In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Greece
Kavala
Καβάλα
Give Kavala 2 nights: one full day for the old town, castle and aqueduct, one for Philippi or a beach. Skip it as a day trip from Thessaloniki.
Kavala is a working port in Greek Macedonia with a walled old town stacked on a headland, a Roman aqueduct crossing the modern streets below it, and the tobacco warehouses that paid for both. It is a two-night city, not a resort: the beaches are outside town, the big archaeological site is 15 km away, and the reward is a compact, lived-in place with good seafood and few crowds outside August.
- Country
- Greece
- Local name
- Καβάλα
- Best months
- May–mid Jun, Sep–mid Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat and Greek holiday crowds), Nov–Apr (wet, many seasonal places shut)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted; card terminals are required in many businesses.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–70 excl. bed · Mid €75–120 excl. bed · High €140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Cosmote, Vodafone and Nova sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at the airport; a passport is needed to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency number 112 · Police 100 · Ambulance 166 · Tourist police 1571
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European round two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Café: Leave the coins, €0.50–1.; Taverna or restaurant: 5–10% in cash on the table; not expected at gyros shops.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night.; Boat crew or guide: €5–10 per person for a day trip.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Athens, Thessaloniki and most of the mainland. On many islands it is desalinated or hard: ask locally and buy bottled if unsure.
- Toilets
- Use cafés (buy something), museums and sites. Paper goes in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Greek coffee or freddo espresso | €2–4 |
| Souvlaki or gyros in a pita | €3.50–5 |
| Taverna meal with wine, per person | €15–25 |
| Beer on the promenade | €4–6 |
| In-town taxi hop | €4–6 |
| Castle entry | €5 |
| Mohamed Ali House entry | €8 |
| Ferry Kavala–Thasos, one way | €10–20 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KVA · Kavala International Airport "Alexander the Great"
- About 30 km east near Chrysoupoli; daily Athens flights plus summer charters. One KTEL bus a day to the city; taxi is the practical option.About 19 mi east near Chrysoupoli; daily Athens flights plus summer charters. One KTEL bus a day to the city; taxi is the practical option.
- SKG · Thessaloniki Airport
- The usual arrival for most travellers: hourly KTEL coaches Thessaloniki–Kavala, about 2–2.5 h.
Typical fares
- Airport KVA → Kavala centre, taxi
- about €35 flat rate; agree before you get in
- KTEL coach Thessaloniki → Kavala
- €15, 2–2.5 h
- City bus single ride
- about €1.50
Get around
The centre, harbour and old town are walkable, but the old town is uphill and stepped. City buses (Astiko KTEL) run along the coast and to the western beaches for about €1.50 a ride; buy at the terminal on Filikas Etarias Street near the harbour. Taxis are cheap for in-town hops. A free train-shaped bus runs from the main square to the old town roughly 08:00–14:00 except Sundays and holidays.The centre, harbour and old town are walkable, but the old town is uphill and stepped. City buses (Astiko KTEL) run along the coast and to the western beaches for about €1.50 a ride; buy at the terminal on Filikas Etarias Street near the harbour. Taxis are cheap for in-town hops. A free train-shaped bus runs from the main square to the old town roughly 8:00 AM–2:00 PM except Sundays and holidays.
See and do
Known for
- Panagia old town and the castle
- The 16th-century aqueduct
- Tobacco warehouses and the Imaret
- Philippi archaeological site
- Ferries to Thasos
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Philippi | Local bus or taxi toward Krinides, then a short walk to the site | About 45–60 min |
| Thasos | Ferry from Kavala harbour | About 1.5 h crossing plus port time |
| Pangaion Hills | Car or taxi; no useful public transport to the villages | About 1 h to the foothills |
| Nestos delta and gorge | Car or taxi east toward Chrysoupoli and Stavroupoli | About 45 min to the delta |
| Amphipolis | Car or taxi west along the old road | About 1 h |
| Drama | KTEL coach | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Panagia (old town)
- Stone houses, sea views, quiet at night. Steep lanes and stairs; not for heavy bags or limited mobility.
- Harbour and centre
- Hotels within a few minutes of the ferry terminal, promenade and bus stops. Best default for a two-night stay.
- Sfagio
- Small fishing harbour east of the centre; seafront tavernas, calmer evenings, a taxi or 25-min walk from the centre.
- Kalamitsa and Batis (west)
- Beach-side suburbs with the town's easiest swimming; 10–15 min by city bus from the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Γεια σαςya sas |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώefharistó |
| How much is it? | Πόσο κάνει;póso káni |
| The bill, please | Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώton logariasmó, parakaló |
| Can I pay by card? | Μπορώ να πληρώσω με κάρτα;boró na pliróso me kárta |
| Where is the toilet? | Πού είναι η τουαλέτα;pu íne i tualéta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'kaliméra' (morning) or 'kalispéra' (evening) on entering shops and tavernas; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Hospitality: Accept offered coffee, sweets or raki; it is part of the welcome; avoid: Refusing flatly — take a little
- Churches: Covered shoulders and knees; quiet voices; a small candle donation; avoid: Turning your back on the altar for photos during a service
- Gestures: Wave with the palm turned towards yourself; avoid: The open palm pushed forward (moutza)
- Conversation: Family, food and football are easy topics; avoid: Lecturing on the debt crisis, Türkiye or the name of North Macedonia
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries or wine; arrive a little late; avoid: Leaving food on the plate if you have been served more
- Dress: Casual; long trousers or skirt for monasteries; avoid: Swimwear in town, shops and churches
Scams and watch-outs
- Airport taxis: agree the fare before you get in, and check the meter rate. Rate 2 (double) applies midnight–05:00.
- The Imaret is a hotel, not a museum: entry is by guided tour only, by appointment, and it can be refused.
- Castle and museum hours shift by season and close on some public holidays; check before climbing.
- August fills the waterfront and the Thasos ferries; book beds and ferry seats ahead.
- The old town is steep and cobbled: wear shoes with grip, not sandals.
Kavala is a low-risk city; the real annoyances are taxi fares from the airport and the midnight meter rate. Petty theft is rare, but keep an eye on bags at the bus station and on crowded ferries.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kavala yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Panagia old town and the castle
- The 16th-century aqueduct
- Tobacco warehouses and the Imaret
- Philippi archaeological site
- Ferries to Thasos
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Municipality of Kavala: kavala.gov.gr/
- Kavala International Airport: www.kva-airport.gr/en/
- KTEL Kavala (regional and city coaches): www.ktelkavalas.gr/
- Wikivoyage: Kavala, revision 5301778 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5301778
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
KavalaΚαβάλα
Σε αυτή τη διεύθυνση, παρακαλώ
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Kavala; the US and most others are in Athens, with consulates in Thessaloniki.
Tipping is not required; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kavala). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.