| Once known as Iconium, Konya is historically and religiously significant on several counts: it was one of the missionary destinations of St. Paul, the capital of the Seljuk empire from 1150 to 1300 and was the home of Rumi (Mevlana), the Sufi saint who founded the Whirling Dervishes. The Mevlevi sema is the Sufi worship ceremony in which the Mevlevi dervishes whirl in their quest for mystical union with the Divine.
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|  | |  | | Konya can be visited on the way to Cappadocia or integrated into any itinerary. Below are some popular itineraries:
Grand Tour of Turkey 8-day Tour of Turkey
Cappadocia, Mt.Nemrut and Urfa 11-day Tour of Turkey
All our guided Turkey tours are completely customisable - take a look at our most popular travel programmes, you can modify these itineraries according to your budget, interests and time frame. Our professional travel consultants at Akresa Travel will be happy to advise you, or create your itinerary and build the perfect luxury holiday to suit all your travel requirements. | |
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|  One good reason to visit Konya is to see the Mevlana Museum which shelters the tomb of Jelaleddin Rumî (1207-1273), known to his followers as Mevlana (or Rumî), a Muslim poet and mystic and one of the great spiritual thinkers and teachers of all time.
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| |  The ritual dance of the whirling dervishes or "Semâ" represents a mystical journey of man's spiritual ascent through mind and love to the "Perfect". The Mevlevi sema, performed in Konya's grand Mevlana Cultural Center, is witnessed each year by thousands of pilgrims. |
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| | | | | We take care of your travel arrangements from hotel bookings to sightseeing, tour guides, route planning, domestic flights and all the other important details to make your trip enjoyable and stress-free.
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|  Alaettin Hill and the Seminary of the Slender Minaret (Ince Minare Medrese, 1264), a 13th-century theological college that has been beautifully restored and now serves as Konya's Museum of Stone and Wooden Inscriptions, with works of art from the 1100s and later. |
| |  On the ancient Silk Road, Seljuk Turkish Sultan Alaettin Keykubad I built a caravanserai between 1229 and 1236 which was named the Sultan Han. It is the largest Seljuk caravanserai in Turkey and a prime example of Selcuk architecture. |
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