September is definitely the perfect time for a late beach holiday in Kavala, Greece. The coastal town is only 300 km away from Sofia, Bulgaria, making it a great choice for a longer weekend beach break. The crystal clear water of the Aegean Sea is still warm. The flow of tourists has decreased. And the temperature is still suitable for the beach. I won’t even mention Greek cuisine and hospitality – they are present all year round.
We had the opportunity to visit Kavala and the surrounding area in the last week of August for a late beach holiday. Although the end of the season is near, the weather was perfect for the beach. Therefore, I am rushing to share our impressions and recommendations if you are thinking of visiting this coastal town in Northern Greece.
Since there is a lot of information, I decided to divide my Kavala guide into three parts – hotels and what to look out for, beaches and restaurants, sightseeing.
HOTELS IN KAVALA
I will start with the most basic component of any holiday – accommodation. Kavala is a relatively large tourist town, so you will find many options for hotels or apartments for rent. Prices vary, with many places offering end-of-season discounts in September.
We managed to stay in two hotels – Oceanis and Airotel Galaxy. One night in both hotels was about 65 Euro per room with breakfast included. But if we had to compare the conditions we got for this price, we would definitely prefer the Oceanis Hotel.
Oceanis Hotel
The Oceanis Hotel is a relatively old hotel, but well maintained (maybe except for the bathroom in our room, which was a bit shabby). Its location is great. It is very close to both the central beach and the main pedestrian street of the city. A huge advantage of the hotel was the free underground parking (subject to hotel occupancy) as parking in Kavala can be difficult. More on that later in the post.
The room itself was wide and clean with a nice terrace. The air conditioning worked well, which is a big plus in the intense heat of the Greek summer. The daily cleaning of the room and change of towels was a nice surprise considering the fact that we were only staying for two nights. Breakfast was rich and delicious – cold meats and cheeses, several types of bread, eggs, oatmeal, chia, goji berries, fresh fruit, pastries and baked goods.
Airotel Galaxy Hotel
Airotel Galaxy Hotel’s excellent location on the main pedestrian street, close to all taverns and shops, is definitely its biggest advantage. The hotel is categorized with four stars, but honestly, the conditions in it were more like for a three-stars-hotel. The reception and lobby were luxurious, but the rest of the common areas (corridors, elevators, restaurant) were definitely run down. The lack of parking was also a big drawback, although there were several large public parking lots nearby.
The room we were accommodated in was modernly furnished and clean, but in places it looked like it needed updating. For example, the toilet brush and the small mirror on the sink were completely missing. When we checked in, the room was missing any towels and we had to request them from the front desk. As in Hotel Oceanis, the daily cleaning and change of towels was a pleasant surprise here as well.
Breakfast was a standard buffet. But the view from the top floor restaurant definitely made up for the limited variety of choices.
Holidays in Northern Greece – Facebook page (only in Bulgarian)
We almost always use Booking to book our accommodation when we travel. While considering where to stay this time, we also considered the possibility of renting an apartment or studio outside of Kavala. The Holidays in Northern Greece Facebook page definitely offered interesting options – we even came close to booking an apartment in Palio.
The owner of the page is a Bulgarian, so all correspondence is in Bulgarian directly through Facebook. On the page (and on the agency’s official website) you can find apartments, studios and villas for rent in Palio, Nea Iraklitsa, Nea Peramos, Ofrinio, Keramoti. I think this option would be great for larger companies and families with young children as many of the properties also have fully equipped kitchens.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR IN KAVALA?
Kavala is a relatively big city, so there are definitely a few things to watch out for. Like any big city, traffic is often very busy. A large part of the residents prefer mopeds and motorbikes, so be extra vigilant for those. Many of the streets are one-way, which requires paying close attention to signs or using a GPS. U-turns are absolutely prohibited.
As for parking, very few of the hotels offer free parking, so it is almost certain that you will need the services of one of the public parking lots. Read the signs carefully and require about the price in case anything is unclear. Unfortunately, many of the guards will use the opportunity to upsell you a parking space only because you are a foreigner. We mainly used the parking lot next to the archeological museum (exact location below), as its price was the most acceptable for us – 6 euros for 24 hours.
Increased attention is needed not only when driving, but also when you are a pedestrian. Unfortunately, Greeks rarely stop on a crosswalk – a foreigner is more likely to stop to let you pass. So it’s best to wait for the traffic to clear before crossing.
Have you ever visited Kavala and what did you like the most? For more information on beaches, restaurants and sightseeing, read the other posts in the Kavala series.
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