Street Photography in Izmir

A Street Photography Guide to İzmir, Türkiye

İzmir is Türkiye’s third largest city with a population of about 3 million. Beautifully located beside the Aegean Sea, it had the feel of a more relaxed and far less touristy version of Istanbul when I visited for a week in November 2022. There are fewer landmarks and attractions but a wonderfully laid-back and authentic atmosphere. 

Brief History

Though not immediately obvious given İzmir’s abundance of new architecture, including some striking skyscrapers, İzmir by all accounts boasts a multilayered history spanning 3,000 years, including spells under the Roman, Byzantine, Timurid and several other smaller empires. In the 15th century it fell under Ottoman rule, and in the 16th century it grew into a port city of international significance. 

The 18th and 19th centuries brought much further expansion, shaping İzmir into a very cosmopolitan city, with a large community of Greeks and to a lesser extent of Jews and Armenians, besides the majority Turkish residents. In fact the city was known by its old Greek name of Smyrna until 1930, by which point it had become part of the new Turkish Republic founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1923 after the Greco-Turkish War (1919-1922).

Sights Worth Seeing

While İzmir is more of a place to soak up the seaside atmosphere and hop between bars, cafes and restaurants rather than rush around must-see attractions, there are some sights worth seeing, including: 

The elegant Clock Tower stands 25-metres-high in the middle of the central Konak Square. Designed by the French architect Raymond Charles Péré, it was unveiled in 1901 to mark the 25th anniversary of Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II’s ascension to the throne.

A more quirky building is the Asansör, aka the Elevator Tower, erected in 1907 by the wealthy Jewish businessman Nesim Levi Bayrakli to connect two streets in the Karataş neighbourhood that are separated by a protruding cliff. There is a cafe at the top with far-reaching views of the Aegean. 

Elsewhere are the ruins of an ancient castle called the Kadifecale, which reportedly dates back to the 3rd century BC and is perched atop Mount Pagos overlooking the entire city down below. There are also a variety of mosques, synagogues, churches and museums to discover depending on your interests.

Street Photography Hotspots

Like any big city İzmir is made up of numerous districts and neighbourhoods. But as the city is very large and in order not to end up, as I did, traipsing uphill for hours through seemingly endless, nondescript residential areas, I’d recommend focusing on the following areas: 

Konak Square & Kemeraltı Bazaar

The historical heart of İzmir is dominated by the massive Kemeraltı Bazaar, which originated in the Ottoman era. Unlike the famous Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, it’s not swarmed by tourists and, in between photography, is a great place to grab a Turkish coffee, slice of baklava or juicy kebab. Next to the bazaar is Konak Square, home to the famous Clock Tower, which always abounds with street life.

Kordon 

Probably my favourite spot in İzmir, this is a long embankment stretching along the Aegean Sea all the way from Konak Square to the trendy district of Alsancak. It’s known locally as the Kordon and is descended upon daily by people of all stripes – fishermen, families, lovers, students, walkers and joggers – all sitting, strolling and marvelling at the sublime sunsets. Meanwhile, ferries toot their horns as they transport residents between İzmir’s districts, and an old yellow tram chugs characterfully along by the waterfront. 

Karşıyaka

This bustling suburb is situated across the bay from Konak Square, the Kordon and Alsancak. This means you need to take a ferry there, but that’s a great experience in and of itself and may present some good shots; I enjoyed how the evening sunlight would flood through the passenger cabins. Karşıyaka is a busy commercial and residential area fronted by another long seaside promenade abuzz with street life. Similarly, the main Karşıyaka Bazaar Street bustles with shoppers and diners.

Alsancak

Reportedly inhabited by wealthier residents in Ottoman times, this area still comprises many prepossessing apartments. However, besides the quieter residential streets, Alsancak also boasts a lively street called Kıbrıs Şehitleri Caddesi, which is packed with shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants that attract a constant flow of young people, lending Alsancak a decidedly laid-back and youthful vibe.

Another area worth wandering around is Karataş, home to the Elevator Tower and historically the city’s Jewish neighbourhood (İzmir reportedly has a unique Sephardic Jewish heritage, as explained here). 

Overall Impressions

I loved the everpresent proximity of the Aegean Sea in İzmir, which gave the city a wonderfully serene ambiance and attracted endless, varied street life to its seaside promenades. I also enjoyed travelling on the ferries to disparate parts of the city. While this seaside element created many similarities with Istanbul, for capturing everyday life in Turkiye İzmir seemed a brilliant alternative as it didn’t have the relentless crowds and chaos of Istanbul.

Another advantage is the possibilities to explore the wider İzmir Province. For example, one day I visited Ephesus, the remarkably intact ruins of an ancient Greek and then Roman city, followed by the nearby mountain village of Sirince – quaint but quite touristy. Another day I headed to the slow-paced coastal village of Foça – also very pretty but too sleepy for street photography.