Entertainment in Turkey

Entertainment in Turkey divides by time of day on this page. Daytime means parks: Land of Legends near Belek with transfers from Antalya, Side and Alanya, Vialand in Istanbul, the Florya aquarium in Istanbul and Seapark in Side, where you swim in a pool alongside its inhabitants, plus the dolphin shows at Alanya and Side. Evening works differently: the same Land of Legends turns into a night show of water, light and parade, while the Bosphorus is taken over by dinner cruises — with a Turkish programme, with an Arabic night show, or simply with a table of your own and the city sliding past.

Two items sit apart, entertainment only in the loosest sense. The whirling dervish ceremony runs in Istanbul and in Cappadocia: it is the rite of a Sufi brotherhood rather than a concert, and it is watched in silence. At the opposite pole is Alanya after dark — a pub crawl combined with a party boat and a foam party, with pick-ups from Side, and the pirate yachts that tour the bays by day and turn into a dance floor by evening.

Practical notes. Parks are reached by transfer: Land of Legends stands at Belek, more than two hours each way from Alanya, and the return after a night show lands you back past midnight. Park admission and show admission are separate products, worth checking at booking. Bosphorus dinner cruises run three to four hours and drinks are usually charged separately. For the dervish ceremony, dress covered and leave the flash off.