The Kadifekale neighbourhood below the castle is one of the oldest continuously inhabited areas of İzmir, with narrow lanes, Ottoman-era stone houses, and a distinctly slower pace of life than the city centre below. The streets climbing to the castle are steep and often irregular, and the neighbourhood retains a working-class character that contrasts with the increasingly gentrified centre.
Walking from Konak Square up to Kadifekale takes about 40 minutes and passes through several distinct layers of the city — from the bazaar streets of Kemeraltı, through the transitional zone of older apartment buildings, and finally into the lane network of the historic hilltop quarter. The Roman aqueduct runs through this neighbourhood.