Greece: Kavala

From Thessaloniki, we were on our way to Istanbul. In order to break up the trip, we first stopped at Kavala, which turned out to be a much bigger town than we expected. Kavala was under Ottoman rule for a long time, and it was during this time that Muhammad Ali Pasha, the founder of modern Egypt, was born. There are a number of buildings from that era, including a large complex funded by the Pasha, the Emerit, once a soup kitchen feeding the poor, now the exclusive five (or six) star Imerit Hotel, tightly shut when we walked by.

During different wars in the 20th century, Bulgarians occupied Kavala three times. Now they just pay their way with money by buying Greek real estate. We even met such a Bulgarian-Swedish couple and were invited for a view from their balcony.

From Kavala, we visited the UNESCO Philippi, founded by Philip II, though everything visible is almost all from Roman times. While the site is not particularly impressive, it is historically significant, particularly because of Apostle Paul's visit, which draws a good number of Christian groups.

Beautiful bus ride along the coast from Thessaloniki to Kavala. We departed from KTEL Macedonia Bus Station, the largest bus terminal in Greece.










Fisherman and Nets in Kavala Port


The 16th-Century Aqueduct of Kavala


View from the Apartment Balcony of our New Friends from Bulgaria and Sweden


View of the Thracian Sea from near the Kavala Lighthouse.


The Port and Ferry Docks.


Cats on the Mercedes


The former "Imaret of Kavala", a charitable organization providing a madrasa (school), soup kitchen, hospital, hammam (bathhouse), and market to the community. It's now an exclusive hotel.






One day we rode the bus to Ancient Philippi.


The ruins of the theatre with snow-capped mountains in the distance.


There were some reliefs on the stage end of the theater with scenes from plays. Looks like a sword cut off someone's head in this play (see below)


The huge and very pleasing, symmetric, Agora; with wildflowers












John at the Agora Podium.


Just above the Agora is a cave or room in the rock labeled "Prison of Saint Paul".


A tour group praying in the Agora near the "Prison of Saint Paul".