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Cappadocian Sema Ceremony: Ancient Turkish Ritual
4.8
233 Ratings
Ürgüp
Immerse yourself in the mystical Sema ceremony of the Whirling Dervishes in Cappadocia. Experience an ancient Turkish ritual and learn about the spiritual journey of man. Hotel pick-up included.
Duration:
1 hour
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Dervis Evi Whirling Dervishes - The whole ceremony takes around one hour and we offer ‘Serbet’, a religious drink, after the ceremony. Turkish Heritage Travel picks you up from your hotel in Goreme or other towns of Cappadocia half an hour earlier, which will give you enough time to see the parts of the caravanserai prior to ceremony.
What's Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (if option is selected)
- Live entertainment
- A soft drink called Serbet
What's Not Included
- Food
Additional Information
The Sema ritual symbolizes the mystic journey of a person’s spiritual elevation through affection and their quest for authenticity and excellence. It’s a belief that once a person completes his spiritual expedition, he can cultivate love and serve all beings around him. This evening, you get a chance to engage in a traditional Cappadocian ceremony and witness an age-old Turkish custom.
You’ll be picked up from your stay in Cappadocia and taken in a luxurious air-conditioned vehicle to the caravanserais, or caravan stations. Constructed during the medieval Seljuk era in Turkey when camel caravan trading was prevalent, these dwellings provided lodging for the traders and stable for their animals. Currently, these historical establishments are the venue of The Sema.
The ritual carries on for one hour, in which your amiable and expert English-speaking guide will explain the ceremony and introduce you to Serbet, a conventional religious beverage.
Location
Motif Sema Gösterisi Salonu
Nevşehir Ürgüp Yolu
Motif Kültür Merkezi (Sema Gösterisi Salonu)
Adres: Bahçelievler, Nevşehir Ürgüp Yolu, 50650 Ortahisar/Ürgüp/Nevşehir
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(233 Ratings)
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Adventure179795
Aug 4, 2024
Very unique experience! - Very good and unique experience. Good communication with coordinator of the transportation. Prompt pick up and drop off.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Priyanka_s
Jul 28, 2024
Beautiful mystical experience! - The taxi came on time exact. The drive to the place was barely 10 minutes from Göreme. It just took longer because they were picking up more people.
I would recommend getting some refreshments before the ceremony because it is not nice to interrupt the ritual in between. The ceremony itself started almost 10 15 mins after we seated ourselves.
It is a cave like room 1 floor below, so you will have to climb down some stairs. The ceremony is definitely beautiful and we were fortunate to be able to witness the feeling of divinity.
A heads up for future tourists, please do not clap at the end, it’s not a show, we are just fortunate visitors who are able to witness the mystical experience.
Review provided by Viator
Maps829198
May 5, 2024
Whirling dervishes - Great experience. Good communication with the organizer of the transportation. Prompt pick up and drop off!
Very unique!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
晴云
Apr 29, 2024
Amazing experience - The pick-up service is very good, just need to wait in the hotel lobby. The performance is very exciting and you can learn about traditional Turkish culture. No photography or video recording is allowed during the performance, but there will be a period of time after the performance for photography and video recording. I think this is good, as it allows us to focus on the performance and respect the performers. Very satisfied with the overall trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K2578aumichellez
Apr 10, 2024
Good experience - Attended with my friend. Had a transfer pick up at the hotel, who was very nice and an excellent driver. The ceremony was very interesting and found the pamphlet very helpful. Whole things Was a lovely experience overall.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Carmem
May 16, 2024
Good and different experience - Very good and different experience ! I recommend for people who likes religious rituals. The presentation takes 45 minutes.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
W0lverine
Apr 2, 2024
Good experience - We were picked up promptly from our hotel at the advised time. The dervish dance and the overall experience was unique. It is a religious ceremony, a little diffiicult to understand but there were leaflets in English available to follow the different phases so we were able to follow through.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amartin386
Jun 27, 2024
Look at other reviewer’s photos for realistic experience - The whirling dervishes themselves put on an amazing ceremony. However, the overall experience left something to be desired compared to its listing. The auditorium was not as pictured with lighting not nearly as nice. You cannot take photos of the dervishes dancing except at the end, when the lights are all on and other audience members are visible. Not like the photo in the listing. The seats were also uncomfortable. The “refreshment” at the end was a tiny shot sized amount of tea per person as we were ushered out. No info from any guide except what is provided in a brochure. A lesser price would’ve been more appropriate.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Soso
Apr 26, 2024
Not typical - 1 hour of show. Not really worth because it is not taking place in the typical caravanserail which is located in another city. So avoid the one in Goreme.
Review provided by Viator
Shigekazui
May 4, 2024
Turning - The performance was mysterious, but honestly boring. The people around me also seemed bored.
On my way out, I passed by the souvenir corner. When I picked up one product, a ceramic picture framed in a frame, it wasn't glued together and the ceramic inside fell out and broke.
It fell out and broke just by picking it up, so I wondered if there was a problem with how it was handled.
I had no choice but to pay for it, and tried to get a receipt to claim insurance. Up until then, they had been expecting me to pay, but suddenly they said I didn't need to. It was clearly suspicious. I even suspected they had made it so that it would break on purpose.
For all of the above, it's best not to participate.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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