Istanbul: Whirling Dervishes Ceremony And Mevlevi Sema

We didn't know what to expect, but I knew I always wanted to see this. The venue is an old madrasa and sits only a handful of visitors. It's nestled in the crazy restaurant labyrinth in the old town. The show opens with three musicians playing and singing amazing traditional songs of devotion. Then the spinning begins. It's something that I'm happy we did because I've only experienced this on television before. Being there and hearing the quality of the playing and performance was a lovely memory.

Educational and interesting. However, it was very long and not much dialog on what was happening. Nonetheless, cultural!

What a unique experience. Music and performance was spectacular. Location is in the heart of it all.

Not something I would recommend... Starts with 35 min of music then 15-20 min of whirling dervishes then done. The whirling was cool I guess but it would also be just fine as a street performance you walk by

You can’t go Istanbul without adding the dervishes show to your to-do list. Very amazing and relaxing show. One hour of enjoyment for the music and the whirling dervishes. What a great combination. I highly recommend.

Interesting experience lasts 1 hour

The Whirling Dervish performance was good. However, there is no explanation beforehand. Since the show is geared towards tourists, I felt that a review of what we would be seeing would have been very beneficial.

We were all mesmerised watching the whirling dervishes and listening to the beautiful music. We read about the practice before we went to the ceremony, so it was more meaningful.

The center should have explained the ceremony and dance significance - we did not understand and were very bored

Arrive 25 minutes in advance for the best seats. The first half hour is music only. Not 100% sure that this is a real ceremony and not just a performance (i.e not sure they are real Derviches)

This is a moving and genuine experience with great musicians and a historic setting. I would recommend reading up a little bit so you under understand the ceremony

Excellent authentic performance. Dancers were so graceful. Room was small with clear view for taking photos. Be early to get front row.

This experience was outstanding. My daughter and I enjoyed every minute of it. Please dress warm we came in March and it was cold, plus all the whirling made it colder.

Intimate venue, authentic experience , convenient location . Good value for money. Free water for money

It was fantastic. The venue was centrally located on the T1 tram line in Sultanhamet and was easy to find.

We had briefly read about Sufism but never actually had any experiences, so we decided to try it out and honestly, I can easily see why it's so easy to induce trance and ecstacy. We walked into the relatively small venue in Sultanahmet with no expectations but the performance was so spiritual and emotionally resonant that I wish I had known more about it earlier. The dance and music is pure ecstacy. If you're someone who enjoys delving into cultures and traditions, this is a must have, beautifully portrayed experience.

We were unable to attend this event due to an unscrupulous yellow taxi driver who dropped us off in a dark alleyway, and told us to go "up the hill, and turn left' to reach the venue - as he "could not drive us all the way". Our tickets were never used. To date I have not received a refund of the cost of our tickets.

A little expensive, but worth it. Come early to view the exhibits in the lobby to get a better understanding of Sufiism and the dervish ritual. The presentation is first narrated and then, during the "dancing," short explanatory notes are projected on the wall. The music was a little too loud. The "dancers" appeared to be sincerely in it for the spiritual benefit, not just "doing a show" for the tourists. If you expect an extravagent "dance show" you will be disappointed; if you want to know more about Sufiism and are open to a more spiritual experience you will appreciate it.

It was an interesting and enjoyable experience. Visitors need to understand the religious and cultural significance of the ceremony, and watch it in that context - if you do then it is high on our list of recommended things to do.

The ceremony was just what we expended, a religious demonstration and not simple entertainment. We arrived 40 minutes early and got great seats. Arriving 15 minutes later and seating was in the third row.

Research should be done before seeing the show .it would have been better for there was some kind of explanation before the show

If you are in Istanbul, the Whirling Dervishes ceremony is something you MUST definitely experience. From the time of booking this, the experience had been wonderful. The venue was great, nice ambience and the performance was mesmerizing. We arrived 20 minutes ahead of time, and got pretty good seats…it’s a small place and 3 rows of seats, so the view is good from anywhere. But, if you want prime seats up front, do arrive early. The host welcomed us, showed us to our seats, and generally did a great job at managing the arrivals and getting them seated. I went with my kids…and this was a new experience for them. Do take the time to go through the audioguide and get some more info about the Sufi especially the Mevlevi tradition…it will make the experience all the more better.

Very well done. It was very different than what we were expecting. In a good way. It was interesting to see how long they could twirl around in a meditated state. Music was very intriguing and beautiful. Definitely worth going.

Great cultural experience, but would have really enjoyed some explanation about the ceremony to fully appreciate what was happening. Had to research it later to fully understand it.

Really enjoyed it! Would like to go again. The first half of the performance is singing/live music and the second is whirling dervishes. They also provide free tea and water before the performance.

The location was very good and the performance itself was quite interesting. At first there is accompanying music; perhaps for 20 minutes or so; then the 3 dancers came on stage. They perform some introduction rituals and then dance for maybe 30 minutes or so - but this was probably long enough. An hour in total, which was more than enough for us; but still gave a good insight into this Turkish traditional performance.

Spiritual and religious traditional music, songs and dancing ( rotating dancers ) You are too close to musicians and performers which is very sensational

Mesmerizing. And the usher is a character. Very memorable and intimate. Would deffo go again. Loved the ambiance and the complimentary tea was delicious.

A touching experience. Intimately close to the whirling dervishes. I had a front row seat and the ritual with live music is to highly recommended.

It was amassing seeing the derviches dances. We liked it very much. They found a place for our little girl so she could see from the front row and gave there a gift.

I heard/saw this performance on a TV show called Sulieman the Magnificent Century so I wanted to see it in person. Truly a humbling experience see it take place from seeing it on the TV screen to right in front of me. Excellent performance as well as it being a devout devotion to God. The energy and the mysticism was felt. Also they were really kind in helping my friend charge his phone or we would of been stuck. If your in Istanbul def one of the cultural highlights to see.

The experience was lovely to watch. Being in Istanbul I wanted to see a cultural show. The 1 hour performance by the musicians and the dancers was just right. It was mesmerising. Thank you for the water too.

We were very disappointed at the poor seats we had. Some of the seating is behind the musicians and other seats are behind pillars. Our view of the ceremony was limited. The tickets said we had assigned seats based on when we booked the tour, but that was not true. Seating was first come, first served so if you want to see you need to arrive early. We also wish there had been some kind of introduction to tell us more about what we were experiencing.

Worthwhile. Easy way to take in a different culture. This one-hour demonstration will make you want to learn more about this practice.

Technically, the show is alright. The musicians delivered wonderful music and songs. The dancers are good. The problem is that the show was overbooked. No enough seats were prepared. All the seats are occupied before 1845 hrs. The door keeper would try to convince you to come back at 2030 hrs, which was not an option for booking. Seats are cramping and view is blocked.

Have seen similar whirling dervish shows in Istanbul earlier. As a show it was fine. What was very poor were the arrangements. Overbooked and with inadequate space and seating, me, my wife and son spent an hour standing, a lot of the time on one foot and being jostled around. The performance was often hidden behind pillars. Unlike some better performances and venues this didn’t have any commentary or set any expectations or provide background to people who had no idea what they were seeing

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 mysticism which is rooted in peace and calm and harmony. But if you overlook all of that-the music and the dervishes are absolutely amazing. It's spellbinding to witness. You are blown away.

It was interesting. Some music, some ceremonies, and the dance. Compact and very impressive. Really recommend the visit to everyone

Very interesting but no explanation or interpretation, so be sure to research in advance. The music and dance is hypnotic and wonderful… but be sure to stay awake! It is a great hour of cultural tradition. And arrive well in advance to get a good seat.

The experience was good, since it offered the opportunity to watch this interesting ceremony. But the quality of the interpretation and particularly, the condition of the room were suboptimal. The performers sang and danced with no conviction and engagement. The room did not offer the conditions for all attendees to have a fair visibility of the show, especially for those who sat in the third row.

It's a very moving experience. It's worth reading up about it beforehand to understand what you're watching.

Cultural tour that make you want to know more about this religions dance. Hypnotic show of dance and music.

My wife and I felt honoured to be able to witness this meditative religious practice and found the whole experience to be powerful. It was approximately an hour long, beginning with live instruments and chanting before moving onto the whirling practice. Maybe something has changed in the structure of this display because we saw more than just 15 minutes of whirling and thoroughly appreciated the music beforehand in any case. The only thing that marred the experience was some of the other people in the small crowd, who in various ways didn't show the utmost respect to the space and the religious practice (laughing, chatting, moving seats and blocking others' views, taking lots of photos and videos, trying to cross the central space that was blocked for the dervishes, etc). However, I won't dock a star as this is of course not the fault of the organisers who are graciously inviting us to witness their practice of worship and it didn't hamper our ability to appreciate this spiritual experience.

Excellent show. just the right amount of time. very cultural. If you like to immerse yourself in something Turkish, and authentic then this is it!

Unassuming venue but totally mesmerising and incredible and a must see ceremony where you feel part of the ritual itself. Incredible musicians, great singer and entrancing whirling dervishes. It is not a tourist event but a genuine traditional experience that is shared with you as a guest. Highly recommended and well worth it.

Amazing experience! The performers were awesome, a mystical experience. You have to come early since the place is small and it’s usually full.

We enjoyed the experience from the beginning to the end. Only arrived 15 minutes early, got the seats at the back. However, we could stand up as needed. Also, we got a cushion for the child so he could see better- very kind gesture of the gentleman working there.

If you want a glimpse into Rumi and ancient traditions then this is the presentation for you. Don't show up if you are expecting a flashy show and very fast dancing. The price is very fair. Some people will show up and talk and laugh during the ceromony. This is disresprectful to the particepants and the audience. We really enjoyed this with the exception of some audience members talking and being disrespectful. The fellow who seats you is also very kind and caring.

There was no explanation of what the performance was about. Moreover, it took almost 40 minutes of music until the dance which was 10 mins maximum