The prefecture of Kavala is one of the 13 prefectures of Macedonia. It occupies the northeastern part of Macedonia, it borders to the prefectures of Drama, Xanthi and Serres and it is also bathed by the Aegean Sea. It includes Thassos Island as well as other small nearby islands.

Seat of the prefecture: Kavala
Prefecture population: 145.054 (2001 census)
Distance of the prefecture seat from Athens: 674 km

The main areas of the prefecture are: Kavala, Eleftheroupoli, Nea Peramos, Philippi, Chryssoupoli.

The prefecture of Kavala is known for its abundant natural beauty characterized by green forests, great mountainous landscapes and beaches with clear blue waters. In the prefecture lies the mountain Pageo with its ancient gold mines and the river Nestos, one of the biggest in Greece and, at the same time, a very important wetland habitat.

The prefecture of Kavala attracts many tourists thanks to its countless natural beauties, the long history of its seat, the important archaeological sites, the traditional settlements, the Byzantine monuments and its great sandy beaches.

The city of Kavala is the seat and the main port of the prefecture bearing the same name. The port of Kavala is one of the most important in Greece with remarkable commercial and tourist traffic. The modern city of Kavala with its picturesque districts is amphitheatrically built on a hill and it boasts many points of interest.

Its numerous historical monuments are evidence of the rich past of the city. A stroll along the slab-paved streets of the Old Town will certainly take you back to the past and the rich history of the city. On the top of the hill still stands the majestic Venetian castle from where you can enjoy an excellent view of the area. You should visit the Imaret Mosque, built in 1817 by Mehmet Ali, which is the most representative Muslim mosque in Greece. You should also visit Mehmet Ali's house, in front of which, centrally on Panagia Square, stands his bronze statue. The old arched aqueduct of the 16th century, today called Kamares, is an admirable historical monument.

Other interesting points in the city are the old tobacco warehouses, the Heroes Monument in the green municipal garden, the Grand Club, the picturesque port and the small traditional shops.

The city is strewn with many churches, which are decorated with beautiful frescoes. Such churches are these of Agios Pavlos (St. Paul), Prophitis Ilias (Prophet Elias), Agios Silas (St. Silas) and the Monastery Lazariston (Lazarists). Kavala also has an Archaeological and a Folk Arts Museum.

To the northeast of Kavala, built on the foothills of Pageo Mountain, lies Eleftheroupoli, a town where the traditional Macedonian architectural style is still preserved. Here you can visit the tunnels of the ancient mines, the Forest Village of Pageo and the church of Agios Nikolaos (St. Nicholas), which was destroyed by a fire in 1972.

Nea Peramos is a village with tourist interest, where, besides the long beaches, one can visit the acropolis and the ruins of the ancient town Isimi, as well as the churches of Taxiarchs and Agios (St.) Athanassios.

Chryssoupoli lies in the centre of the plane of Nestos. Here is the very beautiful forest of Nestos River, rich in flora and fauna, as well as the church of Agios Dimitrios (St. Demetrius) built in 1884.

The archaeological site of Philippi is the most important in East Macedonia. It includes, among others, an archaeological museum, a Paleolithic settlement, an ancient theatre, the acropolis, a part of the ancient agora, a temple of Egyptian deities and the prison where Apostle Paul was kept.

The prefecture of Kavala offers a variety of beaches with clear blue waters, where you can enjoy the sun, the sea and water sports. The most popular are: Periyali, Rapsani, Kalamitsa, Batis, Tosca, Palio, Iraklitsa. Many of them have won the blue flag environmental award.

For the lovers of mountain beauty, Pageo Mountain is ideal for exploration, as well as for winter sports in the Pageo ski centre.

The prefecture of Kavala is a place that has everything! It offers a range of settings for your vacation, starting from the long beaches and the enchanting rivers and ending at the majestic mountains and the big forests. The diversity of the landscape, the harmonious combination of modern with past and its interesting historical monuments give the prefecture a special value and beauty. Visit it to experience unique moments.

How you can get here:

By road:

By bus: There is frequent daily service with KTEL busses to and from Athens and Thessalonica to Kavala.

By car: You can get to Kavala by car via the Athens-Thessalonica National Road.

he distance from Athens is 680 km
The distance from Thessalonica is 165 km
The distance from Patras is 624 km
The distance from Ioannina is 535 km


By Air: Daily flights from the Eleftherios Venizelos Airport of Athens to Megas Alexandros airport of Kavala.

By Ferry: There is frequent daily ferry and hydrofoil service from Kavla to Thassos Island. There are also ferry connections to the North Aegean islands (Lemnos, Lesvos, Agios Efstratios and Chios).