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Watch the Mevlevi sema, the whirling dervish ceremony recognised by UNESCO, performed with live Sufi music in a historic Seljuk caravanserai near Avanos.
from €50 · Next available October 31
The sema began with the followers of Mevlânâ Celâleddîn Rûmî, the 13th-century poet and mystic of Konya, a few hours' drive west of here. For the Mevlevi order it is not a dance but a form of remembrance: the semazen turns with the right palm open to the sky and the left turned towards the earth, receiving and passing on. UNESCO lists the Mevlevi Sema Ceremony as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage.
In Cappadocia the ceremony is usually held in the Saruhan Caravanserai, built in 1249 as a stop for Silk Road caravans. Under its stone vaults the ney flute opens, the dervishes bow and take off their black cloaks, and the slow turning of the four selams begins. There is no applause and no talking: just the music, the rustle of white skirts, and an hour that stays with you long after.
“It is not a dance but a form of remembrance: receiving with one hand, passing on with the other.”
The Mevlevi semaCollected from your hotel in the early evening and driven to the caravanserai near Avanos.
Arrive in time to look around the courtyard and take your seats under the stone vaults.
The ceremony opens with a chanted eulogy, the beat of the kudüm drum and a solo on the reed ney.
The dervishes greet one another, remove their black cloaks and begin to turn through the four selams.
A recitation from the Qur'an and a closing prayer end the ceremony in silence.
Dropped back at your hotel.
The sema is a religious ceremony: dress modestly, keep silent, and don't applaud or take photos while the dervishes turn.
Not while the dervishes are turning: the sema is a form of prayer and phones break the silence. Some venues allow a few photos at the very end; the team will tell you on the night.
It's a ceremony. The Mevlevi sema is a spiritual practice, so it's watched in silence and without applause, which is exactly what makes it so moving.
Usually at the Saruhan Caravanserai, a 13th-century Seljuk inn a few kilometres from Avanos. The exact venue and pickup time are confirmed in your booking.
Children are welcome if they can sit quietly for about an hour. For very young children the ceremony can feel long.
Modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees, plus a light layer: the stone hall can be cool in the evening, even in summer.
An hour of live Sufi music and the whirling sema in a historic caravanserai, with hotel transfers both ways.
Plan your tour for a different day from your sunrise balloon flight, or for the afternoon of your flight day, so you’re never rushed. Add a flight →
Next available October 31
Book this experience →Free cancellation up to 2 days before