Description

Visit Ancient Philippi and Kavala City, Private Day Tour, Shore Excursion

East meets West in a city in Northern Greece with Ottoman treasures, Byzantine walls and a lively harbor. Known as the Blue City and as the “Mecca of tobacco”, Kavala’s past and present sparkle with the first rays of dawn. You are in a city where for centuries Byzantines, Ottomans, Jews, merchants, tobacco workers, refugees and intellectuals mingled and prospered. Here in Macedonia, the sea-routes encountered the East-West axis, cross-fertilizing both.

Indicative Itinerary / Estimate Timetable

• 09:00 – Pick Up from your location (Hotel/Apartment/Port) (30 min driving)
• 09:30 – Arrival at the Archaeological Site of Philippi (90 min tour)
• 11:00 – Visit the Archaeological Museum of Philippi (30 min tour)
• 11:45 – Visit The Baptistery of Saint Lydia (45 min tour)
• 13:00 – Departure to Kavala city (30 min driving)
• 13:30 – Arrival at Kavala and Lunch break (60 min stop, approx.)
• 14:30 – Kavala City Tour (The Port, The Castle of Kavala and the old city, The Imaret, The Hali Bey Mosque, The house of Mohammed Ali, etc. (2,5 hours tour)
• 17:00 – Drop-off at the Pick Up point (Hotel/Apartment/Port) – (End of the Private Day Trip)

The program of the excursion can be adjusted always according to your requirements.

Included

• Pick up and drop off service from your location
• Transportation by air-conditioned luxury vehicles (Car, Minivan or Minibus)
• Professional English-speaking Driver
• Wi-Fi on board (free)
• Bottle of water and coffee during the route (free)
• After the trip you will receive edited photos and a small video of your tour (optionally).

Not Included

• Gratuities (optional)
• Lunch or Dinner Cost
• English Speaking Licensed Guide (Upon Request)
• Entrance fees
  > Archaeological Site of Philippi ticket 10.00€ per person
  > Archaeological Museum of Philippi ticket 10.00€ per person

Highlights / Worth to see in Kavala

• The Castle of Kavala
• The Aqueduct
• Mohammed Ali’s House
• Monument Apostle Paul – Church St. Nicholas
• Halil Bey Mosque (Old Music)
• Tobacco Museum (Optionally)
• Archaeological Museum of Kavala (Optionally)
• Maritime Museum (Optionally)

EXCURSION TO THE ANCIENT PHILIPPI

The largest and majestic antique complex of Northern Greece, founded by King Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great!

15 km from Kavala is the ancient city of Philippi, one of the most important historical sights of Greece. Here you can see the buildings of the ancient city, the ruins of the Roman city, Christian churches and the central Egnatiev road, the fragments of which can now be repeated the way of the Apostle Paul. This road divides the city into two parts.

In the north there is an agora – forum, in modern words an ancient shopping center with benches, galleries, thermae (Greek baths). Right in the center of the city was erected one of the very first basilicas of Philippi, the greatness of which can be judged by the remains of imposing walls covered with stucco molding. Another early Christian church, the Octagon, dedicated to the apostle Paul and dated to the 5th century, lies just to the south.

Nearby you can see the ruins, at the beginning of our era served as the walls of the prison of the apostle Paul. Partially preserved Roman theater, later rebuilt in the arena. The architecture of the acropolis (upper part of the city) is a mixture of Byzantine style, elements of Roman paganism and Christian cemetery basilicas. Here you can see “Bucefal’s bowl”, the legendary horse of Alexander the Great.

Excavations began in Philippi in 1914 of the French school of archeology, and after the Second World War, the Archaeological Service of Greece, in cooperation with the Athenian archaeological community, conducted systematic excavations here. Today, the Archaeological Service of Greece, in cooperation with the University of Aristotle in Thessaloniki and the French School of Archeology, continues archaeological research. Findings of the excavations are presented in the exposition of the Archaeological Museum in Philippi.

Right next to the Ancient City of Philippi there is a unique and monumental Baptistery of St. Lydia. This modern architectural monument is located exactly at the place where the Apostle Paul baptized the first Christian in Europe – Lydia, and it was performed here the first baptism in Europe. And next to the temple on the bank of the river there is an open baptistery in the shape of a cross like those that were preserved in the early Christian basilicas in Philippi.

Unlike many ancient monuments of Greece from which are preserved only the names and legends, in ancient Philippi there is something to see and the guide will take you to the distant past following you in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. So if you are on holidays in Kavala – you must visit ancient Philippi.

More Day Trips