Philippi & Kavala: In the Footsteps of St Paul

Philippi sits about two hours east of Thessaloniki, on the plain below Mount Lekani, with Mount Pangaion away to the south-west, and most visitors to northern Greece have never heard of it. Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, took the small Thasian colony of Krinides in 356 BC and renamed it after himself. UNESCO listed it in 2016 on two counts: it is one of the clearest Roman townscapes surviving in Greece, and it is where Christianity first took root in Europe.

The Apostle Paul landed at nearby Neapolis, today's Kavala, around AD 50 and baptised a merchant named Lydia in the Zygaktis river - the first Christian convert on the continent. We stop at both.

The day ends in Kavala itself: an Ottoman aqueduct, a hillside of tiled lanes, a fortress rebuilt by the Ottomans on Byzantine foundations and a working fishing harbour. Out at 08:00, back around 18:00.

Your day, step by step

1. 07:45
   White Tower: first pick-up

   Your escort is on Nikis Avenue opposite the White Tower, holding an Exit Bus sign. Please arrive five minutes early. Philippi is about 150 km east of Thessaloniki and we leave on time.

2. 08:00
   Aristotelous Square: departure

   The main pick-up, on the corner of Aristotelous and Egnatia by the Venizelos statue. Names are checked, water is handed out and we set off.

3. 08:15
   Last pick-up, then the Egnatia motorway

   We collect the last passengers at the intercity bus station and join the Egnatia Odos, the motorway that follows the old Roman Via Egnatia east towards Turkey. Your escort runs through the timings and explains exactly which tickets you buy yourself and where.

4. 09:30
   The Lion of Amphipolis

   A 20-minute stop by the Strymon river, where a reassembled 4th-century BC funerary lion stands beside the old national road, two minutes off the motorway exit. It is free, it is essentially on our route and there is time for coffee. Most operators drop this stop to save half an hour; we keep it.

5. 10:30
   Philippi: the archaeological site

   Philip II of Macedon took the Thasian colony of Krinides in 356 BC, fortified it and gave it his own name; UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 2016. An hour and a half for the theatre, the Roman forum, the cistern known as St Paul's Prison, the Octagon and three early basilicas. The ground is uneven and there is almost no shade, so bring a hat and water.

6. 12:00
   The Archaeological Museum of Philippi

   Half an hour in the museum at the edge of the site. It is ticketed separately, another EUR 10 on top of the site fee, which is why many tours quietly skip it. We leave the time in; if it is not for you, the entrance cafe is right there.

7. 12:40
   The baptistery of St Lydia

   Four kilometres down the road, on the bank of the Zygaktis. This is where the Apostle Paul baptised Lydia of Philippi around AD 50, making her the first recorded Christian convert in Europe. The octagonal church you see today was built in 1974 and entry is free. Orthodox dress code applies inside: shoulders and knees covered.

8. 13:40
   Kavala: the harbour of ancient Neapolis

   Fifteen kilometres on and we reach the coast. This harbour was the port of Philippi and the place where Paul first set foot on European soil. An hour free for lunch at the fish tavernas and mezze places along the waterfront.

9. 14:45
   Kamares, the Panagia quarter and the Imaret

   We walk with your escort beneath the 270-metre aqueduct that Ibrahim Pasha, grand vizier to Suleiman the Magnificent, rebuilt on late-Roman foundations around 1530, then climb into the lanes of the Panagia quarter. We pass the Imaret, the Islamic school founded by Mehmet Ali, born here in Kavala and later ruler of Egypt; it is a luxury hotel today. Going inside needs a separate booked tour at fixed times - see the notes.

10. 15:30
    Kavala Castle

    The fortress crowning the peninsula, looking out over the harbour, the island of Thasos and the mountains of Drama. Entry is EUR 5 in summer, bought at the gate. It is the best view of the day, but the climb involves cobbles and steps.

11. 16:00
    Back to Thessaloniki

    We leave Kavala and rejoin the motorway heading west. Two hours, with a short comfort stop if the group wants one. You are dropped at the same points, at around 18:00.

Pick-up points

• White Tower, Nikis Avenue07:45On the pavement opposite the tower, at the bus stop. The seafront landmark you cannot miss.
• Aristotelous Square & Egnatia08:00Main departure point, at the Venizelos statue. Most travellers board here.
• City-centre hotels (Tsimiski - Egnatia - Nikis)08:05By arrangement, as long as the coach can stop safely on your street.
• Macedonia KTEL bus station, Giannitson 24408:15Final pick-up, handy if you are staying in the western part of the city.
• Thessaloniki Airport (SKG)on requestPrivate trips only. It sits southeast of the city and takes a scheduled departure off route.

Drop-off is at the same point where we picked you up.

Group & private pricing

Know before you go

• We never depart on a Tuesday. The Ministry of Culture site odysseus.culture.gr lists the Philippi site and museum as closed all day Tuesday, while other sources give reduced hours. Our schedule is at Philippi from 10:30, so reduced hours would not spoil the day - but we will not gamble on a full closure, and the Imaret tour does not run on Tuesdays or Wednesdays either. The trip also does not run on 1 January, 25 March, Orthodox Easter Sunday, 1 May and 25-26 December, when the sites are closed.
• Entrance fees are NOT included, as with every tour in this category. Budget EUR 20 for Philippi (EUR 10 for the site plus a separate EUR 10 for the museum) and EUR 5 for Kavala Castle: roughly EUR 25 per adult on top of the seat price. Be aware that many websites, including some official ones, still list EUR 6 for Philippi. That price is out of date.
• Children and young adults essentially pay nothing to get in. EU citizens under 25 enter Philippi free with an ID card or passport, as do EU students and visitors with disabilities. EU citizens over 65 pay a reduced rate, but only between 1 October and 31 May. Admission is free for everyone on 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October and the first Sunday of each month from November to March.
• St Lydia's baptistery is listed as open Monday to Friday, 08:30-17:00, and closed at weekends. On Saturday and Sunday departures we visit the grounds and the spot on the river, but we may not get inside the church. If Lydia is your reason for coming, choose a weekday. Orthodox dress code applies inside the church: shoulders and knees covered, no shorts.
• The guided tour inside the Imaret runs only at 11:00 and 12:00, every day except Tuesday and Wednesday, and costs EUR 12. Our schedule reaches Kavala in the afternoon, so on scheduled departures we see the Imaret from the outside only. On a private trip we can reverse the order of the day and fit it in.
• Expect a lot of walking on difficult ground. Philippi has dirt paths, ancient stone and almost no shade, while the Panagia quarter and the castle in Kavala mean cobbles, steps and a steady climb. Closed shoes, a hat and water in summer. The site is not suitable for visitors with serious mobility problems - tell us in advance and we will adapt the stops.
• Winter schedule, 1 November to 31 March: Philippi opens 08:30-15:30 and Kavala Castle closes at 16:00. We keep the same order, Philippi first and Kavala second, because the reverse simply does not work in winter, but castle time is shorter and we return earlier, around 17:30. The optional swim stop runs only from April to October and only on private departures.