How many days in Kavala? 3 days of Panagia, Philippi and Thasos
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Kavala is the port city of eastern Macedonia, built like an amphitheatre around a bay, with an old town called Panagia on a rocky headland, a Byzantine and Ottoman castle at its top and a 16th-century aqueduct, the Kamares, striding across the modern centre. Most travellers pass through on the way to Thasos. Give it three days: one for the old town, one for the ancient city of Philippi and the coast, and one across the water on Thasos.
Short answer
Two days covers Panagia, the castle, the Imaret and Philippi. The third day adds Thasos by ferry, or a slow beach day at Batis and Ammolofoi with a fish lunch.
The 3-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Panagia, the castle and the Imaret
Morning. Walk up into Panagia, the old town on the headland, 10 minutes from the central harbour. Climb to the castle (a few euros) for the view from the tower over the port, the bay and Thasos on the horizon. Then walk down past the house of Mehmet Ali, the founder of the dynasty that ruled Egypt, born in Kavala in 1769; his house is a small museum, with his bronze equestrian statue in the square outside.
Afternoon. See the Imaret, the large domed charitable complex he funded in the early 19th century on the slope below, now a hotel whose courtyards are open to non-guests at the café (call or ask at reception). Walk to the lighthouse at the tip of the headland, then down to the harbour and under the arches of the Kamares aqueduct.
Evening. Eat in a fish taverna in Panagia or on the harbour: grilled sardines, mussels and anchovies from the bay, €15-25 per person with ouzo or tsipouro.
Kavala is steep. Panagia is all stairs and cobbles; good shoes help, and the castle is best in the late afternoon light.
Day 2: Philippi and the western beaches
Morning. Drive or take the local bus about 15 km (20-25 minutes) to Philippi, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2016. Walk the Roman forum, the theatre on the hillside, the huge Byzantine basilicas and the rock-cut cell traditionally linked to the imprisonment of the apostle Paul (ticket about €8-12; check current price). Allow 2-3 hours and bring water: there is little shade.
Afternoon. Stop at the river at Lydia, a few kilometres away, where tradition places the baptism of Lydia, said to be the first Christian convert in Europe; there is a modern baptistery beside the water. Then head back to town and swim at Batis, a sandy beach 3 km west, or at Kalamitsa further on.
Evening. Visit the Archaeological Museum of Kavala on the seafront if you arrive before closing, with finds from Philippi and ancient Neapolis, the city under modern Kavala. Dinner in the centre, €15-25.
In summer, enter Philippi at opening time (usually 8:00) and avoid noon, when the stone heats up fast.
Day 3: A day trip to Thasos
Morning. Ferries cross to Thasos from Keramoti (about 45 minutes' drive from Kavala, then about 35-40 minutes by boat to Limenas) or from Kavala port to Prinos (about 1-1.25 hours). Take the earliest boat you can, with or without a car. Walk around Limenas, the island capital, with its ancient agora and harbour beside the modern town.
Afternoon. Drive the coast road to the hill village of Panagia on Thasos, with stone houses and slate roofs, and swim at Golden Beach below it. With more time, carry on to Aliki on the south-east coast, where an ancient marble quarry runs down to the sea.
Evening. Take an evening ferry back, or stay the night on Thasos and return in the morning. Dinner on the Kavala waterfront, or a sweet from the kourabiedes shops the area is known for.
In July and August, ferries with cars fill up at weekends. Arrive at the port 30-45 minutes early or travel as a foot passenger and rent a car on Thasos.
Only have 2 days?
With 2 days, do the old town and the castle on Day 1 and Philippi with Batis beach on Day 2. You lose Thasos.
Got extra days?
A 4th day can go to the Nestos river gorge and the riverside villages near Toxotes and Galani, about an hour east, to Ammolofoi, the long dune beach about 20 km west, or to Xanthi and its old town, about an hour away by car.
Where to stay in Kavala
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Centre, behind the harbour | Simple hotels and rooms near the bus station. | €45-75 |
| Mid-range | Panagia old town | Stone guesthouses with sea views, walk to the castle and tavernas. | €80-140 |
| Mid-range | Kalamitsa / Batis | Seafront hotels near the beaches, 5-10 minutes by car. | €80-150 |
| Comfort | The Imaret and boutique hotels in Panagia | Historic rooms and courtyards above the harbour. | €180-400 |
Getting around
Central Kavala and Panagia are walkable: the harbour to the castle is about 15 minutes uphill. City buses run to Batis, Kalamitsa and nearby suburbs; KTEL regional buses go to Philippi, Keramoti and Xanthi from the bus station near the port. Kavala airport (Alexander the Great) is near Chrysoupoli, about 30 km east (30-35 minutes by car or taxi). Long-distance KTEL buses connect Kavala with Thessaloniki in about 2-2.5 hours. A car rental costs about €35-55 a day and is the easiest way to see Philippi and Thasos together.
What to eat in Kavala
Kavala eats from its bay. Order grilled sardines and anchovies, steamed or fried mussels (mydia) and gavros marinatos in the ouzeries of Panagia and the harbour, with ouzo or tsipouro. The city is known across Greece for kourabiedes, butter biscuits dusted in icing sugar, sold by the box in the pastry shops of the centre; nearby Nea Peramos is famous for them too. A meal of fish and meze with drinks costs €15-25 per person; whole fish is priced by the kilo.
Best time to visit
May to June and September to early October are best: highs of 24-29°C, swimmable sea from June. July and August reach 32-35°C and the Thasos ferries are at their busiest. Winters are cool and damp but Philippi and the old town stay open, and hotels are cheap.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | €30 | €55 | €130 |
| Food & drink | €20 | €35 | €65 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €20 | €35 |
| Local transport | €5 | €20 | €40 |
| Total per person, per day | about €65 | about €130 | about €270 |
Approximate 2026 prices; the Thasos ferry is extra, at a few euros per foot passenger and more with a car. Greece charges a per-room, per-night climate resilience fee, higher from April to October.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Kavala worth a stay, or just a stop for Thasos?
It is worth two or three nights. The old town of Panagia, the castle, the Imaret and the aqueduct make a good day on foot, Philippi is one of the major ancient sites of northern Greece, and the fish tavernas are cheaper than on the islands. Thasos then works as a day trip or an onward stay.
How do I get from Kavala to Thasos?
The shortest crossing is from Keramoti to Limenas, about 35-40 minutes by ferry, with frequent sailings in summer; Keramoti is about 45 minutes' drive from Kavala. There are also ferries from Kavala port to Prinos, taking about an hour or a little more. Check current timetables, which change by season.
How do I get to Philippi without a car?
Regional KTEL buses from Kavala towards Drama stop near the archaeological site, about 15 km and 20-25 minutes away; ask the driver for the Philippi stop. A taxi costs roughly €20-30 each way. Go early in the morning in summer, as the site has little shade.
Which beaches are near Kavala?
Batis, about 3 km west of the centre, is the closest sandy beach with services. Kalamitsa and the beaches beyond it are a few minutes further. For long sand and dunes, drive about 20 km west to Ammolofoi near Nea Peramos, which is wide and shallow and popular with families.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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