"Beauty by the Sea" a Kavala Travel Page by mikey_e

I didn't think I would go to Kavala when I was planning my trip through northern Greece. I read what the city had to offer, which did seem interesting, but I didn't believe that it merited a stopover, especially if it would require coming into another city like Thessaloniki or Xanthi too late. That, of course, was before I passed through Kavala on my way from Sofia to Xanthi. Looking out of the bus window towards the Kastro and the glorious Imaret, I knew that I would have to come back to what is usually just a ferry port, even for a few hours, to gaze at the remarkable views. That's why, after finishing my trips through Xanthi and Alexandroupoli, I decided to head to Kavala for a few hours of sightseeing before going back to Thessaloniki for a few days. The bus ride through the plain between Xanthi and Kavala was pretty but nothing special - at least nothing to compare with the spectacular sights from the top of the Kastro.

I always have the worst luck with little things, and Kavala was no exception to the trend. I managed, when I was in Kavala bus station, to find the left luggage locker and bundle everything up so that I wouldn't be too bothered on the trek up to th Kastro. Unfortunately, it seems that I also left my sunglasses somewhere in the station or on the bus, and I emerged into the blazing midday sun with no protection for my eyes. My contacts felt like they were frying onto my eyeballs and I ran to the nearest souvenir shop to buy 12 euro sunglasses - almost 10 times the price I paid for my previous pair in Santo Domingo! Nevertheless, decrying my loss of a good pair of sunglasses and 10 euro more than I should have paid for my flimsy new shades, I made my way up the side of the rocky outcropping, clinging to the sides of the road to stay in the shade and avoid the 40+ degrees of the sunny spots. It wasn't easy, but I managed to make it all the way up without collapsing of heat stroke or dehydration.

Ali Pasha's house and the Imaret are, naturally, quite impressive buildings, especially if, like me, you get to see them without many tourists or hawkers around. Nothing, however, compared to the incredible views of the sea to which I was privy by climbing partway down the rock side of the Kastro. The sea was a brilliant shade of blue and the spray of the water as the waves broke against the rocks was more than welcome given the intense heat of the day. In fact, it is the memory of Kavala that I will most cherish, more than the impressive Ottoman acquaduct or the crumbling walls of the ancient Kastro that overlooks the modern city. Its true - sometimes the most creative is Mother Nature herself.