Explore Istanbul, part of a brand-new series launch for March 2014, is the ideal pocket companion for your trip: a full-color guide containing easy-to-follow routes that will take you from the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque to contemporary art at Istanbul Modern or the hagglers' paradise that is the Grand Bazaar. The gateway to Asia, Istanbul is Europe's largest and most exotic city, where remnants of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires are fused with the dynamic buzz of a modern-day metropolis.  Introductory chapters on Istanbul's cuisine, shopping opportunities, and Turkish baths set the routes in context and feature Insight's trademark cultural coverage. Hand-picked places to eat and drink are highlighted in each tour and in the directory section, which contains a wealth of useful practical information, including a range of carefully selected hotels to suit all budgets. All routes are plotted on the useful pull-out map, and evocative photography captures the atmosphere of this vibrant city.