Turkish dinner and dervish evening
A 60-minute whirling dervish performance after an introduction to Sufism, then dinner at a family-owned restaurant and a private car to your hotel area. Small groups, hosted in English and Turkish.
See dates ↗
The evening
Why this evening works
A prayer you are invited to watch
A sema is a Sufi ritual of remembrance, performed to set music by dancers who turn with one palm raised and one lowered. UNESCO counts it as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage. An introduction beforehand helps you read it as a ritual rather than a show.
Rumi's order, still alive in Istanbul
The Mevlevi order began in Konya after Rumi's death in 1273 and spread across the Ottoman Empire. UNESCO names Konya and Istanbul as its most active centres, and Istanbul's Galata lodge dates from 1491. The ceremony you see belongs to that long line.
Dinner that follows the quiet
The evening is built in order: a walk, an introduction, an hour of music and turning, then a family-owned restaurant and a private car to your hotel area. The quiet comes first and the conversation after.
The ceremony, part by part
The sema, part by part
A full Mevlevi sema follows a set order. Learn the six parts below and you will know where you are in the hall, whether you watch for ten minutes or an hour.
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Part 1
The eulogy and the reed flute
A solo voice sings the Naat-i Şerif, a eulogy to the Prophet Muhammad. It ends with a taksim, an improvisation on the ney, a reed flute that the order links to the divine breath.
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Part 2
The procession
The semazens, wearing black cloaks, walk slowly round the hall to instrumental music. They make three circuits and bow to one another, a greeting described as from soul to soul.
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Part 3
The cloaks come off
The black cloak stands for the grave and the tall brown hat for the tombstone of the ego. Taking off the cloak means rebirth, and the dancers stand in white.
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Part 4
The first and second selams
The turning begins. The right foot drives the dancer round the left, the right palm turns up to take in grace and the left turns down to give it to the world. The first selam is read as birth to truth through knowledge, the second as rapture at creation.
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Part 5
The third and fourth selams
Rapture turns into love in the third selam, and the fourth is a return to the service of all creation. In the last selam the sheikh joins the turning.
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Part 6
The close
A recitation from the Quran and prayers close the ritual. The hall is quiet again, and in this evening the group moves on to dinner.
A performance for visitors may be shorter or reordered, and sources describe the details a little differently. Your host explains what you will see.
The route
Three stops and a car
The evening moves through four places. The first is a landmark you can find on any map. The others are named on the ticket but not by street, so your host does the guiding.
Sirkeci
The group meets in front of the Sirkeci Central Post Office. Sirkeci sits at the tip of the historic peninsula, and its railway terminal opened in 1890 as the eastern terminus of the Orient Express.
The hall
A short walk leads to the venue, where the host explains Sufism and the dervishes before a 60-minute performance. The ticket sets it among old Byzantine walls.
The table
A transfer takes the group to a family-owned restaurant that the ticket describes as 140 years old, for kebabs, meze and salads, then tea, coffee and künefe.
The ride back
A private car ends the evening near your hotel in Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Eminönü, Taksim, Galata, Beyoğlu or Fatih.
Turning, and the city around it
The ceremony and the city in pictures
Dancers turning in a ceremony hall, semazens in line, the Konya museum that holds Rumi's tomb, hats on display, Sirkeci terminal and its post office and künefe with coffee.
Sema tickets to compare in Istanbul
Three sema tickets to compare in Istanbul
| Ticket | What it offers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Turkish dinner and dervish evening | A 60-minute whirling dervish performance after an introduction to Sufism, then dinner at a family-owned restaurant and a private car to your hotel area. Small groups, hosted in English and Turkish. | Travellers who want one organised evening with context, dinner and the ride home. |
| Ceremony next to the Basilica Cistern | About 55 minutes of live Turkish classical music and whirling, with a host who explains the ritual before and after and a glass of tea or sherbet. No dinner and no transfer. | Visitors who will eat elsewhere and want a compact way to see a sema. |
| Ceremony in a restored Beyoğlu lodge | One hour in a restored 17th-century Mevlevi lodge, with a short introduction from the resident sheikh in Turkish and English and two small exhibitions. No flash, video or applause. | Visitors who care most about the setting and the ritual. |
Three ways to see a sema in Istanbul
Book a sema evening in Istanbul
The first card is the dinner evening this site is about. The second is a ceremony-only ticket beside the Basilica Cistern, and the third is a ceremony in a restored Mevlevi lodge in Beyoğlu. More Istanbul activities sit in the strip below.
Ceremony next to the Basilica Cistern
About 55 minutes of live Turkish classical music and whirling, with a host who explains the ritual before and after and a glass of tea or sherbet. No dinner and no transfer.
See dates ↗Ceremony in a restored Beyoğlu lodge
One hour in a restored 17th-century Mevlevi lodge, with a short introduction from the resident sheikh in Turkish and English and two small exhibitions. No flash, video or applause.
See dates ↗More Istanbul activities to book
Plan the evening
Plan the evening
Finding the start
You meet in front of the Sirkeci Central Post Office, and your confirmation carries the map link. Arrive a little early, because meeting points in the old city can be hard to spot.
What to wear
Dress modestly and comfortably: covered shoulders and knees and shoes you can walk in. The evening ends with dinner and a car ride, so choose something you will be happy in throughout.
Dinner and diets
Vegetarian or vegan meals are available on request after you reserve. Tell the organiser then, and ask about any other dietary needs before the evening.
Language
The host speaks English and Turkish and gives the introduction to Sufism and the dervishes before the performance.
Getting back
A private car ends the evening near your hotel in Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Eminönü, Taksim, Galata, Beyoğlu or Fatih. If you are staying elsewhere, ask the organiser after you book.
Booking terms
You may cancel at no cost more than 24 hours before the start, and payment follows your reservation. Confirm the terms on the page for your date.
The sema, the order and the dinner: guides
The sema, the order and the dinner: guides
Which ticket, and how it runs Istanbul dervish dinner: booking
How the whirling dervish and Turkish dinner evening works in Istanbul: what the ticket covers, how it differs from ceremony-only tickets and who it suits.
Read the guide → The ceremony, part by part Whirling dervish sema explained
What happens in a Mevlevi sema, part by part: the music, the cloaks and hats, the four selams, and what is ceremony and what is performance.
Read the guide →FAQ
Questions before booking
How long is the evening?
About three and a half hours on the ticket, from the meeting point to the drop-off. The whirling dervish performance itself is 60 minutes.
Where does it start?
In front of the Sirkeci Central Post Office in Istanbul. The host meets the group there; your confirmation repeats the details.
Is a sema a show or a religious ceremony?
It is a Sufi ritual. UNESCO notes that many ceremonies today are staged for visitors in cut-down form, so expect a visitors' version introduced by a host.
Is dinner included?
Yes. Dinner and drinks are part of the ticket, with tea, coffee and künefe to finish. The ticket does not name the drinks, so ask the host about alcohol.
Are vegetarian and vegan meals available?
Yes, on request after you reserve. The ticket says nothing about other dietary needs, so ask the organiser before the evening.
How do I get back to my hotel?
A private car ends the evening near your hotel in Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Eminönü, Taksim, Galata, Beyoğlu or Fatih.
Can I take photographs?
Ask the host first, and never use a flash. Rules differ from venue to venue, and people at a sema are expected to stay silent and still.
Which language is the evening in?
The host speaks English and Turkish. The introduction to Sufism and the dervishes comes before the performance.
Can I cancel?
You can cancel without charge more than 24 hours ahead, and payment follows your reservation. Confirm the terms on the page for your date.
An evening of Sufi music and turning, then a long Turkish dinner, written up by an independent guide.
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