13

The Authors 19
Getting Started 22
Itineraries 27
Current Events 35
History 37
People 48
Religion 53
Islam & the West 58
Arts 65
Environment 80
Food & Drink 84
Egypt 92
Highlights 93
Climate & When to Go 93
History 93
The Culture 96
Religion 96
CAIRO 97
History 97
Orientation 97
Information 100
Sights 101
Activities 108
Cairo for Children 108
Tours 108
Sleeping 108
Eating 111
Drinking 113
Entertainment 114
Getting There & Away 114
Getting Around 116
AROUND CAIRO 117
Memphis, Saqqara &
Dahshur 117
MEDITERRANEAN COAST 117
Alexandria 117
El Alamein 123
NILE VALLEY 124
Luxor 124
North of Luxor 136
South of Luxor 137
Aswan 137
Around Aswan 143
WESTERN OASES 144
Kharga Oasis 144
Dakhla Oasis 146
Farafra Oasis 147
Bahariyya Oasis 147
Siwa Oasis 148
SUEZ CANAL 150
Port Said 150
Suez 151
RED SEA COAST 153
Hurghada 153
Al-Quseir 156
Marsa Alam 157
SINAI 158
Ras Mohammed National
Park 158
Sharm el-Sheikh &
Naama Bay 158
Dahab 162
St Katherines Monastery 166
Nuweiba 167
Taba 169
Al-Arish 169
EGYPT DIRECTORY 170
Accommodation 170
Activities 170
Business Hours 170
Children 171
Courses 171
Disabled Travellers 171
Discount Cards 171
Embassies & Consulates 172
Festivals & Events 172
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 173
Holidays 173
Money 173
Post 174
Telephone & Fax 174
Visas 174
Women Travellers 175
Contents
Lonely Planet Publications
14 C O N T E N T S
TRANSPORT IN EGYPT 176
Getting There & Away 176
Getting Around 177
Iran 179
Highlights 180
Climate & When to Go 180
History 180
The Culture 183
Religion 184
Arts 184
Environment 185
Food & Drink 185
TEHRAN 186
History 186
Orientation 187
Information 187
Dangers & Annoyances 189
Sights 189
Sleeping 193
Eating 194
Drinking 195
Entertainment 195
Shopping 195
Getting There & Away 196
Getting Around 197
AROUND TEHRAN 197
Tochal & Darband 197
Alborz Ski Resorts 198
Mt Damavand 198
The Holy Shrine of Imam
Khomeini 198
Behesht-e Zahra 198
Noshahr/Chalus & Around 198
WESTERN IRAN 199
Bazargan 199
Maku 199
Qareh Kalisa 199
Jolfa 199
Orumiyeh (Urmieh) 200
Sero 200
Takht-e Soleiman 200
Tabriz 201
Around Tabriz 203
Ardabil 203
Astara 204
Rasht 204
Masuleh 204
Ramsar 204
Qazvin 205
Around Qazvin 206
Kermanshah 206
Bisotun 207
Hamadan 207
Around Hamadan 208
Khorramabad 208
Andimeshk 208
Shush (Susa) 208
Choqa Zanbil 209
Ahvaz 209
CENTRAL IRAN 209
Qom 209
Kashan 210
Around Kashan 210
Esfahan 211
Garmeh 217
Yazd 217
Around Yazd 221
Shiraz 221
Around Shiraz 225
THE PERSIAN GULF 227
Bushehr 227
Kish Island 228
Bandar Lengeh 229
Bandar Abbas 229
Around Bandar Abbas 231
SOUTHEASTERN IRAN 231
Kerman 231
Around Kerman 234
Rayen 234
Bam 234
Zahedan 235
Mirjaveh 236
NORTHEASTERN IRAN 236
Sari 237
Gorgan 237
Around Gorgan 238
Tehran to Mashhad 238
Mashhad 238
Around Mashhad 241
IRAN DIRECTORY 242
Accommodation 242
Activities 242
Books 242
Business Hours 243
Children 243
Customs 243
Dangers & Annoyances 243
Discount Cards 244
Embassies & Consulates 244
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 245
Holidays 245
Internet Access 246
Internet Resources 246
Language 246
Legal Matters 246
Maps 246
Money 246
Post 247
Telephone 247
Toilets 248
Visas 248
Women Travellers 250
TRANSPORT IN IRAN 250
Getting There & Away 250
Getting Around 251
Iraq 254
Climate 255
History 255
The Culture 260
Religion 260
Arts 260
Environment 260
BAGHDAD 260
History 261
Orientation 261
Sights 261
AROUND BAGHDAD 262
The Arch of Ctesiphon 262
SOUTHERN IRAQ 262
Babylon 262
Kerbala 262
Najaf 263
Nasiriyya 263
Around Nasiriyya 263
Basra 263
NORTHERN IRAQ 264
Zakho 264
Amadiya 265
Dohuk 265
Mosul 265
Around Mosul 266
Arbil 267
Shaqlawa & Gully Ali Beg 267
Kirkuk 267
IRAQ DIRECTORY 268
Books 268
Embassies & Consulates 268
Internet Resources 268
Language 268
Money 269
Solo Travellers 269
Visas 269
TRANSPORT IN IRAQ 269
Getting There & Away 269
Getting Around 269
Israel & the
Palestinian
Territories 270
Highlights 271
Climate & When to Go 271
History 271
C O N T E N T S 15
The Culture 276
Sport 278
Religion 278
Arts 279
Environment 281
Food & Drink 282
JERUSALEM 283
History 283
Orientation 284
Information 285
Sights 287
Courses 291
Jerusalem for Children 292
Tours 292
Sleeping 292
Eating 294
Drinking 295
Entertainment 295
Getting There & Away 296
Getting Around 296
MEDITERRANEAN COAST 297
Tel Aviv 297
Jaffa 306
Netanya 308
Haifa 308
Druze Villages 312
Caesarea 313
Beit Shearim 313
Akko 313
Nahariya 316
Rosh Hanikra 316
GALILEE 316
Nazareth 316
Tzippori 318
Megiddo 318
Beit Shean 319
Tiberias 319
Sea of Galilee 321
Tsfat 323
UPPER GALILEE &
THE GOLAN HEIGHTS 324
Rosh Pina 324
Hula Valley 324
Kiryat Shmona 325
Golan Heights 326
DEAD SEA 327
Qumran 327
Ein Gedi 328
Masada 328
THE NEGEV 329
Beersheva 330
Arad 330
Dimona 331
Sde Boker & Avdat 331
Mitzpe Ramon 331
Eilat 332
Around Eilat 336
THE WEST BANK &
GAZA STRIP 337
Ramallah 338
Jericho 338
Around Jericho 339
Bethlehem 339
Around Bethlehem 341
Hebron 341
Nablus 341
Gaza City 342
ISRAEL & THE PALESTINIAN
TERRITORIES DIRECTORY 344
Accommodation 344
Activities 345
Books 346
Business Hours 346
Children 347
Courses 347
Dangers & Annoyances 347
Disabled Travellers 348
Discount Cards 348
Embassies & Consulates 348
Festivals & Events 349
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 349
Holidays 350
Internet Access 351
Language 351
Money 351
Post 352
Telephone & Fax 352
Toilets 352
Visas 353
Women Travellers 353
Work 354
TRANSPORT IN ISRAEL &
THE PALESTINIAN
TERRITORIES 354
Getting There & Away 354
Getting Around 356
Jordan 358
Highlights 359
Climate & When to Go 359
History 359
The Culture 362
Sport 363
Religion 363
Arts 363
Environment 363
Food & Drink 364
AMMAN 364
History 365
Orientation 365
Information 365
Sights & Activities 369
Amman for Children 371
Tours 371
Sleeping 371
Eating 373
Drinking 374
Entertainment 374
Shopping 375
Getting There & Away 375
Getting Around 376
AROUND AMMAN 376
Wadi as-Seer & Iraq al-Amir 376
JERASH & THE NORTH 376
Jerash 377
Ajlun 379
Irbid 379
Umm Qais 380
Pella (Tabaqat Fahl) 380
THE DEAD SEA &
AROUND 381
Bethany-Beyond-the-
Jordan 381
The Dead Sea 381
Wadi Mujib Nature Reserve 382
THE EASTERN DESERT 383
Umm al-Jimal 383
The Desert Castles 383
KINGS HIGHWAY 384
Madaba 384
Around Madaba 386
Machaerus (Mukawir) 386
Wadi Mujib 387
Karak 387
Tafila 387
Dana Nature Reserve 387
Shobak 388
PETRA & THE SOUTH 389
Petra & Wadi Musa 389
Wadi Rum 393
Aqaba 395
JORDAN DIRECTORY 399
Accommodation 399
Activities 399
Books 399
Business Hours 399
Courses 400
Customs 400
Dangers & Annoyances 400
Disabled Travellers 400
Discount Cards 400
Embassies & Consulates 400
Festivals & Events 401
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 401
Holidays 401
16 C O N T E N T S
Internet Access 401
Internet Resources 401
Language 401
Laundry 401
Maps 401
Money 402
Photography 402
Post 402
Solo Travellers 403
Telephone 403
Toilets 403
Tourist Information 403
Visas 403
Women Travellers 404
Work 404
TRANSPORT IN JORDAN 404
Getting There & Away 404
Getting Around 406
Lebanon 409
Highlights 410
Climate & When to Go 410
History 410
The Culture 413
Religion 414
Arts 414
Environment 415
Food & Drink 416
BEIRUT 417
History 417
Orientation 417
Information 417
Dangers & Annoyances 421
Sights & Activities 421
Beirut for Children 423
Tours 423
Festivals & Events 423
Sleeping 423
Eating 425
Drinking 427
Entertainment 428
Shopping 430
Getting There & Away 430
Getting Around 430
AROUND BEIRUT 431
Beit Mary & Broummana 431
Jeita Grotto 432
Jounieh 432
NORTH OF BEIRUT 434
Byblos (Jbail) 434
Tripoli (Trablous) 437
Bcharr 442
SOUTH OF BEIRUT 443
Sidon (Saida) 443
Echmoun 446
Tyre (Sour) 446
Chouf Mountains 448
BEKAA VALLEY 450
Zahl 450
Baalbek 451
Aanjar 453
LEBANON DIRECTORY 454
Accommodation 454
Activities 454
Books 455
Business Hours 455
Courses 455
Dangers & Annoyances 455
Embassies & Consulates 455
Festivals & Events 456
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 456
Holidays 456
Money 457
Photography 457
Telephone 457
Visas 458
Women Travellers 458
TRANSPORT IN LEBANON 458
Getting There & Away 458
Getting Around 460
Libya 463
Highlights 464
Climate & When to Go 464
History 464
The Culture 468
Arts 469
Environment 470
Food & Drink 471
TRIPOLI 471
History 471
Orientation 471
Information 471
Dangers & Annoyances 473
Sights & Activities 473
Sleeping 474
Eating 475
Drinking 476
Shopping 476
Getting There & Away 476
Getting Around 476
SABRATHA 477
History 477
Information 477
Sights 477
Getting There & Away 478
LEPTIS MAGNA &
AROUND 478
Al-Khoms 478
Leptis Magna 479
Zliten 481
Sirt 481
EASTERN LIBYA 482
Benghazi 482
Tolmeita (Ptolemais) 485
Al-Bayda 485
Shahat (Cyrene) 485
Susa (Apollonia) 487
Tobruk 488
JEBEL NAFUSA &
GHADAMES 489
Gharyan 489
Qasr al-Haj 489
Yefren 489
Kabaw 490
Nalut 490
Ghadames 491
To the Sahara 494
FEZZAN & THE SAHARA 494
Sebha 494
Idehan Ubari & the Ubari
Lakes 495
Germa 495
Ubari 497
Al-Aweinat 497
Ghat 497
The Jebel Acacus 498
Idehan Murzuq 498
Wadi Methkandoush 498
Waw al-Namus 498
LIBYA DIRECTORY 499
Accommodation 499
Activities 500
Books 500
Business Hours 500
Children 500
Customs 500
Dangers & Annoyances 501
Disabled Travellers 501
Embassies & Consulates 501
Festivals & Events 501
Holidays 502
Internet Access 502
Internet Resources 502
Language 502
Maps 502
Money 502
Photography 502
Post 503
Shopping 503
Solo Travellers 503
Telephone & Fax 503
Toilets 503
Tourist Information 503
Visas 503
C O N T E N T S 17
Women Travellers 504
TRANSPORT IN LIBYA 504
Getting There & Away 504
Getting Around 505
Syria 507
Highlights 508
Climate & When to Go 508
History 508
The Culture 510
Religion 510
DAMASCUS 510
Orientation 510
Information 511
Sights 514
Activities 515
Tours 515
Sleeping 515
Eating 519
Drinking 520
Entertainment 521
Getting There & Away 521
Getting Around 522
BOSRA 522
Information 522
Sights 522
Sleeping & Eating 523
Getting There & Away 523
LATTAKIA 523
Information 523
Sights & Activities 524
Sleeping 525
Eating & Drinking 525
Entertainment 526
Getting There & Away 526
AROUND LATTAKIA 527
Ugarit 527
Qalaat Saladin 527
Qalaat Marqab 527
TARTUS 527
Information 527
Sights 528
Sleeping 528
Eating 528
Getting There & Away 528
CRAC DES CHEVALIERS 529
Sights 529
Sleeping & Eating 529
Getting There & Away 530
HOMS 531
Information 531
Sights 531
Sleeping & Eating 531
Getting There & Away 531
HAMA 532
Information 532
Sights 532
Tours 532
Sleeping 534
Eating 534
Getting There & Away 535
APAMEA 535
ALEPPO 535
Orientation 538
Information 538
Sights 538
Activities 540
Tours 540
Sleeping 540
Eating 542
Drinking 542
Entertainment 543
Getting There & Away 543
QALAAT SAMAAN 544
DEAD CITIES 544
PALMYRA 544
History 544
Information 545
Sights 545
Sleeping 547
Eating & Drinking 547
Getting There & Away 548
SYRIA DIRECTORY 549
Accommodation 549
Business Hours 549
Children 549
Courses 550
Discount Cards 550
Embassies & Consulates 550
Festivals & Events 550
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 550
Holidays 551
Money 551
Post 551
Telephone 552
Visas 552
Women Travellers 553
TRANSPORT IN SYRIA 553
Getting There & Away 553
Getting Around 554
Turkey 556
Highlights 557
Climate & When to Go 557
History 557
The Culture 560
Sport 561
Religion 561
Arts 561
Environment 562
Food 562
Drink 562
STANBUL 563
History 563
Orientation 563
Information 563
Dangers & Annoyances 566
Sights 566
Activities 571
Festivals & Events 572
Sleeping 572
Eating 573
Drinking 574
Getting There & Away 574
Getting Around 575
AROUND STANBUL 576
Edirne 576
znik 576
Bursa 577
AEGEAN COAST 578
anakkale 578
Eceabat (Maydos) 580
Gallipoli (Gelibolu)
Peninsula 580
Troy (Truva) 581
Behramkale & Assos 581
Ayvalk 582
Bergama (Pergamum) 583
zmir 583
eme 585
Seluk 586
Ephesus (Efes) 588
Kuadas 588
Inland From Seluk 590
Bodrum 591
MEDITERRANEAN COAST 593
Marmaris 593
Kyceiz 595
Dalyan 596
Fethiye 596
ldeniz 598
Patara 598
Kalkan 599
Ka 600
Olympos & iral 601
Antalya 602
Around Antalya 605
Side 605
Alanya 606
The Eastern Coast 607
Antakya (Hatay) 607
CENTRAL ANATOLIA 607
Ankara 607
Sivas 609
18 C O N T E N T S
Konya 609
CAPPADOCIA
(KAPADOKYA) 610
Greme 611
Uhisar 612
Zelve Valley 613
Avanos 613
rgp 613
Mustafapaa 614
Ihlara Valley 614
Kayseri 615
THE BLACK SEA & NORTH-
EASTERN ANATOLIA 615
Trabzon 616
Erzurum 618
Kars 620
Doubayazt 621
Van 622
Diyarbakr 623
Mardin 624
anlurfa (Urfa) 625
Mt Nemrut 626
Gaziantep (Antep) 627
TURKEY DIRECTORY 629
Accommodation 629
Activities 630
Business Hours 630
Customs 630
Dangers & Annoyances 630
Embassies & Consulates 631
Festivals & Events 631
Gay & Lesbian Travellers 632
Holidays 632
Internet Access 632
Language 632
Maps 632
Money 632
Post 633
Telephone & Fax 633
Toilets 633
Visas 633
Women Travellers 634
TRANSPORT IN TURKEY 634
Getting There & Away 634
Getting Around 635
Middle East
Directory 637
Transport in
the Middle East 657
Health 673
Language 679
Glossary 690
Behind the Scenes 694
World Time Zones 698
Index 700
Map Legend 716
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p256
p181
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Territories
Palestinian
Iran
Libya
Egypt
Iraq
Israel & the
Lebanon
Jordan
Syria
Turkey
Regional Map Contents Regional Map Contents
Lonely Planet Publications