Looking for the real story behind the headlines? Look here. Look to the region where ancient civilisations rose and fell, where deserts, seas and ancient ruins compete for spectacle, and from where all travellers return raving about the extraordinary kindness of strangers. Lonely Planet tells it like it is in this most rewarding of travel destinations. Covers: Libya, Egypt, Israel & the Palestinian Territories, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, and Iran. * OLD FAVOURITES REDISCOVERED - extensive back-ground information on Petra, the Pyramids and Palmyra * NEW FAVOURITES UNCOVERED - from Tel Aviv's clubs and wi-fi centres to Beirut's nightlife and Istanbul's hippest restaurants: opinionated reviews of all listings * OFF THE BEATEN TRACK - travel safely where other guidebooks fear to tread, through eastern Turkey, Iran, the Palestinian Territories and Libya * THE BEST MAPS of any guide to the Middle East, all 114 of them * EXHAUSTIVE PRACTICAL INFORMATION - tips on border crossings, Internet access, digital photography, avoiding an Israeli passport stamp, and much more