Panagia is the old city of Kavala, occupying the rocky promontory that juts into the bay east of the modern harbour. It is the best reason to come to Kavala. The medieval walls enclose a tight quarter of Ottoman-era houses with overhanging upper floors, cobbled lanes, sea views, and the main monuments: the Byzantine castle at the tip of the promontory, the Imaret complex, the house of Mehmet Ali, and the Kamares aqueduct at the gateway into the neighbourhood.
Walking up into Panagia from the lower town takes about fifteen minutes. The lanes are quiet except around the castle entrance and a handful of tavernas and cafes scattered through the quarter. The views from the walls — across the harbour, over the lower town, and out to Thassos on a clear day — are excellent. The mosque below the castle has been converted into a concert venue; the neighbourhood retains a quiet, slightly melancholy quality that rewards slow exploration.