Istanbul Traditional Turkish Dinner and Dervish Experience
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Istanbul, Turkey
- 3 hours to 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
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Overview
Istanbul has a thriving food scene, but it can be hard to know where to find an authentic Turkish experience. Enjoy an evening immersed in Istanbul's traditional culture with dinner at a historical family restaurant loved by locals, complete with a dervish performance—an 800-year-old tradition that's Unesco Heritage listed. Plus, transportation back to your hotel is included at the end so there's no hassle of flagging a taxi.
- Eat like an Istanbul local with several delicious dishes unique to the area
- Meet like-minded travelers from around the world
- Dine at a 140-year-old local family restaurant
- Enjoy private transportation for drop-off after the experience
What's Included
- DinnerAll included. 5 different types of Traditional Turkish Kebabs, 5 types of Meze, Dessert. Food & drinks will be unlimited. Many options for the vegetarian. Ayran, Şerbet, Turkish Coffee, Tea
- Dervish Performance Ticket
- VEGETERIAN, VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE options are available, please inform us after reservation
- Private transportationAfter the experience we will drop you off Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Eminönü, Galata, Taksim and Cruise Ports.
- THIS IS AN ALL INCLUDED TOUR. YOU WILL NOT PAY ANY EXTRAS.
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Hobyar, Büyük Postane Cd. No:24, 34112 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
We will meet in front of Central Post Office. Rüstem Paşa, Büyük Postane Cd. No;25, 34112, Fatih. We will contact you via whatsapp for exact location.
End point
- Sirkeci, Hobyar, 34112 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
After the experience is over, we will drop you off close to your hotel.
Itinerary
1
Sirkeci
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Kadinlar Pazari
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Sirkeci Station
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Infant seats available
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- We have dishes to suit all your food preferences.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
This was a highlight of my trip through Turkey and Greece. The whirling dervishes offered a profound experience and the food was phenomenal. Our guide, Eylül, was very well informed, friendly, and conscientious of our needs and interests. She helped me navigate the meals since I am gluten intolerant and got all of my needs met. She even gave each participant a special gift at the end. I highly recommend this experience and this guide!
Reviews
4.9
based on 716 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
This experience was so much more than I imagined! I really enjoyed the wonderful Turkish food, traditional snacks, and especially the spiritual Whirling Dervish ceremony. The ceremony felt very sacred and meaningful, and I really appreciated being able to experience and learn about this beautiful cultural and spiritual tradition.
Our guide, Zey, was wonderful. She was incredibly thoughtful, pleasant, and attentive throughout the experience. My name isn’t always easy to remember or pronounce, but she remembered it right away and kept calling me by my name, which was such a thoughtful personal touch.
I’m very particular about food, and although I’m not very familiar with Turkish cuisine, I could immediately tell that the restaurant she took us to was high quality. The vegetables were incredibly fresh, the food was delicious, and you could tell that the restaurant really paid attention to the details.
For the price, I honestly thought this experience was a bargain. I enjoyed it so much and am really glad I decided to join. If you’re visiting Istanbul and aren’t quite sure what to do, I would definitely recommend this experience. It was such a pleasant and memorable evening!
This tour was well organized and the itinerary was very curated. We received meeting place, overview, and drop off communication well ahead of time. Our guide Zeynep was very informative, friendly, and passionate about food and about sharing her culture with us. It was our first night in Istanbul and we were glad we elected to go on this tour and met Zeynep. On an added note, we had a family who had a person with a slight mobility issue. On the return, even though they thought they could have walked 20 minutes to their hotel, but Zeynep was so kind and made sure they were dropped off as close to their hotel as possible. We highly recommend this tour.
It was a wonderful combination of an authentic dervish ceremony and a food tour. Zana was an awesome guide who explained the food and the ceremony. Highly recommend.
Zeynep is an excellent tour guide. She is friendly, goes the extra mile, and is knowledgeable about the food, culture, and history of the Dervish Sufi. The community knows her well too which adds a personal/family touch as well to the experience :-).
The Dervish demonstration was a spiritual experience I haven't had before and I am glad I went. Great tour overall :-)
Zeynep treated us like family! Many in our group had problems with their taxi, she was patient and all went smoothly. The Dervish experience was soothing, the dinner was fablous. The lamb kabob was delicious. She dropped us off a short walk to our hotel.
Zeynep was an amazing guide who represents all that is good about the people of Türkiye. She did an excellent job of explaining the ceremony and gave great insight into the culture and food of Türkiye. She was organized and made every tour member feel appreciated. Viatour is lucky to have her represent them.
Not what you might be expecting. This is not a “performance” but a mystical experience. Our wonderful guide Zeynep arranged a seamless, entertaining and informative evening. We enjoyed a few local treats on the way to the performance. Zeynep explained the 800 year old tradition so we knew what to expect. The Dervish performance is “food for the soul.”
It is unique. The musicians create the environment for a trancelike almost spiritual experience as the performers
enter and begin their movement. Evocative. Spiritual. Silent. The experience was followed by a delicious traditional feast at “Siirt Seref” (est 1892). A traditional evening for the soul and the stomach.
Zeynep was a wonderful guide providing the right amount of information and insight into the Dervish experience. The food tour was delicious and the dinner felt like a family meal. Highly recommend!!
This evening was a great way to dive into Turkish and Muslim culture. The whirling dervishes is like nothing else I’ve seen and after an hour of the demonstration, you get to enjoy food at a top-rated restaurant that has been in the same family for 150 years. You sample a little bit of everything and you will leave with a full belly and heart! The Turks are welcoming and this evening highlights their gift of hospitality.
Zeynep was a great tour guide. Very accommodating, informative and personable. Made the experience a total pleasure.
An incredible experience that I highly recommend! The dervish ceremony was a memorable spiritual experience that I will never forget and the food was one of the best I had in Istanbul. Zeynep made the experience even better with her fun and passionate personality.
This was s terrific experience. Zey was a fabulous tour leader. I highly recommend this to everyone!
This was definitely a must for visit to Istanbul and the guide is very accommodating to everyone’s needs. Zeynep was so sweet and knowledgeable. The show was a unique treat and the dinner was absolutely delicious! Come hungry
This was a most wonderful experience. Sule is the perfect tour guide, friendly & knowledgeable, she represents her city and culture very well. This tour was on my birthday and was the perfect special evening! The dervish ceremony was incredible! The restaurant was a wonderful atmosphere & the food is excellent and abundant! We highly recommend this tour!
This was a great experience! We met our guide at the meeting point — they had What’s App messaged us a day or two before with details about what to expect and where to meet. Our group was a small, 3 other couples, and our guide, Sule, was excellent! She had a kind, cheerful personality and was very warm and welcoming. It felt like talking to a friend. She guided us to two locations near the meeting point for a quick and delicious snack before the show. Then another quick walk to the performance center —which the building itself was very cool and had some interesting history that Sule shared with us. The ceremony was incredible to experience as well, very captivating. Afterwards, a driver met us to drop us at the dinner location. The food was amazing and authentic. It felt like an endless buffet of yummy Turkish foods. Sule explained everything we were trying and also gave some many other tips and insights into her home city of Istanbul. At the end of the night, the driver also dropped as right near our hotel to transport back was easy. Highly recommend!!
Delightful evening spent with Sule last night. She was informative, engaging and delightful proudly sharing her home city with travelers. She made it effortless and had perfect English. We enjoyed the Whirling Dervish religious ceremony - the pamphlet they handed out explained what we saw very well. Next we walked the local streets with Sule taking us to iconic shops. The final restaurant was the highlight. It was a neighborhood family restaurant near where she grew up open since 1892. A nice surprise was it was near the aqueduct - something we wanted to see. We had a spectacular meal with Sule explaining Turkish foods. A fabulous evening in Istanbul.
We had so much fun on this tour! Zeynep was the perfect guide! She’s very fun bubbly and made the experience memorable. Worth it and a must do!
It was one of the most beautiful experiences of all my travels. Most importantly our guide Zeynep ❤️ is SO AMAZING and SO knowledgeable. She made us feel like we are part of one family. She took care of all our need, showed us the best places and was so kind, respectful and helpful throughout the trip. If you are in Istanbul, this tour is a no-brainer. The Sufi ceremony was so spiritual and meditativ… 100% recommend this tour!!
Amazing performance it can get you very relaxed but it is a religious performance. The food afterwards was amazing as well just note no alcohol is served but plenty of tea and coffee which was fine.
Very interesting cultural experience in the Old Town of Istanbul with the whirling Dervish, followed by a nice dinner at a traditional restaurant; Zeynep, our tour guide, is very friendly and helped us enjoy the experience
Zey was a wonderful and gracious host taking us around Istanbul for a snack, the Dervish experience and then a wonderful meal. It was our last night in Istanbul and it was a wonderful end to an incredible trip. Thank you, Zey.
The dervish experience was wonderful, we had front row seats, probably because Viator books so frequently. The dinner was after the dervish and not all that great. A couple of dishes were really good, but on the whole it was not one of my favorite Turkish dinners.
First you see the Dervis "show", then you're provided transport to restaurant of guides choice (ours was outstanding). Because of taxi situation, they'll probably provide drop-off in a safe area near your lodging
This is wonderful mix of mistical music and very delicious food for dinner afterwards. Also both locations - very old Ottoman theatre and over 130 year old family owned restaurant were perfect. Not to mention the delicious food (also vegetarian option which was chosen by my wife). Plus we were very lucky with our personal guide Zeynep. She told us a lot about Sufic (Dervish) religion, its rituals and history, and about all the food recipies we were eating later for dinner. But we also had very interesting conversation on other world's places and cultures (it's just happens that we are all quite intensive world travelers so the exchange was interesting). Additionally she send us later a lot of additional material of Dervish and Turkish cousine.
I can’t recommend this experience enough! If you’re trying to decide whether it’s worth it, the answer is absolutely yes.
The tour begins by meeting in front of the Central Post Office, where our guide, Zeynep, first introduced us to a famous local specialty. She called it a Turkish “meatball,” although it isn’t a meatball at all! It’s a huge mound of a delicious mixture that the owner scoops onto a lettuce leaf and finishes with a squeeze of fresh lemon. The owner has become something of a TikTok celebrity, and I was told he’s known for making people cry if they don’t grab their food quickly enough—kind of like the famous “Soup Nazi” from Seinfeld! Thankfully, I got mine in time, and it was absolutely delicious.
Just around the corner, we stopped at a Turkish delight shop. I’m so glad we did because I had no idea there were so many varieties beyond the little jelly cubes most of us know. We sampled two completely different kinds, and both were fantastic.
From there, it was only a short walk to the Whirling Dervish ceremony. The ceremony lasted about an hour and was a beautiful, peaceful cultural experience. There’s also a small museum in the reception area where you can learn more afterward. I’ll admit that after a full day of sightseeing, the calm atmosphere made it a little difficult to keep my eyes open—but it was still something I’m very glad I experienced.
After the ceremony, we returned to the meeting point, where a van took us to a neighborhood restaurant that I never would have found on my own. This dinner was, without question, the highlight of my entire trip to Istanbul. We were served an incredible spread of mezes, kebabs, a refreshing purple basil drink, and so many dishes I never would have known to order as a solo traveler. The restaurant was filled with locals rather than tourists, and the owner personally served our meal, making the experience feel incredibly authentic.
One of the best parts of the evening was sharing dinner with other travelers. In just three days in Istanbul, there is no way I could have sampled so many different foods by myself. Even better, at the end of the night the van dropped everyone off near their accommodations, making the experience completely stress-free.
Zeynep was absolutely wonderful. Throughout dinner she answered every question we had about Istanbul, shared recommendations for her favorite local spots, and afterward even provided us with a list of places to visit during the rest of our stay.
But what I’ll remember most wasn’t just the food or the ceremony—it was watching Zeynep herself. Every time someone loved a dish she introduced us to, her face lit up with genuine happiness and humble pride. It was obvious that she wasn’t simply leading a tour; she sincerely wanted us to experience and appreciate her culture. Her excitement over our enjoyment was so genuine, joyful, and heartfelt that it made this one of the most memorable experiences of my trip.
My only regret is that I booked this tour on my last day in Istanbul. If I could do it again, I would book it on my very first day. It would have given me an incredible introduction to Turkish food, culture, and local recommendations that I could have enjoyed throughout the rest of my visit. Do yourself a favor and book this tour with Zeynep!
First and foremost, Zeynep is an absolute gem! Bright, bubbly, informative, and a dietitian… so none of the calories you consume on this tour will count. That’s how it works, right?
We tried two snacks before seeing the Dervishes both were great. The best Turkish Delight I’ve ever had! Then we saw the Dervishes. I’m glad I saw it. Yes, it is repetitive and may not be exciting, but not everything needs to be. Things not a dance show or a performance, but rather a religious ceremony. Go into it with that in mind.
After the Dervishes, we were taken for an absolute feast. I feel like “feast” doesn’t do justice to the meal we were served. Dish after dish. Platter after platter. Everything was show stopping.
Our tour had guests from Canada, U.S.A, Bermuda, and Mexico and our discussions only made the experience that much more special. We left feeling like friends even though we had only just met a few short hours earlier.
This was my first night in Istanbul and I’ve got to tell you, this city has a lot to live up to now.
Thank you again, Zeynep. This tour would not be the same without you. All the best.
This is an amazing experience to learn about the meditative and spiritual practices of the whirling dervishes. In addition you will stop at a couple of food tastings, one which includes the sweet Turkish delight, as well as some other local food. Both are very yummy. You learn about the Turkish culture and food through this tour. Lastly, we visited an excellent restaurant for dinner and tried a variety of wonderful local cuisine from appetizers, main course, traditional yogurt drink, dessert and Turkish tea sitting in an open air terrace amongst beautiful Turkish lamps. The tour was incredible and Sule is an expert guide. They even designed a cute bag to give to us along with a drop off to local areas due to some difficulty with getting a taxi. I would highly recommend this tour! You won't be disappointed!
I had an outstanding experience on the Whirling Dervish and Turkish dinner tour. Our guide, Zeynep, was warm, engaging, and incredibly knowledgeable. What made the tour especially memorable was how she shared her own experiences as a Turkish woman, giving us unique “behind-the-scenes” insights into Istanbul’s history, culture, cuisine, and traditions. Those personal stories added a depth and authenticity that you simply can’t get from a guidebook.
The tour was well paced, allowing plenty of time to appreciate each part of the experience without ever feeling rushed. The Whirling Dervish ceremony was absolutely mesmerizing. I especially appreciated the historical and spiritual context that was provided beforehand, as it helped me better understand the symbolism of the ritual and connect with the meditative state of the dervishes.
The Turkish dinner was equally enjoyable—delicious, authentic, and very satisfying. By the end of the evening, I felt completely fulfilled: intellectually enriched, physically satisfied, and spiritually inspired. I highly recommend this experience to anyone wanting a deeper understanding of Turkish culture while enjoying an unforgettable evening in Istanbul.
We met our tour guide, Zeynep, at the Central Post Office in Istanbul. We then walked a few blocks to the Dervish show, stopping at a few food markets along the way. The walk was a little difficult because of the huge crowds of people and cars, but we made it. The Dervish show was unlike anything I have ever seen, and was definitely a highlight of our stay in Istanbul. After the show we took a private van to a restaurant, where our group ate a grand feast of several kabobs and other Turkish dishes. When the meal was over we were dropped off at the port to board our cruise ship. Zeynep was very friendly and enthusiastic about sharing her culture with the group, although I think organization and coordination with the driver could've been improved. Overall it was a great experience!
Excellent and thoughtfully put together tour! Highly recommend if you love traditional Turkish food and, of course, the mindful and reflective Deverish ceremony. This ceremony is an experience of a lifetime, not to be missed! The guide was superb and really looked after us well.
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