My family live in an apartment on the 15th floor of building in downtown Izmir. Our view is amazing, but comes with a price tag of “no balcony.”

There is, however, a shared terrace for the residents to use. We’ve spent time there reading and playing in the late afternoon when the city begins to cool off, but ironically, it has been closed off for the last few weeks because a café is being added. This is picture looking down at the terrace from our living room window

I can’t lie, we love the fact that we have zero yard work with our current situation! Neither my husband nor I have a green thumb, so maintaining a lawn and garden was always more of a chore than a joy. We appreciate the ability to spent time on a terrace without the need to ensure the life of the greenery.

We also love seeing how nature entwines itself into the city. These pictures are of the two streets nearest our apartment. There is greenery everywhere and the Turks take great pride in the green spaces inhabits their medians, storefronts, balconies, and alleyways.

Most remarkable to me are the number of street animals in Izmir (and Turkey in general.) The relationship between city, animal and human appears congenial. Animals are routinely picked up and given their immunizations (ears are tagged for proof), and citizens take it upon themselves to set out food, water and even shelter for the pets of Imzir. This general sense of care and concern for animals is pervasive and impressive.

The love of open air markets is also really wonderful. Each section of the city seems to have park or green space dedicated to weekly famers’ markets. People plan their shopping routines around these markets, where the produce is seasonable, gorgeous, and delicious.

Like any city, trash and litter are ubiquitous. I personally dislike walking along sidewalks that appear dirty, but this is a small issue. For the most part, I love my time walking throughout the city and I’ve learned to overlook the less appealing aspects. We make sure that we don’t contribute to the mess.  

Sometimes, I also miss having a yard or other private area outdoors where my kids can be loud and silly without fear of upsetting anyone. Living in a city means that we never really let our guard down.

If we need some fun family time outside, I’ll normally drive to a less crowded park or beach on a weekday. We have lots of options within an hour of our home. With fewer people and more space; we get to go a little crazy.

The locals of Turkey love to use their outdoor space as a place to gather socially. Nearly every street has a café or bakery where a few chairs and tables are placed along the sidewalk. People gather around, and drink Turkish tea at all times of the day.

I use the sidewalks for walking more than socializing. Sometimes I wonder if I look frenetic to those people that I pass who sit sipping their tea and chatting. I should learn to be a bit more slow, a bit more willing to stop, and chat over a cuppa. 

Ten minutes walking in either direction brings us to some lovely, large green spaces in the city. We particularly love the area around the harbor, called the Kordon. In the evenings, the cooler temperatures, and steady breeze beckons and it seems like all the city congregates at the water front. There are play grounds, benches, cafés and plenty of grassy lawns for running around. Vendors for flowers, balloons, water, tour guides and even cotton candy either set up along the water or weave through the crowds, hoping for a sale.

We’ve never lived so close to large, public parks before. To be in a green area but one full of people is unusual and seems to be tied to city living, something we never experienced before. Also, walking. We do such much walking now! We only use our car once or twice during the week, which is a huge change for us.

This is a completely new experience for our family! The thought of living in the midst of an urban area was intimidating at first. However, over the last few months we have all adapted to this new rhythm of life and enjoy it. I look forward to the semi-daily walk to the grocery store or market and find it either relaxing (if I’m by myself), or a great time to chat with my husband or children. I’ve loved seeing my two sons and one daughter become more adept at navigating city living as well.

All in all, living in Izmir is a wonderful experience.