Whirling Dervish Ceremony Tickets in Istanbul

Istanbul, Turkey

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5+ bookings last month.

1 hour (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Whirling Dervishes Show at Hodjapasha Cultural Center in Istanbul

Istanbul, Turkey

4.6

(5)

Whirling Dervishes Show at Hodjapasha Cultural Center in Istanbul

Istanbul: Original Whirling Dervish Ceremony

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Istanbul Hodjapasha Rhythm of The Dance Show

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$33

$41

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Overview

Witness the transcendental prayer of the whirling dervish while surrounded by architecture from the age of the Ottoman empire. Discover the spiritual face of Istanbul in this historic school courtyard in Fatih, Istanbul. You will Learn about the Mevlevi Order, a centuries-old tradition of the followers of the poet Rumi.

Approximately 1 hour
Coffee and tea included
Information booklet about sufis, dervishes and Rumi included
Skip-the-line access for faster entry

What's Included

All Fees and Taxes
Coffee and/or Tea

Traditional Turkish Sherbet or Tea and Water
A digital info guide about Sufis, Rumi and Dervishes

Meeting and Pickup

Departure Point

Whirling Dervishes, Alemdar, Alemdar Cd. no: 5, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye

What To Expect

Whirling Dervishes

Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

3.9

based on 32 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Beautiful show

Stuart_B, Aug 2026

The venue it’s basically just an auditorium but it’s surrounded by Sultanahmet historic buildings and the wall of the auditorium is ancient. The artistic projections that they show during the presentation are quite interesting. There were only three Dervish two of them were absolutely amazing and we were able to get front row seats. The inspiration for the show is the poet RUMI and love.. Try to get there early. It’s an excellent show. It just is not inside of an historic venue, but it’s definitely worth seeing. They offer a cup of Turkish “şerbet” afterwards on the scenic terrace. The presenter said that the tickets benefit education and go towards educating students.

Wonderful!

Sameena_H, May 2026

Went with my husband and two kids. Really enjoyed this authentic experience and would recommend it. The explanation before and after the show was clearly explained and appreciated. Was very mesmerising. A little repetitive but that’s the whole point and is only for an hour.

Unique experience.

Christine_J, Oct 2025

Unique experience made more meaningful by the explanation given at the commencement of the event. Well managed performance and good length of time.

original performance and beautiful salon

Ally_F, Apr 2025

really nice live music with historical sounds and you feel the elevation with the whirlign dervishes. the salon and the old house were also really beautiful.

It’s a maybe

RoseMarie_H, Apr 2025

Interesting twirling ability for an extended period of time by the four performers. The musicians were good too. However, the visuals were not explained as to why being shown.

Great cultural experience in an intimate theater setting

CC_Y, Jul 2024

This is my friend and my first time in Turkey, and we decided to see the famous whirling dance in Istanbul. Before the show begins, there was a presenter that gave a brief background info of the dance, and it took place in a newly renovated small theater, the guests got to see the performance up close in a comfortable air-conditioned setting. We loved that it started out with live music, and the dancers came out and began the performance. The imagery displayed on the wall during the dance was also very cool and matched the vibe. Although I wish they didn't put up the posters for where to book tickets in the background during the entire time, it became kinda distracting and not aesthetically pleasing.

How do they not get dizzy

Colt_T, Apr 2024

Super impressive performance but missing 5 stars as we waited a good 40 minutes for the show to start. It was a bit awkward, would have been good to know what was going on

Nice!

MAJA_S, Apr 2024

There was a lot of playing, less dancing. All in all, it was nice to see traditional dance.The place is nice too and it is not crowded.

Atmospheric experience

Claire_P, Oct 2023

Very atmospheric altho there were only three dervishes (none in red as pictured). Go early as some seats are way better than others and the organisation is a little chaotic!

Highly recommend it!

Jason_S, Aug 2023

I loved the live music and the dancers. I just wish the lights were more dim for ambience. But overall it was a must see experience.

Memorable

Roman_H, Jul 2023

Everyone in the staff was super friendly. It is a good time for the family. The dancers look very passionate.

Very boring. The same...

Alina_B, Jan 2023

Very boring. The same melody and the same moves one our long. I wouldn't recommend it even for half price.

Great performance

Robert_T, Nov 2022

The entire performance was interesting and thrilling to watch. The traditional music and dancing was fabulous.

The real thing, not a Disney version.

Jill_G, Jul 2022

The ceremony seemed authentic and heartfelt. It was not as commercial as some other whirling dervish presentations. However, the Viator information we originally received about the location was not correct. We stumbled upon the venue by accident as we were walking around the old city and didn't realize that this was the venue for which we already had tickets. Even the people selling tickets onsite were confused. But we're very glad we went and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Disappointing

Imad_B, Feb 2022

A bit disappointing, the place was too small and too crowded, nothing like what you see in the pictures, it is unreal that the lead performer had a book on the shelf behind him with Bill Clinton's photo, it kind of snaps you out of the mood. The performers were all great but the place is small and not comfy, I arrived on time so those who arrived earlier got the first row of chairs hard to watch and can never snap a picture without someone's head blocking the view.

Response from Host, Mar 2022

Thanks for your comment and sorry for the discomfort. Somehow, we have limited space in this 2-centuries old dervish house. Since the covid breakout, we couldn't use the larger venues shown in pictures here. Concerning the irrelevant photos in the house, I have informed the directory since we cannot touch the things as we wish. But, let's see...

Experiencia mística con los Derviches

FcoJavier_M, Dec 2023

Es una experiencia mística. Hay que dejarse llevar por la música y los bailarines que al girar entran en una especie de trance con una mano hacia arriba (simbolizando el contacto con Dios) y una mano hacia abajo, simbolizando la tierra.

A éviter

Stephane_B, Dec 2022

En arrivant sur place a 18h15 pour un spectacle programmé a 18h30 on nous annonce 19h.. puis 19h20… sans aucune excuse… pas de thé ni café comme prévu… une petite tasse d’eau… salle tres petite pour le spectacle et le nombre de personnes… nous n’avons pas eu de booklet sur les dervidh tourneurs comme indiqué non plus… Choississez plutot un autre spectacle de dervish…

Très bien

Najla_H, Nov 2022

Très authentique. Je recommande ce spectacle. Le lieu est un peu humide car ancien mais ça rajoute du charme car on imagine un peu l histoire de cet espace.