Middle East

This is the Egypt chapter from Lonely Planet’s Middle East guidebook.

Egypt’s ancient monuments still inspire the same reverence in travellers as they have for centuries. But walk away from the click of a million camera shutters for a minute and you’ll dis-cover Egypt isn’t just mummies and colossal columns.

• come face to face with one of the world’s great wonders, the Pyramids of Giza
• maps
• overload on mosques, mausoleums, museums and ancient churches in Cairo
• transport
• sense the vanity of Ramses II amid his most spectacular temple complex, Abu Simbel
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Cairo, Saqqara, Memphis & Dahshur, Mediterranean Coast, Alexandria, Nile Valley, Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Philae (Agilika Island), High Dam, Abu Simbel, Western Oases, Al Kharga Oasis, Dakhla Oasis, Bahariya Oasis, Siwa Oasis, Red Sea Coast, El Gouna, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, South Sinai, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, St Katherine Protectorate, Nuweiba, Taba, Understand Egypt, Egypt Today, History, People, Arts, Food & Drink, Survival Guide.

This is the Iran chapter from Lonely Planet’s Middle East guidebook.

This exceptionally welcoming country has a multifaceted history and rich, artistic culture manifested in myriad ways. Hospitality is a way of life here and chatting with locals over tea or a meal will likely provide your most memorable moments.

• admiring Esfahan’s enormous square and the stunning buildings that surround it
• maps
• look upon the ruined, yet majestic, works of the mighty Achaemenid Kings of Kings at Per-sepolis
• transport
• hike the Alborz range in fabled, utterly picturesque Alamut Valley
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Tehran, Western Iran, Tabriz, Kandovan, Qazvin, Al-amut Valley, Central Iran, Kashan, Esfahan, Yazd, Shiraz, Persepolis, Naqsh-e Rostam & Naqsh-e Rajab, Pasargada, Northeastern Iran, Mashhad, Understand Iran, Iran Today, History, Food & Drink, Arts, Survival Guide.

This is the Iraq chapter from Lonely Planet’s Middle East guidebook.

Torn between its glorious past and its recent bloody history, Iraq is a country in turmoil. The tide may have turned back in favour of the Iraqi government with the recapture of Mosul and oth-er cities in 2017, but most of Iraq remains extremely dangerous.

Coverage includes: Iraq Explained, Isis, A Divided Country, The Break-Up of Iraq?, Foreign Influence, History, Ancient Mesopotamia, Islamic Iraq, Independent Iraq, Iran–Iraq War, Gulf War & Sanctions, 2003 Iraq War, Growing Pains, People & Society, Modern Iraqi Society, Daily Life in Iraq, Further Information, Books on Modern Iraq, Books on Iraqi History, Understand, Fast Facts.

This is the Israel & the Palestinian Territories chapter from Lonely Planet’s Middle East guidebook.

At the intersection of Asia, Europe and Africa, Israel and the Palestinian Territories – cradle of Judaism and Christianity, and sacred to Muslims and Baha’is – have been a meeting place of cultures, empires and religions since the dawn of history.

• visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, believed to be the site of Jesus’s crucifixion
• maps
• ascend the Masada Snake Path before dawn and watch the sun rise
• transport
• take a dip in the warm Mediterranean at Tel Aviv-Jaffa
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Jerusalem, Mediterranean Coast, Tel Aviv-Jaffa (Ya-fo), Caesarea, Haifa, Akko (Acre), Lower Galilee & Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Tiberias, Beit She’an, Upper Galilee & Golan Heights, Tsfat (Safed), Dead Sea, Ein Gedi, Masada, Ein Botek, Negev, Mitzpe Ramon, Eilat, West Bank, Ramallah & Al-Bireh, Jericho & around, Bethlehem & around, Nablus, Jenin, The Gaza Strip, Understand Israel & the Palestinian Territories, Israel & the Palestinian Territories Today, History, People, Government & Politics, Religion, Arts, Food & Drink, Daily Life, Language, Environment, and Survival Guide.

This is the Jordan chapter from Lonely Planet’s Middle East guidebook.

Ahlan wa sahlan! – ‘Welcome!’ From the Bedouin of Wadi Rum to the taxi drivers of Amman, you’ll be on the receiving end of this open-armed welcome every day. It’s this, and a sense of stability amid a problematic neighbourhood, that makes travel in Jordan such a delight.

• encounter modern Jordan in the cafes and malls of vibrant Amman
• maps
• wander among Jerash’s impressive Roman ruins, and enjoy community engagement in nearby Ajloun
• transport
• hike sections of the Jordan Trail in Mujib or Dana Biosphere Reserves
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Amman, The North, Jerash, Ajloun, Ajloun Forest Re-serve, Irbid, Umm Qais (Gadara), The West, Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan (Al-Maghtas), Dead Sea, Mujib Biosphere Reserve, The East, Hallabat, Azraq & around, The King’s Highway, Madaba, Mt Nebo, Machaerus (Mukawir), Wadi Mujib, Karak, Tafila, Dana Biosphere Reserve, Shobak, The South, Petra, Wadi Musa, Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Understand Jordan, Jordan Today, History, People & Society, Arts & Crafts, Food & Drink, Environment, and Survival Guide.

This is the Lebanon chapter from Lonely Planet’s Middle East guidebook.

Damaged by decades of civil war, Lebanon is nonetheless blessed with magnificent moun-tain vistas, majestic ancient ruins and an indomitable, hospitable people. Lebanon rewards the traveller with food for thought and a feast for the senses and the stomach.

• party at beach lounges and rooftop nightclubs in Beirut
• maps
• gaze at one of the best-preserved of all Roman temples, Baalbek
• transport
• soak up the atmosphere of the traditional souq area in Tripoli
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Beirut, Central Lebanon, Jeita Grotto, Byblos (Jbail), North Lebanon, Batroun, Tripoli (Trablous), The Qadisha Valley, South Lebanon, Sidon (Saida), Tyre (Sour), Chouf Mountains, Deir Al Qamar, Bekaa Valley, Baalbek, Understand Lebanon, Lebanon Today, Food & Drink, Religion, Environment, Literature, Music, Survival Guide.

This chapter contains the Welcome to the Middle East, The Middle East’s Top 21, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like..., Month by Month, Itineraries, Visas & Border Crossings, Activi-ties, Travel with Children, and Countries at a Glance chapters from Lonely Planet’s Middle East guidebook.

Your journey to Middle East starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on family-friendly travel in the region.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about outdoor activities
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to the Middle East, The Middle East’s Top 21, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like: Ancient Cities, Deserts & Oases, Mosques, Souqs & Bazaars, Castles & Fortresses, Wildlife, Hammams, Month by Month, Itineraries, Visas & Border Crossings, Activities, Travel with Children, and Countries at a Glance.

This is the Syria chapter from Lonely Planet’s Middle East guidebook.

At the time of writing, Syria was one of the most dangerous places on the planet, and it cur-rently isn’t possible (or advisable) to visit. Put simply, Syria is a war zone, and peace seems as far away as at any time since war began in 2011.

Coverage includes: Syria Explained, Assad & the Alawites, Isis, Russia, the US & the Rest, Paths to Peace, History, A Storied History, Post WWII, Disappointment, Upris-ing & War, People & Society, Daily Life, Arts, Further Information, Understand.

This is the Turkey chapter from Lonely Planet’s Middle East guidebook.

Turkey is where Asia and Europe meet and meld together. The ‘bridge between continents’ tag may be a cliché, but this nation’s juxtaposition of modern sophistication and ancient tradition is a surprising and heady brew that turns many travellers’ first perceptions on their head.

• crane your neck to gaze at Byzantine frescoes and Ottoman artistry in Istanbul
• maps
• channel your inner Roman amid the ruins of Ephesus
• transport
• hike amid Cappadocia’s geological wonderland of ‘fairy chimney’ rock crags
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Istanbul, Aegean Coast, Çanakkale, Troy, Eceabat, Gallipoli Peninsula, Bursa, Bergama (Pergamum), Izmir, Selçuk, Ephesus, Kusadasi, Pamukkale, Bodrum Town, Marmaris, Mediterranean Coast, Fethiye, Patara, Kalkan, Kas, Olympos & Çirali, Antalya, Side, Alanya, Central Anatolia, Ankara, Safranbolu, Konya, Cappadocia, Göreme & Around, Avanos, Ürgüp, Kayseri, Black Sea Coast & Northeastern Anatolia, Trabzon, Erzurum, Kars, Dogubayazit, Understand Turkey, Turkey Today, History, People, Religion, Food, Survival Guide.

This chapter contains the The Middle East Today, History, Religion, Architecture, Middle Eastern Cuisine, The Arts, Landscape & Environment, Traveller Etiquette, Safe Travel, Women Travellers, Directory A–Z, Transport, Health, and Language chapters from Lonely Planet’s Middle East guidebook.

All the info you need on everything from history, current affairs and religion to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and les-bian travellers, travellers with disabilities, and travellers with kids. And get the most out of your conversations with a handy language guide and glossary.

• a rundown on the region’s religions and the sites they revere
• info on the Middle East’s cinema, literature and music scenes
• full coverage of Middle Eastern cuisine
• details on general, religious and eating etiquette

Coverage includes: The Middle East Today, History, Religion, Architec-ture, Middle Eastern Cuisine, The Arts, Landscape & Environment, Traveller Etiquette, Safe Trav-el, Women Travellers, Directory A–Z, Transport, Health, and Language.