Greening the Core of the Mediterranean City

ABSTRACT Mediterranean cities are the oldest in Europe, built according to the practices and worldviews of their times. City cores are densely settled, having developed spontaneously with almost no systematic planning. The result is a core that lacks open spaces for greenery. The goal of the present study is to compare the existing state of residential greenery and urban parks in the Mediterranean with cities in Northern Europe that include such spaces. To achieve that goal, existing greenery per capita (residential greenery and urban parks) data for selected Mediterranean cities were gathered based on Google Earth. Results are compared with greenery per capita in selected cities in Northern Europe. Additional aspects of urban green spaces, such as landscaping and urban park design, are identified and compared to Mediterranean city cores. Suggestions for improving greenery within Mediterranean cities are offered at the conclusion of the study.