Best of Kavala

Kavala Essentials

Kavala’s landscape is defined by its strategic position between the mountains and the Aegean. This collection spans the UNESCO-listed archaeological site of Philippi, where the Apostle Paul founded the first Christian church in Europe, to the city's Ottoman core. Key structures include the 16th-century Kamares aqueduct and the Byzantine castle. The city’s industrial heritage is preserved in specialized tobacco museums and neoclassical warehouses, reflecting its 19th-century status as a premier tobacco processing center.

Kavala Essentials — Map

MrPanyGoff / CC BY-SA 3.0

A

Philippi

Philippi was a major Greek city northwest of the nearby island, Thasos.

B

The Castle of Kavala

A 15th-century Ottoman fortress built on the foundations of a Byzantine acropolis. The site features circular and rectangular towers, a cistern, and an armory, offering panoramic views of the harbor.

C

Aqueduct

Known as Kamares, this 16th-century Ottoman structure spans 280 meters. It was commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent to replace Roman foundations and supply water to the Panagia district.

D

Τοbacco Μuseum

This thematic museum documents Kavala's history as a major 19th-century tobacco hub. It houses tools, commercial archives, and rare photographs related to the processing and trade of Eastern tobacco.

E

Ancient Theatre of Philippi

Constructed in the 4th century BC by Philip II of Macedon, this theater was later expanded by the Romans for gladiator games. It remains a primary venue for the annual Philippi Festival.

F

Halil Bey Mosque

A 16th-century mosque built over the ruins of the Byzantine Church of Agia Paraskevi. Glass floor panels inside allow visitors to view the earlier church foundations and ancient masonry.

Ggia / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Aghios Nikolaos

The Church of Saint Nicholas of Kavala is a Greek Orthodox Church in the town of Kavala, in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece.

H

Demotike Kapnapotheke Kabalas

A prominent example of early 20th-century industrial architecture, this municipal tobacco warehouse now serves as a cultural center and exhibition space for the city.

I

Megale Lesche

A Neoclassical mansion built in 1909 by the Ladies' Philanthropic Fraternity. It originally served as a social club for Kavala's elite and features distinctive architectural flourishes and ornate interiors.

J

Acropolis of Filippi

The fortified summit of the Philippi archaeological site, featuring defensive walls from the Macedonian, Roman, and Byzantine periods, including three well-preserved medieval towers.