On Sacred Footsteps
The route covers a total of 129 kilometers and takes about 3 hours by car or motorcycle, without stops. Visitors may travel it in parts or split it across different days. It is accessible all year round and ideal for those interested in gastronomy, culture, nature, the environment, and outdoor activities.
This nearly three-hour journey begins in Keramoti and ends in the historic city of Kavala, offering a travel experience filled with contrasts, images, and impressions. Passing through fertile plains, riverside forests, and historic sites, the region reveals its most beautiful face — full of stories about the land, the sea, culture, other worlds, local products, and seasonal flavors.
The route includes Kotza Orman, the largest riverside forest in Greece and the last “jungle” of Europe — a green ark steeped in legends and a unique ecotrail easily accessible from Keramoti. It also highlights Krinides, with its therapeutic mud baths, and the Archaeological Site of Philippi, a UNESCO World Heritage Monument. The prehistoric Orthopetra demonstrates the depth of local civilization, while in Old Kavala, waterfalls and an ecological trail transport the visitor to a world where nature soothes the soul.
Local gastronomy is a magical combination of land and sea. Grilled or “married” sardines with olive oil, lemon, and parsley, bottarga, octopus, and mussels cooked in pilaf recall flavors of the East. Lamb with spinach brings simplicity and delight to the table. Kavala wines and tsipouro accompany each dish perfectly, while the sweet finale comes with the famous kourabiedes of Nea Karvali, filled with almonds, fresh butter, and dusted generously with powdered sugar.
In Kavala, traditions speak through the Sagians, the legacy of tobacco cultivation, its rich gastronomic heritage, tavernas, and small local shops, where land and sea reveal their eternal bond with people. Accommodation is plentiful, with a wide range of guesthouses, hotels, and rooms throughout the area.
Route Products
PDO Products: Feta cheese of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Kasseri cheese of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
PGI Products: Wines of Mount Pangaio, Kavala wines
Specialties: Kiwis, asparagus, almonds, sesame and tahini, potatoes, olives and olive oil, pulses, blue crab, bottarga, sardines and mussels of Keramoti, fish and seafood, wine, tsipouro, ouzo, tobacco
Route Delicacies
Keramoti bottarga with olive oil–lemon sauce and fish fillet: A dish of high gastronomy that showcases the quality of local products. Fresh or cured fish fillet is served with orange, parsley, and a spicy olive-oil–lemon dressing, wrapped in cabbage or lettuce leaves. On the side, slices of Keramoti bottarga combine with fresh lemon and dill, creating a refined harmony of flavors. The citrus zest, the slightly spicy sauce, and the sea essence make this dish a rare delicacy, ideal with tsipouro or local white wine.
Sardine pilaf: A dish that blends the region’s culinary tradition with its rich fishing activity. Rice is cooked with aromatic herbs, saffron, raisins, and pine nuts, then bound with egg and white local cheese for a creamy texture. The mixture is transformed into a pie layered with grilled sardine fillets, forming a golden crust. A dish that pairs beautifully with wine, tsipouro, or ouzo.
Kourabiedes of Nea Karvali: Perhaps the most famous almond butter cookies in Greece, known for their fluffy texture, aromatic butter, and whole roasted almonds. Made with sheep’s butter, powdered sugar, flour, and almonds, they are shaped into crescents, baked until lightly golden, and then generously coated in powdered sugar. Perfect as gifts, festive treats, or simply as a sweet indulgence all year round.