Izmir Kordon

Izmir Bay is elongated, as if the Aegean Sea would note with a blue finger where the city is. Around the bottom of the bay, spreading over both sides, Izmir lives overlooking the sea and its inhabitants like to approach it to walk, chat or sit down and enjoy the sunsets. This has the known Kordon, a promenade 42 miles long dotted with gardens and parks whose full name is Kordonboyu, the green lace hugging the sea.

The most famous part of the Kordon is Alsancak, in downtown Izmir. Between the buildings and the sea there is an ample space, in some areas over 100 m wide, where you can stroll along the seashore, sit down on the grass or very broad flower beds or approach the endless line of restaurants and cafes to enjoy one of the most cosmopolitan environments Turkey. We will find all prices, from elegant restaurants where the wealthy class of the city attend, with menu for all preferences, to affordable places to take simpler platters. Do not forget to squids.

Throughout its 42 kilometers, Kordon has a common design, a promenade by the sea with gardens and grassy areas that separate it from the avenue. However, Kordon fits the lifestyle of the different neighborhoods of the city it runs through. There are sectionss where it is very wide, as the already mentioned one in Alsancak; in other areas it becomes a park, as in the area between the port and Bayrakli; there are even places where we find sports facilities, as in Karşiyaka.

Walking the Kordon we find ferry stations that connect the different areas of Izmir across the bay to prevent the terrible traffic of the third city in Turkey. It is the best way to go to neighborhoods like Karsiyaka and take the opportunity to enjoy views of the city from the sea; houses rise covering the mountains that surround the bay and at night the light spots climb up to be confused with the stars. During the short trip, seagulls fly beside the boats and street vendors offer us çay and juices.

In many places, Kordon gardens are so large that families or groups of friends go there to spend the afternoon and have diner. If our walk is long enough we can see how people change from one neighborhood to another. In Alsancak we will see groups of young, people talking while walking and few veiled women; when we reach Konak we start to see families on picnic and children playing around. Everywhere there are street vendors with the most amazing offerings, from food to toys, even traveling photographers or shooting stalls where we can shoot balloons floating in the sea.

However, something we always find in the Kordon are couples sitting down or walking, sunsets are a romantic appeal Izmir and a experience not to be missed. The sun descends to the sea staining everything orange and nothing prevents us from enjoying the moment sitting down at the edge of the Kordon while watching the comings and goings of the boats across the bay; sometimes we can see the departure of some of the huge cruise ships that visit the city every day and sail away slowly, as if they would not wish to leave the place that Turks call, quite appropriately, beautiful Izmir.