When people ask what’s my favorite place we visited in Greece, I don’t hesitate to say Philippi. No, it’s not a modern day city; no, it’s not home to the most famous ruins; and no, it’s not the first place people think of when they start planning their trip to Greece. For me, though, it was the place I was most looking forward to, and it did not disappoint. 

Ancient Philippi is significant for a variety of reasons, but if you’re a Christian, you likely know it from the book of Philippians in the Bible. This was the first place Paul visited on his missionary journey to Greece, the first Christian convert in Europe was baptized here, and it was to the church here to whom he wrote the letter (what we know as the “book”) to the Philippians. If you’re interested in a visit, here is everything you need to know! 

Ancient Philippi: Location and Brief History

Philippi is in the far north of Greece, in what was once the Kingdom of Macedonia (not the same as the country of Macedonia today). It is named for Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. At the time of Philip II, Macedonians were considered “backward” or “behind” by the Greeks, but he built a powerful army that actually became the first-ever to conquer Greece. And then his son, Alexander the Great, went on to basically conquer the world. 

Centuries later, Philippi experienced a massive earthquake, and the passage of time and migration of people to other cities left it in ruins. It is now an active archaeological site, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is quite a bit to see here, but more is yet to be uncovered. 

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Getting There

The nearest international airport is in Thessaloniki, so it’s easy to start or end your trip to Greece here and make Philippi a day trip. No matter where you’re coming from, you’ll have to hire a driver or drive yourself to get there. Here is the breakdown:

• From Kavala: If you happen to be staying in Kavala or cruising into their port, you can take a taxi or hire a private driver to take you to Philippi, which is about 20 minutes away by car. There is also a small airport about 30 minutes outside of Kavala. 
• From Thessaloniki: Most visitors to Philippi base themselves in Thessaloniki and take a day trip to Philippi, which is what worked for us. There are several things to do and see in Thessaloniki, as well as day trips to other popular places like Meteora, Mount Olympus, and Veria (sometimes written Berea), another city Paul visited. The drive is about an hour and a half each way. We hired a guide and driver to pick us up and drop us off at our hotel, which was a great way to not only get there, but also know what we were seeing when we arrived!
• From Athens: This is not a day trip option; I’m only including it so you can see the comparison. The drive is nearly 7 hours one-way, with tolls, from Athens to Philippi. Without tolls, the drive is over 9.5 hours one-way. Your best option if you want to base yourself in Athens is to fly to Kavala (1 hour and 10 minute flight), hire a cab (45 minute drive from Kavala Airport to Philippi), and then do the reverse for your return. This will make for a long day, but it is possible. 

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Ancient Philippi

The first thing you’ll see upon entering the Archaeological Site of Philippi is the ancient arena or theatre. It could hold thousands of spectators, even though it was only a half-round, not a full as was the norm for the time. The floor of the arena is actually hollow, as that was the place where the animals were kept before coming up to fight the gladiators. But it was also used for plays and the like as well. In summer, the theatre is still used for performances under the stars. If you can organize it, you may want to try to attend an event here!

On past the arena, you’ll find ruins of churches and temples. What was more interesting to me, however, was a small cave just downhill from there. This is the place where Paul and Silas were held prisoner in Acts 16. There was a great earthquake that broke open the prison doors, such that the prisoners could easily escape. The guard went from being ready to commit suicide to converting himself and his whole family to Christianity after talking to Paul. Read Acts 16:16-40 for the whole story, and then wrap your head around the fact that it really happened, and it really happened here!

In its prime, Ancient Philippi was a bustling city with a large Agora (marketplace). Lydia’s shop was here, where she sold expensive purple cloth, and Paul would have been chatting people up about Jesus here as well. You’ll see beautiful mosaics, ruins of temples and churches, even an ancient hotel, complete with bathhouse and heated floors! 

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Lydia’s Baptismal Site

I mentioned Lydia and her shop earlier, but you definitely won’t want to miss her baptismal site, just about five minutes down the road from the archaeological site. Why would some ancient woman’s baptism matter? She was the first Christian convert in all of Europe. And it is a big deal that she was a working woman in biblical times. It shows her influence at a time when women usually didn’t have much. She was an unusual woman who started to change the religious course of Greece, Europe, and the world. 

There is a creek here, where the Jews of Philippi used to come on the Sabbath (Saturday). It was the perfect spot to start talking to people about Jesus, and Lydia was the first to take the literal plunge. You will also see a beautiful, small chapel here, used largely for Greek Orthodox baby baptisms. The artwork inside is absolutely stunning, so you will want to pop in and see it for yourself. 

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Kavala

Many day trips follow a schedule roughly like ours: Hotel pickup, Philippi, Lydia’s Baptismal Site, and end with lunch and a bit of sightseeing in nearby Kavala. This is the port city where Paul entered Greece after leaving Troy (in present-day Turkey), so there is some biblical significance here as well. But don’t stop there! It’s a charming little town with interesting architecture and several restaurants to choose from. We ate at a true, Greek taverna, and our tour guide was gracious enough to come with us to give explanations and recommendations. It was one of the best meals we ate in Greece!

More here: What to Know Before You Visit Greece

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