Hodjapasha Whirling Dervish Show: Tickets, Times, Review & Alternatives

Short version: Hodjapasha is a one-hour Mevlevi Sema ceremony in a restored 15th-century bathhouse in Sirkeci, every day at 19:00. Tickets are 2,100 TL for adults on the venue’s own brochure (about $32 on GetYourGuide on 24 Oct). It is easy to book and close to Hagia Sophia, but it is a staged venue, rated 4.4. If you can make Wednesday, Friday or Sunday at 17:00, the lodge is the better ceremony.

4.4/5 from 5,446 reviews on GetYourGuide · checked 24 Oct 2026

Hodjapasha whirling dervishes show and exhibition

1 hour · every day 19:00 · $32 on 24 Oct · free cancellation up to 24 hours

Sema ceremony, programme booklet and bottled water. Age 7+. No photos during the ceremony.

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Tickets, times and the address

	Hodjapasha
Show	Mevlevi Sema ceremony (the dervish show)
When	Every day 19:00; check-in 30 minutes before
Length	60 minutes: 5 min video, 10 min music, 45 min Sema
Price (brochure)	2,100 TL adult, 1,200 TL child 7-12
Price (GetYourGuide, 24 Oct)	$32 per person; venue page showed $42 adult, $24 child
Address	Hocapaşa Hamamı Sokak 3/B, Sirkeci, Fatih
Nearest tram	Sirkeci (T1), about 100 m
Age	7 and over
Photos	Not allowed during the ceremony

Checked 28 Oct 2026 on hodjapasha.com and its e-brochure. The brochure is the April 2026 edition; the online ticket page can differ, so look at both. The same venue sells a different show, Rhythm of the Dance, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 20:30. Make sure the ticket says Whirling Dervishes.

What the show is like

You wait in the foyer, which doubles as a small exhibition of dervish clothes, instruments and Rumi poems. The ceremony takes place in the round domed bathhouse room, with a short music concert first and then the seven-part Sema. Water is included. Hodjapasha’s own site says the programme is a spiritual ceremony that contains religious symbols, not an entertainment show; its dance show is the entertaining one.

Reviews are split. A visitor on GetYourGuide on 17 October 2026 called it “magical”, with live music and Rumi poems projected on the walls of the domed hall. A Google reviewer on 5 October 2025 gave 1 star and complained about warm air in the hall. Rows are tiered but seats are first come, first served, so book ahead for a better view.

Better alternatives

Kasımpaşa Mevlevihanesi: a working 1620s lodge, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 17:00, rated 4.8 on GetYourGuide. Quieter, no stage lights. Check dates and price (affiliate link).
Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum: Sundays at 18:00, 150 seats, online tickets only on biletinial.com (the museum page lists 30 TL; we could not confirm it).
Compare all of them, with the show-versus-ceremony explanation, in our whirling dervish guide.

Plan the evening

Hodjapasha sits next to Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern. See our Hagia Sophia guide for the daytime and our Istanbul hamam guide if you want a bath the same day.

Notes

GetYourGuide links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them we get a small commission and you pay the same price. Prices are from the venue’s e-brochure (April 2026), its own page and GetYourGuide on the dates shown. We recheck monthly.

Frequently asked questions

What time is the Hodjapasha whirling dervish show?

Every day at 19:00, according to Hodjapasha's own site. Check-in is 30 minutes before. The e-brochure mentions an optional 17:00 session on request. Late guests are only admitted in the first 10 minutes.

How much are Hodjapasha tickets?

The e-brochure lists 2,100 TL for adults and 1,200 TL for children aged 7 to 12. GetYourGuide showed $32 per person on 24 October 2026, and the venue's own page showed $42 adults and $24 children the same day, so compare both before you pay.

Where is Hodjapasha and how do I get there?

Hocapaşa Hamamı Sokak 3/B, Sirkeci, Fatih. It is about 100 metres from the Sirkeci tram stop (T1), and a short walk from Gülhane tram stop and Hagia Sophia.

How long is the show?

60 minutes: a 5-minute introduction video, a 10-minute Sufi music concert and the 45-minute Sema ceremony. A small dervish exhibition in the foyer is open before the show.

Can I take photos or bring children to Hodjapasha?

No photos during the dervish ceremony. Children under 7 are not allowed; children 7 to 12 pay a child ticket. The venue is not suitable for wheelchair users.

Is Hodjapasha worth it, or should I go to a real lodge?

It is worth it if you stay in Sultanahmet and want an easy evening slot. If you can make Wednesday, Friday or Sunday at 17:00, the Kasımpaşa lodge is rated higher (4.8 against 4.4) and is a working place of worship.