Istanbul Traditional Turkish Dinner and Dervish Experience

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. We will be meeting in front of Sirkeci Train Station. After sharing our tour itinerary, we will try several street foods on the way to the historic dervish venue. There will be a very short walk to the dervish show and before the performance we will give you brief information about the background of 800-year-old dervish performance, which is also marked under Unesco heritage and one of the must things to do in Turkey. The dervish show duration will be 1 hour.

   1.5 h

2. Following the dervish performance, our private transfer will take us to a 140-year-old kebab restaurant and we will taste the wonderful Turkish Food. (Unlimited Dinner: you will try 5 different kebabs, meze (tapas), salads, drink). Dinner will be finalized with tea/special coffee and traditional dessert. Notes: Vegetarian, vegan or gluten free option is available, please send us a message after reservation. (10 types of Turkish style vegeterian mezes) The price is all inclusive. You will not pay any extras.

   1.5 hAdmission included

3. We will split after the dinner 21.30-22.00. We will organise a private car which will drop you to a location close to your hotel.

   10 minAdmission included

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 719 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5A great night of culture and food with new friends!

  This was the best evening of our trip to Istanbul! Our guide Zey was both delightful and knowledgeable. She explained the history and meaning of the whirling Dervish ceremony. The ceremony itself was fascinating. She also described each food we tried which made the experience exciting but not scary. It really felt like a friend was sharing her favorite foods and restaurant with us. I definitely recommend this excursion!

  travelbugMadison_WISeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Twirling dervishes and authentic Turkish food

  This was a very special experience. The cereywas very moving and offered insights into the Turkish culture that are not obvious. The initial food visits were brief but delicious. The final dinner was very authentic and tasted delicious. Our guide, Zey, was very helpful and knowledgeable, besides being a lovely person. I would highly recommend this activity.

  P4070OQmarinamSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5A Truly Unforgettable Experience!

  An absolutely unforgettable experience that was the definitive highlight of our time in Turkey! The Whirling Dervish experience was deeply poignant, spiritual, and truly life-changing. Following this moving performance, we embarked on a phenomenal culinary journey, featuring stops for some of the most delicious lokum (Turkish delight) and undeniably the best çiğ köfte I have ever tasted in my life. The evening concluded with a scrumptious group dinner hosted in a beautifully private section of a restaurant. What elevated this entire experience from great to exceptional was our incredible tour guide, Zeynep. Because she also happens to be a registered dietitian, she flawlessly coordinated and curated everyone's dietary restrictions well in advance, ensuring a seamless and worry-free dining experience for the entire group. Zeynep is a complete ball of positivity and radiant energy, making everyone feel welcomed and cared for. As a beautiful final touch, everyone was gifted a cute Istanbul tote bag upon departure. I cannot recommend Zeynep and this tour highly enough, it is an absolute must-do!

  eh98765September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5A Truly Magical Turkish Experience — Worth Every Penny!

  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!

  Atsuko_KSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Turkish meal and Whirling Dervish

  Perfect experience. Guide Zey was very helpful and friendly. A breathe of fresh air. She took us to a couple of places to taste food and then to see the Whirling Dervish's. Afterwards we went to a local restaurant and had a feast. Wonderful night

  GrandTour488310September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Amazing time!

  I truly enjoyed every part of this experience. Sule was an absolute delight—so sweet, warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely kind. She made the evening feel very special. I loved trying the candy and street food, and the meal at the restaurant was amazing. There was so much delicious food and so many choices—I honestly couldn’t believe how much was included for the price! My fellow tour mates were also lovely, and we had such an enjoyable time together. Having transportation from the meeting point and then back to our hotels was wonderful as well. Sule really thought of everything. She is the best, and I would highly recommend this experience!

  LoveTravel374184September 2026via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Istanbul

• Its from-price is 30% below the median of the 126 food tours we list in Istanbul.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 3 of 126.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Istanbul

Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus, with Byzantine and Ottoman monuments, busy bazaars and ferries crossing between continents.

The historic peninsula holds the greatest landmarks. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome face each other in Sultanahmet, the Basilica Cistern lies beneath the streets, and Topkapı Palace spreads across the hill above the Golden Horn. A short walk away, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar have traded for centuries, and Süleymaniye Mosque, built by the great Ottoman architect Sinan, crowns one of the city's seven hills.

Top-ranked sights in Istanbul: Dolmabahce Palace (Dolmabahce Sarayi), Bosphorus, Bosphorus Bridge (Bogazici Koprusu).

See all 3649 experiences in Istanbul