our dining experiences in a more typical Istanbul community, was a highlight. We returned from Uskudar via ferry to Galata Bridge. There are very nice views looking back on the city from this side of the Bosphorus Strait.
Joan Barnes in Portland, OR USA 04/01/2011
In general, I was disappointed with the restaurants recommendations in the book. The 2 that I was most disappointed about is the ones in Sultanahmet area: Doy doy & Buhara 93.
Dian in Portland, OR USA 12/05/2010
Dropped the Lale or put in a disclaimer. Obviously from the feedback, Rick Steeves was the one who got the only good, warm meal.
M. Hannis in Kamloops,, BC Canada 10/22/2010
We discovered there was a museum price card, that would have saved us a significant amount of money. Also, more updated information on cruise lines and metro.
Dianne in Austin, TX USA 07/06/2010
We used both your books for Athens and for Istanbul on a trip we just returned from and the self guided walks through both cities were excellant. We were able to see quite alot in Istanbul in only 3 days and strongly recommend that people stay in the Old Town area when getting a hotel. Everything is in walking distance. Thanks for you books.
bill moorehead in littleton, CO USA 05/25/2010
- Re-confirm all of your prices and times - More entertainment options (recommended nightclubs, places to go for fasil music, etc.) - I'm not sure why there isn't any mention of the Muzee Cart (Museum Card). It probably would have saved us $60/person with all of the sites and museums we went to. - I would add a general note that, when looking for food, your best bet would be to just wander through the alleys in Sultanahmet or the New District and just go for whatever place looks the most crowded. We went to a restaurant recommended in another book and immediately turned around when we saw that they didn't have a single guest.
Clara in Cincinnati, OH USA 05/17/2010
Clearer maps and directions. I carried both Rick's Istanbul guide and the Eye Witness Guide to Istanbul on my last trip. If you took both books and somehow put them together you would have one hell of a guide book. Sadly, neither alone, is sufficient. The Eye Witness guide has better maps, building plans and great photographs. Rick's books have better self guided tours.
Rhonda Higgins in Spokane, WA USA 12/31/2009
Be wary about taxis. We used a taxi from Taksim Square to our hotel in Sultanahmet. He first said that the fare was TL 50+. When I exclaimed "WHAT?", he hastily "checked" the meter and claimed he had misread it and the fare was actually TL 25+. My body language still was negative as we unpacked our luggage. As I then pulled some money out, including a TL 20 note, he indicated that this amount would cover the fare and took off. My hotel did not seem to be too surprised by this and felt that I probably overpaid by "only" TL 5. Can they play games with the meter?
Edward Pouchet in Fairfax, VA USA 11/14/2009
Add phrases for vegetarians, plus more tips on finding vegetarian food. Add how to get to Princes Island--take tram to last stop (Kabatash), ferry goes to big island (stop #4). Times are in free IDO booklets. Very cheap to get there and back. The carriage line is enormous but moves fast. Island is user-friendly and has a fun atmosphere. Avoid the waffle salesmen as you get off the ferry--didn't ask the price first and was charged 7 lira each!!!
Jane Wolfarth in Salt Lake City, ut USA 06/21/2009
I love the way things are organized esp the walks in different neighborhoods. All the helpful info on going thru the airport, etc, really made my trip a lot easier.
Jackie Farbeann in Columbus, OH USA 06/19/2009
More restaurant recommendations would be helpful - there weren't a ton in the book. Otherwise, this is one of the best guide books I've ever used.
Sara Patterson in Atlanta, GA USA 06/15/2009
We love to travel with the Rick Steves books, and although this book was great in many ways, it had more innaccuracies than any previous RS book we've used. The prices were accurate, but in general I think more fact checking is in order.
Matti in Chicago, IL USA 04/12/2009
Find some better restaurants in Sultanamhet.
David in San Francisco, CA USA 01/18/2009