Chez Galip pottery workshop
Chez Galip pottery workshop
Visit the workshop of one of the finest pottery masters in Turkey and watch him at work, or take part in a workshop yourself.
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With this evening excursion you'll be taken to the large and rather grand Saruhan Caravanserai, to witness a hypnotic whirling dervish ceremony. Your guide will accompany you to your seat but may not join you to watch the ceremony; instead you will meet them again afterwards in the courtyard outside, where a refreshment is served before you are returned to your hotel.
This ceremony of the Whirling Dervishes begins with a musical recitation of a verse from the Quran by a hafiz, a scholar who has learnt the Quran by heart. This is followed by an improvisation on a ney reed flute, accompanied by the deep boom of a kettledrum.
The dervishes are then led around the ceremonial hall by their master, before removing their black cloaks as a symbolic act of deliverance from worldly connections.
One by one, the dervishes begin their dance, starting with their arms folded across their chest and gradually raising one arm to Heaven, while the other points toward the ground. In this position the dervishes whirl, trancelike, around the hall in four salams, which represent the progressive journey each believer goes through, from recognition of God to the ecstasy of the surrender to divinity and peace of the heart.
The ceremony is concluded by a final recitation from the Quran and a prayer by the dervish master.
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Photos of Whirling dervish ceremony at Saruhan Caravanserai
Other experiences in Cappadocia
These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.
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Chez Galip pottery workshop ![Chez Galip pottery workshop]()
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Cookery course at a local home ![Cookery course in a local home]()
Cookery course at a local home
Cookery course at a local home
Spend time in the home of a local family in Cappadocia learning how to cook traditional meals from the area.
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Jeep safari ![Cappadocia]()
Jeep safari
Jeep safari
Taking a jeep safari through the Cappadocian landscape is one of the best ways to see some of its most spectacular scenery and formations.
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Kaymakli underground city excursion ![Kaymakli underground city]()
Kaymakli underground city excursion
Kaymakli underground city excursion
Explore Kaymakli, one of the best and most accessible of the 200 underground cities within the Cappadocia region.
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Trip to the Göreme Open Air Museum ![G枚reme Open Air Museum, Cappadocia]()
Trip to the G枚reme Open Air Museum
Trip to the G枚reme Open Air Museum
Visit the G枚reme Open Air Museum with its well-preserved selection of cave houses, monasteries and churches, which date back to the 10th century.
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Experience it for yourself
You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tours below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.
