Before I visit someplace I find reading something about it through travel guides, history books or simply novels really useful. You get a good sense of the historical and cultural context which deepens your travel experience.
For a trip to Istanbul, my personal recommendations are-
- Fodor’s Istanbul’s 25 Best – A short travel guide that gives you the highlights on what to do Istanbul. Carry this along and you don’t really need your own itinerary.
- My Name is Red by Orhan Pamuk – A novel set in the Ottoman era that is a part murder mystery and part primer on Islamic art. Brilliantly written with a fascinating cast of characters that describes the Istanbul of many moons ago!
Enjoy!
For more on travel to Istanbul, go here
