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Dervish evening with dinner · Sirkeci Post Office

The Sema, then dinner

A 3.5-hour evening from Sirkeci Post Office: a guide who explains Sufism on the walk, a 60-minute Sema inside Byzantine walls, then a kebab dinner in a 140-year-old family restaurant and a private car back toward your hotel. Pick it if you want the whole evening sorted, with someone to answer your questions.

Traditional Turkish Dinner & Dervish Experience

About this experience

You meet your guide in front of Sirkeci Post Office, the large old post office building on Büyük Postane Cd. 25. On the walk to the venue you get a detailed explanation of the dervishes and Sufism, so you sit down knowing what each part of the ceremony means. The Sema itself lasts 60 minutes, and the listing places it inside Byzantine walls 1,650 years old. The whole evening runs about 3.5 hours.

After the ceremony a transfer takes you to a 140-year-old family restaurant, a local kebab house. The listing's menu: five different kebabs, meze, salads and drinks, then tea, coffee and künefe, the warm cheese pastry soaked in syrup. Vegetarian and vegan options are available on request after you book. Guests talk about the guide as much as the food: the stories, the city tips and the feeling of eating where locals eat.

Included: the ceremony ticket, the food and the drinks. The evening ends with a private car to a spot near your hotel in Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Eminönü, Taksim, Galata, Beyoglu or Fatih, per the listing. A friendly tip: skip a big lunch. The dinner is a full spread, and the künefe comes last.

  • A guide who explains Sufism and the dervishes on the walk
  • A 60-minute Sema inside 1,650-year-old Byzantine walls, per the listing
  • Dinner in a 140-year-old family restaurant
  • Five kebabs, meze, salads and drinks, then tea, coffee and künefe
  • A private car to near your hotel in the central districts
  • Vegetarian and vegan options on request

How the day runs

  1. StartSirkeci Post Office

    Meet your guide in front of the post office on Büyük Postane Cd. 25.

  2. On footThe walk and the story

    A walk to the venue with a detailed explanation of the dervishes and Sufism.

  3. 60 minutesThe Sema

    The ceremony inside Byzantine walls, per the listing.

  4. By transferThe family restaurant

    Five kebabs, meze, salads and drinks in a 140-year-old restaurant.

  5. To finishTea, coffee and künefe

    Then a private car to near your hotel. About 3.5 hours in all.

Tea and red sherbet on a brass trayRaised arms in white sleeves, right palm up, left palm downFelt hats and black cloaks on pegs

What's included

Included

  • Ceremony ticket
  • Guide and the walk to the venue
  • Dinner: five kebabs, meze and salads
  • Drinks, tea, coffee and künefe
  • Private car to near your hotel in the central districts
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before

Not included

  • Drop-off outside Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Eminönü, Taksim, Galata, Beyoglu and Fatih

Who it suits

Book it if

  • You want the ceremony, dinner and the ride home in one booking
  • You like a guide who explains what you are seeing
  • You want to eat at a family restaurant away from the main tourist strip
  • You are staying in a central district and want a car back

Skip it if

What guests say

★★★★★

Zeynep was absolutely amazing and such a lovely guide! She explained the experiences really well, and it was so fun chatting with her! Dinner was also very yummy and we were having a feast! Loved the food and would definitely come back again next time.

Kelsy · Nov 2026
★★★★★

We loved our experience with Zeynep! She's a super friendly, approachable, and charismatic tour guide, one of those people who love what they do and manage to convey that to you. She introduced us to the tradition of the dervishes and explained its meaning in such an interesting way that it made the experience even more special. [...]

Andres · Nov 2026
★★★★★

Zey was an absolutely phenomenal tour guide! I cannot recommend this tour highly enough. If you're looking to experience authentic local food, immerse yourself in the culture, and get a true feel for the area, this is definitely the tour to book.

Maribel · Oct 2026
★★★★★

Shu Shu was a wonderful guide. She is very passionate about her city and she genuinely cares about the guests on her tours (and cats)! We found the whirling dervish performance enlightening. Dinner was incredible with a wide array of very good food. We had a great evening.

Tina · Oct 2026

Tips before you book

  • Vegetarian or vegan? Ask after you book. The listing says options are available on request.
  • Check that your hotel is in one of the drop-off districts: Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Eminönü, Taksim, Galata, Beyoglu or Fatih.
  • The ceremony is a prayer, not dinner theater. Your guide explains it on the walk, and silence during the Sema is expected.
  • Saw a dinner cruise with a dervish act? That is a short performance, not the full Sema. This evening has both a full ceremony and a proper dinner.
  • Read up before you go: our Sema etiquette guide covers photos, clapping and dress.

Read next:

Frequently asked questions

Where does the Turkish dinner and dervish experience start?

In front of Sirkeci Post Office, Büyük Postane Cd. 25 in Fatih, per the listing. You walk with your guide to the ceremony venue.

What is for dinner on the dervish experience?

Per the listing: five different kebabs, meze, salads and drinks, then tea, coffee and künefe, at a 140-year-old family restaurant. Vegetarian and vegan options are on request.

Is transport back included on the dinner and dervish experience?

Yes. A private car takes you to a location near your hotel in Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Eminönü, Taksim, Galata, Beyoglu or Fatih, per the listing.

How much is the Turkish dinner and dervish experience?

It starts from $80 per person on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. The ceremony, food, drinks and car back are included.

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The ceremony, a guided walk and dinner in a 140-year-old family restaurant.

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The ceremony, a guided walk and dinner in a 140-year-old family restaurant.

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