Kavala: a city with an aqueduct through the middle of it

Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.

The Kamares

The aqueduct, called the Kamares, runs on two tiers of arches straight across a modern street between the old town and the new. It follows a Roman line and was rebuilt in the sixteenth century under Suleiman, and it is used as a landmark, a meeting point and a roundabout.

Walking under it is the moment people remember about Kavala.

Panagia and the castle

The old quarter, Panagia, occupies the headland: stepped lanes, Ottoman-era houses with overhanging upper storeys, and the castle on the summit, Byzantine in origin, with a round keep you can climb for the view over both bays.

Also here is the Imaret, a large Ottoman charitable complex of domes and courtyards, one of the most substantial Ottoman buildings in Greece, now a hotel.

The town below

• The archaeological museum, holding finds from Amphipolis and the region.
• The tobacco warehouses, large early-twentieth-century industrial buildings that were the city’s wealth; one holds a museum of tobacco.
• A working fishing harbour, and a waterfront the city uses in the evening.

What it is the base for

• Philippi, twenty minutes inland: a major Roman city with a theatre, forum and early Christian basilicas, where Paul preached and where the battle was fought.
• Thassos, by ferry from the quay or from Keramoti nearby.
• The Nestos delta, west, a wetland and river gorge.

Getting there and how long

Kavala airport at Chrysoupoli serves the city and Thassos. Thessaloniki is about two hours by road.

Two nights, one of them for Philippi.

Last checked August 2026. Museum and site hours change - see our editorial policy.

Common questions

What is the aqueduct in Kavala?

The Kamares, a two-tier arched aqueduct on a Roman line rebuilt in the sixteenth century, crossing the middle of the city between the old and new towns.

What is Panagia in Kavala?

The old quarter on the headland, with Ottoman-era houses, stepped lanes, the castle above and the Imaret complex.

What is near Kavala?

Philippi twenty minutes inland, the island of Thassos by ferry, and the Nestos delta to the west.

Does Kavala have an airport?

Yes, at Chrysoupoli, which also serves Thassos. Thessaloniki is about two hours away by road.

Is Kavala a beach destination?

Not primarily. It is a working port city; the beaches are along the coast either side and on Thassos.

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