Kavala

A port city in northern Greece with a Byzantine-Ottoman castle, the Kamares aqueduct and the Imaret, the World Heritage site of Philippi nearby, and ferries to Thasos.

Kavala is a port city in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in northern Greece, on the northern shore of the Aegean, backed by Mount Symvolo and facing the island of Thasos. Known in antiquity as Neapolis, it is said to be where the Apostle Paul landed, bringing Christianity to Europe. In Ottoman times it was the birthplace of Muhammad Ali, the ruler of Egypt, and in the early 20th century it flourished on the tobacco trade, leaving behind numerous tobacco warehouses and merchants' mansions. The heart of the city is the old town on the Panagia peninsula, east of the harbor: Kavala Castle at the top, the 16th-century Kamares aqueduct, the Imaret and the house of Muhammad Ali can all be linked on foot. West of the harbor are the Archaeological Museum, the Tobacco Museum and the shopping streets of the new town. There are three main day-trip routes: northwest to the World Heritage site of Philippi, about 15 km away, and the Baptistery of St Lydia, with an optional extension to the Alistrati Cave; southwest to the dune beach of Ammolofoi and, farther on, the Lion of Amphipolis; and east to the Nestos Gorge, the Nestos Delta, the old town of Xanthi and the monastery at Porto Lagos. Thasos is covered as a separate destination and can be reached by ferry from Kavala or Keramoti. The climate is Mediterranean: June–Sep is hot and sunny, ideal for the beach; May and Sep–Oct are best for sightseeing; winters are mild and rainy. Getting there: Kavala International Airport (Alexander the Great) is about 30 km east of the city, with plenty of European flights in summer; long-distance buses from Thessaloniki take about 2 hours. The city center is walkable, but a car is recommended for the surrounding sights. Allow 2–3 days.

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