Depending
Depending on the season, fishing vessels, ferries, sailboats and cruise ships all drop anchor at Kavala’s two ports - the old and the new. This coastal city, which rises up from the sea like an amphitheater, counts approximately 50,000 inhabitants, split between the Palia Poli (old town) and the Nea Poli (new town).
The latter may enjoy a larger share of Kavala’s residents; however, it is the former, constructed atop the Panagia peninsula, that holds the edge in terms of charm. Elements harking back to a variety of eras and architectural styles coexist throughout the narrow lanes of the old quarter, under the commanding Castro (castle).
The ancient theater of Philippi
Nikolas Mastoras
The ancient theater of Philippi
Nikolas Mastoras
Times gone by have left behind important monuments in the broader area, such as the now UNESCO-protected Archaeological Site of Philippi, and the Baptistry of St Lydia, where the Apostle Paul founded the first Christian church on Greek soil, in AD 49-50 .
There is also the unique Imaret, an exceptional sample of Islamic architecture, which also enjoys a “double identity” - that of hotel and monument, as well as the early 16th-century Kamares, which manage to stand apart amidst the buildings in the new town of Kavala. According to the prevailing view, the Kamares were constructed between 1520 and 1539 on top of an even older Roman aqueduct, so to as cover water supply needs, linking Panagia with the springs at Palia Kavala.
We have come to love Kavala not only on account of all the beautiful heritage monuments and buildings it has managed to preserve, but also because, being a veritable Greek urban jungle, the city moves us. Moreover, the moment the warm weather arrives, the city promises refreshing dips at Batis, Tosca and Palio. Just a tad further afield lie wonderful beaches, including Ammoglossa Keramotis and Ammolofi, offering turquoise waters and fine sand.
#mynovgetaway
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