Kavala and Philippi, Towards the Sea
Kavala is the principal seaport of eastern Greek Macedonia, on the bay across from the island of Thasos, built on the ancient route of the Via Egnatia and nicknamed 'the cyan city'. Inland, a few kilometres northwest, lie the ruins of Philippi.
The pair makes the best 'taste of the Aegean' excursion from the retreat, and it is also the longest: roughly 230 km and about 225 minutes each way. We frame it as an overnight, and we mean it.
Philippi, a UNESCO Roman city
Philippi was renamed by Philip II of Macedon in 356 BC and became the scene of the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, the engagement that ended the Roman Republic. In 2016 UNESCO inscribed the archaeological site for its Roman architecture and its importance in early Christianity.
Visit it in the cool of the morning: the site is large, open and at its best before the heat arrives.
The harbour city
Kavala wraps around a horseshoe harbour beneath a hilltop castle, with a surviving Ottoman aqueduct marching across the lower town. It was historically a tobacco trading centre, and the merchants' buildings still line the old quarter.
The evening is the reward for the drive: fish tavernas along the water, the castle at sunset and ferries across to Thasos if your plans stretch.
The route and the overnight
From Gabrovo the road runs south to the border, then east on the A2 motorway, 160 km from Thessaloniki, passing Amphipolis on the way. Amphipolis is worth a stop in its own right: an ancient polis where Alexander the Great prepared his Asian campaign, with its famous Lion monument beside the road.
Because it is about 3.5 hours each way, we recommend an overnight stay so Philippi gets its morning and Kavala gets its evening rather than both being rushed through a car window.
Why visit
- UNESCO World Heritage Philippi, renamed by Philip II
- A horseshoe harbour under a Byzantine-Ottoman castle
- The Ottoman aqueduct of the 'cyan city'
- Amphipolis and its Lion monument on the route
- The Aegean, roughly 230 km from the retreat
Good to know
Getting there
Roughly 230 km and about 225 minutes by road from Gabrovo, south to the border and east on the A2 motorway.
When to go
May-June and September-October: warm enough for the seafront, cool enough for the archaeological site.
Our advice
Stay one night. A day trip is technically possible but spends most of it in the car; the coast deserves better.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kavala doable in one day from Gabrovo?
Why is Philippi important?
Can we stop anywhere interesting on the way?
More to explore
Stay at the hacienda
If the sea is calling, let us plan the Kavala overnight properly, with Philippi in the morning and Amphipolis on the way.