TÜRKIYE
Turkey's standouts.
The 10 most-booked whirling dervishes & shows in Turkey. What each one is really like, who runs it, and what it costs.
Watch the Mevlevi Sema at Hoca Rüstem Medrese in Istanbul. Live music, tea, and hypnotic whirling dervishes for 1 hour.
“Lovely experience. The hosts were very nice and the live music was amazing.”
Whirling dervish Sema beside Hagia Sophia with classic live Turkish music, expert context, and tea or sherbet for $17 in 55 minutes.
“The show was amazing. It was really getting you inside their culture and the price was worth every penny!”
Cappadocia’s Sema ceremony in Goreme: see whirling dervishes, hear ritual context from your guide, sip Serbet, and return after an hour.
“Interesting, but could be improved if the audience is provided with an explanation during the performance as to what is occurring”
Watch the Sema whirling dervish ceremony in a historical Göreme cave, with a guide and a traditional drink afterward.
“We loved the ceremony. It was authentic to the core. They did not dilute it for a world-wide audience.”
Watch the UNESCO-linked Mevlevi Sema whirling ceremony in Istanbul at Kızlarağa Medresesi. Small venue, close music, 50 minutes.
“Come as early as possible. The organizer oversells tickets. So the number of people far exceeds the seats available, which caused arguments to break out among other people that were attending. The person responsible for logistics at the venue-specifically dealing with the chairs was incredibly aggressive. This was incongruous for an event devoted to sufi…”
Istanbul Hodjapasha Mevlevi Sema whirling dervish ceremony with English info, live music, and an hour-long show.
“Very surreal experience. It a beautiful to watch such a scared ceremony . Over all great experience .”
Whirling Dervish by 1650-year-old Byzantine walls, then a 140-year-old kebab feast with künefe. Small group dinner tour, 3.5 hrs.
“Our host, Zeynep, is very personal, lively, friendly, one of a kind. The best guide we had so far in Turkey. We enjoyed the snacks, the Dervish experience and most of all the variety food at the restaurant including the delicious and special dessert they won’t share the recipe.”
A 40-minute Cappadocia Whirling Dervish show with hotel pickup, guided context, and a symbolic ritual delivered with careful respect.
“pas explication c'était long c'est n'ai pas un spectacle c'était plus acte religieux il fesait très froid”
See the Mevlevi Whirling Dervish ritual near Hagia Sophia for $23, with live Sufi music, Rumi context, and Turkish tea or sherbet.
Watch a Sema (whirling dervish) ceremony at Motif Cultural Centre in Cappadocia, with live music, whirling meditation, and sweet serbet.
“Very impressive and absorbing experience. Enjoyed the seriousness and solemnity with which the ceremony was conducted.”
