Turkey's whirlwind of delights

Witness one of Europe's most spectacular dance events by catching a flight to Turkey and travelling to the Whirling Dervishes festival in Konya.

The festival takes place from December 10th to 17th and celebrates the life of a Sufic saint, Mevlana, who created the 'whirling' dance in the 13th century as part of his religious worship.

Over a million people gather at the Mevlana Mausoleum to witness this ceremonial event, where a sequence of performances representing the four seasons are carried out by dancers wearing costumes symbolic of the celestial bodies and the passing of time.

Other performances of this dance take place elsewhere in Konya, particularly in venues near the Mevlana Museum.

Travellers can also absorb other facets of the religious history of Turkey in Konya by visiting the Karatay Medrese theological school and mosques of historical interest.

See Turkey's tourist website for more details.

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