Cascading down the slopes of Mount Symvolo, Kavala serves as the main seaport of eastern Macedonia. It is one of the most attractive cities in northern Greece and has a rich industrial past, becoming an important tobacco-producing hub in the Balkans in the 19th century.
Things to do in Kavála
Watching over the harbour is the Kavala Fort, a 15th-century fortification that was constructed to control the Roman-built Via Egnatia. Explore its gunpowder and food store that was later transformed into a prison and see the garrison where the guards once lived. From the round tower, there are magnificent views across Kavala while open-air concerts are regularly held in the inner precinct.
Centuries-old artefacts uncovered in the region are exhibited at the Kavala Archaeological Museum, which occupies a building designed by two former professors of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. In addition to ancient figurines, sarcophagi and coins, you can see a painted cist grave dating back to the 4th century BC. The museum overlooks palm-dotted Faliro Park and the amusement rides of Luna Park.
Gain insight into the city’s agricultural past at the Tobacco Museum, which occupies the ground of the National Tobacco Association. It exhibits rare documents, tobacco-growing tools and vintage processing machinery, as well as samples of different tobacco products. Discover how tobacco is cultivated and the unique processing of Oriental tobaccos, then learn how the industry impacted Kavala’s social development.
Getting around Kavála
Kavala is just under two hours’ drive from Thessaloniki and 30 minutes from Kavala International Airport, which has seasonal flights to destinations across Europe. Long-distance buses connect from Thessaloniki and Athens to Kavala while ferries travel from the city’s port to islands in the Northern Aegean Sea. The centre of Kavala is compact enough to explore on foot.