Turkish Delight Workshop / Cooking Class In Little Hagia Sophia

The kindness and enthusiasm of our hosts made our turkish delight class most memorable! We highly recommend!

Bugra the instructor was fun, I enjoyed the history lesson on both himself and the Turkish Delight. The location was in an what I call an artists quarter, his neighbor Sarah teaches book binding. I recommend this class and you get delicious take aways.

What a wonderful time we had as a family. I would highly recommend booking this experience, it’s worth so much more than the cost. The Captain and his mom were courteous, so friendly and went above and beyond. We were thrilled with learning about their family history, and the Captain even showed us into the smaller Mosque next door. My kids loved this and will be a lasting memory for them.

It was hilarious every one should go who likes Turkish Delight. It's 95% sugar, but made your own taste so good We also had a guided tour of Hagar Sophia Mosque included. Defiantly worth the money

We did a Turkish delight workshop at Little Hagia Sophia, and it was one of the best things we did in Istanbul. It takes place inside the courtyard, in the old medrese cells, which is a beautiful and peaceful setting. It's run by Burga and his anne (mother), and their warmth made us feel like guests in their home rather than customers. What stood out most was the attention they gave our 12-year-old daughters. Burga and his anne were patient with our daughters It's a personal experience, away from the crowds, in a place full of history. Highly recommended for families, and for anyone who wants to meet local people and learn something truly Turkish. Teşekkürler, Burga and anne, for such a special time!

This was a real treat for me. It is opposite Little Hagia Sophia in a garden with rooms on three sides. It was sheltered and cool with different artists working from the rooms. Captain Bourat and his talented mother made me feel very welcome. I enjoyed learning more about the history of Istanbul and how the family began offering a workshop making Turkish Delight. They talked me through the process, demonstrating each stage and giving me a chance also to stir at each stage. Very kind and wrlcoming and the aturkish Delight is delicious.

I had an amazing experience. The workshop was at the garden at little Hagia Sophia which was a lovely location. I was the only person in my workshop, so it was me, Bugra the tour guide, and his mother. She didn’t speak much English but led the cooking while Bugra gave some history, their story, and narrated the workshop. They were both lovely. I got to take home a bowl of Turkish delight, 2 soaps that they made, a bottle of rose water, and something to hang by my door (I forget what it was called but it’s lovely and smells great). I sat and drank tea after and was there for a total of around one hour and forty five minutes. I had a great time and will be back to check out some of the other local artists and workshops.

Bora and his Mom, we're absolutely wonderful. He told us historical stories and personal personal stories, whilst his mom showed us how to make turkish delight. Together they gave us an unforgettable experience. Thank you both.

We enjoyed this class but it was more of a demonstration than a hands on class. All we did was stir a couple of things. The hosts were so cordial and couldn’t have been nicer. And they gave us candy and some nice gifts.

My Turkish Delight workshop was a very lovely event with the sweet mother & son team teaching me how to make the Turkish specialty.

Honestly this was incredible. It took place in a lovely calm walled garden, the storyteller and his mother were incredible hosts and so genuine and warm. The Turkish delight was like nothing I had tasted before and so much better than the commercial stuff you get everywhere in the city! It was a birthday surprise for me and it was just perfect in every way. Absolutely don’t miss this. Thank you both so much!!!

My daughter and I took this class obviously because we love turkish delight, but we did not expect the package we've got: an amazing historical sight, tea at a historical sight, a story teller with lots of amazing history facts and experiences, and a lovely artisan auntie showing us a step by step how to make this wonderful delight. It was like meeting family members here in Istanbul, captain promised me a soap making workshop for my next visit. I would like to thank the Captain and Abla Miral, for this amazing experience.

Had an amazing experience! The Captain told me all about the history of the area and about the making of the traditional Turkish delight. He was very friendly to everyone who walked by. His mother is an amazing artist and extremely friendly and showed how to make the traditional Turkish delight. I would recommend everyone to try this experience. Lovely family to spend time with and learn about the history of Istanbul.

It was amazing! The ‘Captain’ with his mother was so nice and welcoming, we felt really loved :)

Wow, I can’t tell you enough of how beautiful this was put together. Very hospitable and sweet people run this. It was a little hard to find but in the mosque courtyard to the right. Loved it and would highly recommend!!

Absolutely amazing experience. We felt welcomed straight away and loved hearing about the history of the hosts and the making of Turkish delight was really interesting. I would do this experience again!

This was a fabulous experience. Our host Bura (sp?) and his mom were so hospitiable. He shared some a brief overview of the history of Istanbul and the history of Turkish Delight while we experienced the hands-on steps of making the delicious treat. He made the experience special by telling us all about the Little Hagia Sophia centre and it's background of housing artisans. At the same time he shared his own story and personal anecdotes. The experience was among the most rewarding that we had in this city. We went away with lovely gifts, knowledge and memories from our warm and generous hosts. We highly recommend this workshop.

The ‘Captain’ is a fascinating man and his mother is lovely. Learning the traditional method for making Turkish Delight was interesting but his wealth of knowledge on Istanbul is great. An impromptu tour of Little Hagia Sophia was excellent. Barely a tourist in sight. It’s supposedly one of Istanbuls oldest buildings and the Orient Express used to pass a few metres away. One of my memorable moments in Istanbul.

A very welcoming and hospitable mother-and-son duo who immediately make you feel at home. The workshop lasts approximately one hour, during which the mother cooks while guests observe, learn, and lightly participate in the process. During the wait, Captain Bura went above and beyond sharing stories from his life as a businessman, teaching us about aromatherapy, and even offering to guide us around the Little Hagia Sophia. It truly felt like more than just a workshop, but a warm cultural experience spent in wonderful company. The only small downside was that the shared public bathroom was not of the highest quality. Otherwise, it was a beautifully spent afternoon.

We thoroughly enjoyed our Turkish delight workshop. Our hosts were so welcoming and enthusiastic. We learned how to make Turkish delight the traditional way, but also enjoyed the wonderful location and relaxing atmosphere. Our hosts took the time to tell us the history of the mosque and gave us a tour after our workshop had finished. We were also given some lovely gifts of lavender essential oil and hand made soaps. Would highly recommend this experience. The only thing that could improve the experience would be to provide a printed copy of the recipe with step by step instructions instead of the written ones which are not very detailed and you may not remember all the steps at a later date. Overall, we had a fabulous time.

This was definitely a great experience. Captain Bugra and his mom were so pleasant and genuinely good people. I highly recommend!

How do you make delicious Loukoum/ Turkish Delight? With a love, imagination and above all patience! We were instructed in this by our welcoming hosts in a homely cultural centre in the pretty gardens of Little Hagia Sophia mosque. A relaxing local experience, and such a contrast to the busy touristic sites just up the hill in Istanbul. We learnt a lot about this traditional regional treat and also the family stories and customs surrounding it. We came away not only more confident to try to make our own Loukoum at home, but also with some samples of our cooking that day and memories of a lovely afternoon.

Very fun activity, both instructor and his mum were so attentive. We also got a mini tour of the mosque and were sent away with lovely gifts. Would 100% recommend if you’re in Istambul even for a short period of time. We will definitely try to recreate the recipe at home!

It was a fantastic class! Made with love. The Captain was full of stories and my family enjoyed every minute

Hello am from Thailand and my boyfriend from Slovakia,, we have Nice Experian with amazing people You much visit to learn more interesting life They are kindness and good heart

Not to be missed - a truly splendid afternoon of Turkish delight making with eloquent Captain Borga and his enchanting ‘mum’ the cook. We learned a lot about Turkish Delight and some of the history and had a very informational visit to the Little Hagia Sophia . Well worth the price, it has been one of the highlights of our trip to Istanbul.

We stopped by the Little Sofia Mosque by accident and Bugra gave us a wonderful tour of the space. He is knowledgeable and has a love for this unique location and its history. If you take this class you will get the stories as well as the treats, and you will have a wonderful time.

This Turkish Delight Workshop was one of the highlights of our trip to Istanbul. The Captain and his mother were warm, funny and incredibly knowledgeable, and the intimate setting near the Little Hagia Sophia Mosque made the whole experience feel authentic and personal. We loved getting hands-on making the lokum from scratch, choosing flavours and boxing up our own creations to take home. A perfect mix of culture, learning and fun. Highly recommend to anyone visiting Istanbul!

A delightful experience with the Captain and his skillful mother with a demonstration of Turkish delight making with the bonus of understanding more about distilling rose water (and essential oils) etc for flavours. We had almond and tea with coconut, yum. The setting is beautiful and the owners charming.

We had such a truly wonderful experience at the Turkish Delight Workshop! 🍬🍭 The atmosphere was warm, authentic and inspiring. Far away from the touristy, commercial feeling of other workshops. If you’re looking for something truly local and heartfelt, this is an absolute must-do in Istanbul! Buğra and his lovely mother were the most welcoming hosts. The workshop itself was not only fun but also full of insights. We learned so much about Turkish Delights, options to color, change the flavour and how to truly make them. We got Turkish Delights to take home with us and will give it to close ones to try. We also learned a lot about Istanbul and its traditions. We were deeply touched by all the thoughtful gifts: tea, fresh coffee, fruit… everything made us feel cared for and at home. It felt less like a workshop and more like being welcomed into a family. 🌸 As a final highlight, we visited the Little Hagia Sophia Mosque, which was the perfect way to round off this memorable day. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a genuine, heartfelt Istanbul experience!

We had a wonderful time with Bugra and Mela learning how to make Turkish delights. We were also treated to Turkish coffee and apple tea for the kids. Bugra is very passionate to share the history of the area, which is by the port of the old city, and his story. We highly recommend this activity 👌

Caption Burga and his Mother were excellent hosts. We got a background into his life and passions before the cooking class and was also shown around the Little Hagia Sofia Mosque with a little history lesson from Burga! The Turkish Delight was delicious paired with authentic Turkish tea and against the historical backdrop of the Mosque -this is a must do experiences !!

This was a really great experience and we got more than we expected. The tour is in a cute courtyard right next to the Little Hagia Sophia. The Captain gave us a history lesson and showed us around Little Hagia Sophia which was a really nice added bonus. His mom showed us how to cook Turkish delights and it was such a wholesome experience. We each got sent home with gifts of soap, an evil eye, a handmade bowl, essential oil, and of course Turkish delight. My friend and I ended up being the only two on the tour and it was really cool to have a personal cooking class. The Captain and his mom were such a highlight to our trip. We were treated with tea and coffee during the class too which was also really appreciated.

Amazing..the man and his mother brought us into a very typical experience they showed us a piece of real Turkish light. My daughter loved it The man was so nice, he gave us lots of typical staff and accompanied us to explain better the history of litters Hagia Sophia Magic place full of grace Thanks a lot, we will bring this magic memories with us

I had an amazing time learning how to make Turkish Delights in a wonderful space in the old town of Istanbul with Buğra and his mother Meral. I can highly recommend this activity if you want to dive a little deeper into the culture of Istanbul and its people. You will also bring home some tasty Turkish Delights and other little presents.

I had never attended a workshop like this before, and I was really pleased — I definitely recommend it. This experience within the historical atmosphere of Istanbul is truly amazing.

We had a wonderful experience with captain Buğra and his mother at this workshop. We really liked and appreciated that he shared with us his background, culture, knowledge and experience, his dreams and plans. We felt welcome and at home with them. He gave us an extensive tour of the Little Hagia Sophia (the workshop is in the courtyard) before starting to prepare the Turkish delight. The hospitality and positive energy that they shared with us made it a very pleasant, relaxed, and social afternoon with them. On top of this, the Turkish delight was super tasty (better than you can buy in the stores in our opinion, and without any artificial colors or flavors).

The workshop was amazing! Our host Bugra and his mother made sure that we had a wonderful time. The mother of Bugra shared with us the recipe of the lokum and she showed us how to prepare it. They also offered us plenty of additional things: they taught us how to make Turkish coffee, Bugra gave us a tour of little Hagia Sofia, and a gift at the end. We were also very thankful of the connection that Bugra and his mother were able to establish with us. Highly recommend it!

I had an extraordinary time with a warm and very human welcome far from the tourist attractions, between sharing a culture and history in a magical place, a little corner of paradise. I recommend this experience with the greatest pleasure. You will leave amazed.

Thank you for this friendly, moving, and exciting sharing, Bugra; we loved this time spent by your side with your mom; the Turkish delight is super good; ideally located in the gardens, the place is atypical and bucolic; an experience that I highly recommend 👌

You will meet the "Captain" and his mom, two lovely people who want to do well and make you happy in this great activity with them. Beautiful place, excellent loukoums, a visit from little Sophie, and you will leave there with your arms full of gifts. Thank you both!

Lokum workshop with hospitable locals, it was a nice experience to learn the craft.