The Konya corporate trip is a full-day programme, from breakfast to evening, that explores the capital of the Anatolian Seljuk State through the legacy of Mevlana (Rumi) and Seljuk stonework. The Mevlana Museum, Alaeddin Hill, the madrasas and the village of Sille are visited with a guide. It is planned for department and project teams of 8-35 who join by air or road and want to hear about this spiritual heritage on site.

What is in the programme?

After a Konya-style breakfast, the group heads to the Mevlana Museum, whose green-tiled dome is the symbol of the city. Mevlevi culture is explained through the tomb of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi, who died in 1273, manuscripts of the Masnavi and the former dervish lodge sections. At the Tomb of Shams of Tabriz, the bond between the two thinkers is discussed. The group then climbs Alaeddin Hill and visits the Alaeddin Mosque, which houses the tombs of Seljuk sultans.

Before lunch, the group visits either the İnce Minareli Madrasa, known for its 13th-century stone portal, or the Karatay Madrasa, known for its tile decoration. Lunch features etli ekmek, fırın kebabı and okra soup. In the afternoon, in Sille to the north-west of the city, the group sees the stone houses and churches where Greek and Turkish communities lived side by side for centuries, along with the view over the dam. The day ends with a tasting of Mevlana sugar and local sweets; on request, an evening sema ceremony can be added.

Highlights

• A detailed account of Mevlevi culture and the Masnavi at the Mevlana Museum
• Key examples of Seljuk architecture at Alaeddin Hill and the madrasas
• A visit to the village of Sille outside the city, with its multi-layered past
• An optional evening sema ceremony

Who Is It For?

It suits department and project teams of 8-35, and offers meaningful content for organisations and executive groups that want to place values such as tolerance, dialogue and self-reflection at the centre of a team programme. Physical effort is light to moderate, with short slopes at Alaeddin Hill and in Sille.

Planning Notes

• The city is very busy during the Şeb-i Arus ceremonies around 17 December, the anniversary of Mevlana's death; early planning is required for this period.
• Modest clothing suitable for covering up, and quiet behaviour, are expected in the tombs and mosques.
• Museum entry, the sema ceremony, flights and meals are not included in the package; Çatalhöyük is not part of the programme because of the distance.
• Summer afternoons are hot and dry; the Sille visit can be moved to a cooler time of day.