matala beach- one of the beaches of the southern coast of Crete. It really does not belong to the “wild”, because the infrastructure both on the beach itself and along the coast is quite developed. But due to the lack of large hotels, there are still few people here and it is comfortable to relax.

The main feature and highlight of the resort of Matala are the local caves, formed in the rocks millions of years ago and outwardly very reminiscent of huge honeycombs.

But they are not famous for their centuries-old history, but for the fact that in the not so distant past (60-70 years) these caves were chosen by Hippies. During the day, "flower children" rested on the beach, swam, sunbathed, smoked, loved ... in general, they were engaged in all the most beloved and carefree things. And in the evening they moved to spend the night in cool, and most importantly completely free, dwellings.

I don’t know if there was any furniture in the caves in those days, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hippies felt great on the bare floor.

Now no one lives in the caves except for insects, and they themselves are considered an archaeologically important object.

Because of this title, the rocks were fenced a few years ago, a ticket booth was installed, and now those who wish can climb the caves during strictly allotted working hours from 8:00 to 17:00 for € 2 per person. Business and nothing personal, no more Flower power for you!

Although the memories of Hippies still come across at every step: in the form of graffiti, stylized cafes and shops.

Even on the main square, where local pensioners gather in the evenings and sing Greek songs with a guitar, a reminder of the past riotous times does not bother anyone.

If earlier the local population was not very disposed to the reckless Hippies, considering them unwashed and dissolute drug addicts. Now, thanks to the remaining paraphernalia, the traditional Greek village has its own unique appearance, attracting guests from all over the island. And once a year, at the end of June, newly-made Hippies and just lovers of breaking away from all over the world come to Matala for a music festival. And for three whole days a real bacchanalia is going on on the beach.

For the first time, I learned about this resort not so long ago from the popular travel show Eagle and Tails. I really liked Matala back then. But having already checked on myself several places advertised in this program and remained very disappointed with them, I was skeptical about visiting Matala beach. Having decided that if there is an opportunity, then we will stop by, and if not on the way, then we will not rush. Naturally, when you do not expect anything special, the reality pleasantly surprises. I liked Matala so much that one time just passing by was not enough. Stay here for a couple of days. A wonderful place and why so few people know about it.

Get — simply, no mountain serpentines and tedious hiking. Parking is huge, free a little further and for €5 per day right next to the beach.

With food- no problem, supermarkets, cafes, ice cream, fruit. You can lie down all day and eat something.

Beach- chic, large, spacious, not crowded, the water is clean. There is an area with paid sunbeds and deck chairs, but for the tight-fisted people there is enough space in the shade of trees for everyone.

Town- cute, small, but very cute. Wandering the streets, gawking at souvenirs, sitting in a shady cafe is a pleasant experience.

To be honest, initially, when the trip to Crete had just begun to be planned, I didn’t know anything about Matala. And the excellent program "Eagle and Reshka" helped us to learn about it: they just had a release about Crete and one of the places to visit was just a village in the south of Crete.

The village of Matala and the beach of the same name are located 83 km southwest of Heraklion.
The magnificent beach, the cleanest sea, small cozy hotels, the original landscape have made Matala one of the most popular places in Crete lately.

Matala is located in a fairly good place, between two low mountains, due to which the local climate is considered one of the most.
And its orientation to the west allows you to admire sunsets of unique beauty, which cannot be said about the northern coast.

As far as I know from guidebooks, the local beach is awarded the Blue Flag of Europe every year for exceptional cleanliness and suitability. It is well equipped. There are sunbeds and umbrellas, a shower, a rescue point, a cafe to satisfy your hunger or thirst.
Perhaps the only negative is that the beach is pebbly, and the entrance to the sea is rocky and steep.

But most of all Matala is famous for its caves. Artificial caves carved into the northern slopes of the coast were probably used as prehistoric dwellings and places of worship, while during the 1st-2nd century they were used as tombs, the discovered tombs date back to the Greek, Roman and early Christian eras.

Currently, the caves are fenced, but open to tourists. Entrance - something around 4 euros per person.

And yet, in the 1960s, groups of hippies from many countries of the world settled in these caves, including young Americans who refused to participate in the Vietnam War. At one time, Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell lived in the caves. After the accident, the hippies were expelled from the caves, but the opinion that Matala is the center of the hippies remained)

Although, to be honest, we did not notice much hippie influence here. There are a couple of stylized taverns, you can meet a couple of decorated Volkswagens - no more.

To the south of Matala beach is the well-known Red Beach, which is popular with nudists. And the name of the beach comes from the color of the sand, which has a reddish tint. You can get to this beach only on foot along a rather dangerous path, but don't think - we didn't go)))

In general, the place is beautiful, the beach is not bad, but the attention that Matala received, for me, it does not deserve.
And the road to it didn’t really impress me either: basically it passed among more or less low mountains and agricultural fields / greenhouses. Perhaps that is why on that day our way back lay through winding serpentines near the village of Mohos...

So, if you have free time and you have already examined all the other places you are interested in, you can go to Matala. Well, in the opposite case - you can safely leave this place without inspection.

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Matala - this particular village on the coast of the Libyan Sea, 75 kilometers from Heraklion, is considered in mythology to be the place where Zeus, turning into a bull, brought the Phoenician princess Europe, and from here, in the form of an eagle, he transferred her to Gortyn.

During the Minoan civilization, one of the ports of Phaistos was located in the bay of Matala, which later passed into the possession of Gortyn. The Arab conquerors landed here in 824.

Modern is sand beach, awarded the Blue Flag and caves, attracting hundreds of tourists.

Hippie caves

In the Neolithic period, numerous caves were carved into the porous rock of the coastal rocks.

Ancient people used them to live. The walls of some caves still keep traces of carved ornaments.

During the period of Roman rule and early Christianity, in the I-II centuries, caves were used for burials. This is evidenced by the finds of archaeologists.

One of the caves is called Brutospeliana. According to legend, the Roman general Brutus loved to visit her. In the rock is a small church Holy Mother of God , which served as a place of shelter for the first Christians from persecution.

At the end of the 60s of the XX century the caves of Matala were chosen by the hippies who came here from all over the world. Among them were many young Americans who did not want to participate in the Vietnam War.

This place became a cult after the Rolling Stones musicians, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin visited here. Popular Canadian singer Joni Mitchell wrote the song Carey in 1971, dedicated to the memories of Matale.

In these places, the Greek film dedicated to the hippies "My Aunt the Hippie" was filmed.

Local residents were not too happy with such a neighborhood. In addition, the collapse of one of the caves and the death of a man led to the fact that the hippies were expelled from these places, and the rocks were surrounded by bars.

Today the Matala caves are under the supervision of the Archaeological Service. Happy them you can visit for 3 euros. Entrance is open until 17.00.

The beaches of Matala

The local climate is one of the most favorable on the island.

The bay in which Matala is located is surrounded by low mountains on both sides. They protect it from the northern winds, here the winters are mild and the summers not too hot.

The bay faces west, which allows you to enjoy magnificent sunsets.

The beach of Matala, thanks to the crystal clear turquoise water and the white rocks reflected in it, dotted with numerous caves, is considered one of the most beautiful in Crete (about the island).

In the evenings, the rocks are illuminated, which gives the landscape an additional, unique flavor.

The beach itself sand and pebble, its length is about 300 meters. Equipped with a shower, changing cabins, a set of umbrella and sun lounger costs 4 euros.

Eat a large number of cafe, car parking.

The entrance to the water is a stone slab of natural origin, so you should be careful during the excitement. The beach is awarded the Blue Flag every year.

On the beach of Matala since 2010 the annual festival is held in June, which gathers thousands of lovers of music, sea and sun from all over the world. The format of the festival includes world music hits from the 60s of the last century to the present day.

Red Beach or Kokini Amos (Amoudia)

Red Beach or Kokini Amos or whatever it is called locals, Amoudia is located 800 meters south of Matala.

The name comes from the color of the sand. having a reddish tint.

From the village to this beach can only be reached on foot along a narrow mountain path. The journey takes 40 minutes, it is advisable to have strong shoes on your feet.

The descent into the water is comfortable - gentle and sandy. There is no developed infrastructure here, but umbrellas and sun loungers can be rented for 4 euros. There is a small kiosk with drinks.

Due to its seclusion the beach is popular with nudists.

Kommos

Kommos beach is located 3 kilometers north of Matala.

Divided into two parts: equipped with everything necessary for comfortable rest and wild, chosen by nudists.

Close to the beach as a result archaeological sites were about ruins of the ancient port of the Minoan city of Phaistos discovered: the remains of a harbor, a shipyard, warehouses, public buildings and a temple.

The excavation area is surrounded by a fence, there is no passage inside.

Kalamaki

Kalamaki Beach stretches from Kommos to Kokkinos Pyrgos.

Coarse light sand, gentle entry into the water.

Part of the beach opposite the village of Kalamaki is equipped, there are umbrellas, sun loungers, a rescue point, a playground, a water bike rental center and a cafe.

In the sand of Kalamaki beach Caretta Caretta turtles lay eggs. In order not to frighten them and not damage the nests, it is forbidden to be on the unlit parts of the beach at night in the summer.

Between Matala Beach and Kokini Amos lies an imposing Theosyni rock formation.

From here you have a great view of the entire Gulf of Messara.

The rock protruding from the water split over time, forming a natural cave, the name of which sounds like Kurupi (Kouroupi).

It was chosen by wild pigeons and Mediterranean monk seals. The rock can be reached along the shore, and the cave can be viewed from the water by renting a boat.

How to get there

From bus station B in Heraklion (read all about the administrative center of Crete) a KTEL bus runs to Matala every day, on weekdays at 9.00 and 12.30, on Saturdays at 7.30, 11.30 and 12.45.

The return bus from Matala leaves at 15.00, on Sundays at 17.15.

The cost of travel 7.80 euro. Can be reached by taxi for about 75 euros.

Matala- a small village on the south coast Crete. The bay at which the village arose is bounded on both sides by rocks. Its left (southern) edge is more gentle, and on the right side a rocky wall of yellow sandstone rises and stretches into the sea. Between the rocks lies a three-hundred-meter strip of beach. The beach faces west.

The beach in Matale bears the pretentious name " Zeus beach". According to legend, Zeus, turning into a bull, kidnapped the Phoenician princess Europa and delivered her to Crete, exactly to this place, where he again turned into a young man and took possession of a poor girl. And she gave birth to three sons, one of whom, Minos, gave the name of an entire civilization - the Minoan.

From the historical past: in ancient times, at different times, a port was located in the bay: the city of Fest (to which it is 10 km away) and the city of Gortyna (to Gortyna - 30 km).

Now nothing reminds of the glorious historical past.

However, this small village is extremely popular with tourists. Many find it charming and distinguish it from many other wonderful places in Crete.

The main attraction of Matala- a rocky wall that limits the bay from the north.

The fact is that in this rock, cavities were easily hollowed out of soft sandstone, and over time, all of it was covered with makeshift caves.

During the Roman and early Christian periods, the caves were used for burials. There was also a cave church.

The Cretan village of Matala found a new life in the 60s of the last century: American hippies “discovered” it for themselves and, like shore swallows, settled in caves above the water. For a while, it was even called the "Mecca of the hippies." Among the inhabitants and visitors of Matala were famous rock musicians: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens. The Rollings are also called, but I did not find confirmation of this.

Now the hippies have long been evicted. This "restless family" caused wariness even among the complacent Greeks, and when one of the caves collapsed and someone died, the Greeks took advantage of this opportunity and closed the passage to the caves for alleged restoration. However, the spirit of the former freemen of the “children of flowers” ​​is still in the air, and to this day in Matale one can meet aged hippies, whose youth, apparently, was associated with this glorious place.

Every year in mid-June, the hippie music festival Matala Beach festival is held here.

Photo from the Internet

The scenes are set right on the beach. Free admission. Many people come with their own tents.

Where is Matala

Matala is located on the coast of the Libyan Sea, 70 km from Heraklion.

Road from Rethymnon

We traveled to Matala in a sightseeing minibus from. We took an excursion at the local travel agency Spiridon Tours. In addition to Matala, this one-day tour also included a visit to Agia Galini and Spili.

road from north coast to the south took an hour and a half. It was picturesque, ran through mountains, gorges, past villages, olive groves and vineyards.

We passed by ancient Phaistos, which, along with Knossos, was one of the most important cities of the Minoan civilization.

I asked the guide why we don't stop near Phaistos, it's very interesting. She replied that earlier excursions to Matala included visiting both Festus and Gortyn, but tourists enjoyed spending time on the beach and in the caves of Matala, and in Fest and Gortyn, many did not even get off the bus. It used to be that out of 50 people on the bus, 7-8 people went on an excursion to Fest. Therefore, Festus and Gortyn were removed from the excursions. Sadly. So on the slope with the ruins ancient city we only looked out the bus window.

What is the village of Matala

Matala begins with a withered olive tree, on the trunk of which the local sculptor Spyros Stefanakis has carved masks.

Behind the tree, a little to the right is a parking lot, and behind it begins the beach.

If you continue to walk along the road from the tree, then you will come to the center of the village.

There is a small church

The center of Matala is exclusively touristic. Taverns alternate with souvenir shops, the shops fold into a market space.

Predominant goods: ceramics, scarves and loose gauze-type shirts. Such clothes are probably in great demand in the summer heat.

On central square the asphalt is covered with drawings.

rocks

First of all, we went to the rock with caves.

The area with the caves is fenced and open for visits from 10 am to 6 pm. The entrance there is paid, the price is nominal, 2 euros.

We paid the entrance fee and climbed the rocks.

The caves are arranged in tiers, or floors. This tiering was determined by the layered structure of the rock. After passing the first level, it is easy to climb up to the second and so on.

A small narrow shelf runs along each level, along which you can walk along the caves of this tier.

The rooms inside the caves can be two- or three-room.

Sometimes a window is cut through between the caves (this is convenient - you can transfer something from one cave to another or have conversations with neighbors).

In some places, the remains of drawings have been preserved on the walls.

From the rocks there is a beautiful view of the bay. I can imagine how wonderful it was to wake up in the morning and see this piece of paradise before my eyes. A great alternative to serving in Vietnam, from which the American guys were hiding here.

And here is the head of the cave god. God is closely watching what is happening in the bay

We climbed high enough, five tiers up. With height, the number of "apartments" decreased. You can’t climb to such a height, and in the dark you can screw up, making your way to your apartments.

Satisfying our curiosity, we went down and went to the beach.

Zeus beach

The beach of Matala is small, about 300 m long, but quite wide, sand and pebble. The entry is gentle, but the depth starts quickly.

From a height (from the upper caves) it can be seen that stone slabs come across in the water (closer to the rocks).

The beach is free. Installed stationary umbrellas with palm roofs. You can rent a sunbed with an umbrella. They say that by 10 o'clock in the summer they are already taken apart.

In the depths of the beach, closer to the rock wall, trees grow, so you can sit in the shade of the trees.

There is a toilet, a shower and a changing cabin (I saw only one cabin).

The water in early October was comfortable. I think it's 23-24 degrees. The day before we had swum on the north coast, in Souda Bay. There was a strong wind and cool water. It is usually believed that in Crete the water on the south coast is 1-2 degrees colder than on the north, but in our case this was not confirmed. The beach was sunny and windless, and the Libyan Sea is noticeably warmer than the Cretan Sea.

I took a mask with me and went to study the underwater relief.

After the Red Sea, I did not even consider the Mediterranean for snorkeling. But it turned out that snorkeling is fun here too. It is especially interesting to swim along the rocks, past the underwater caves, swim into the crevices, when the walls practically converge, and the boundless depth goes down. There are small fishes.

People jumped from rocks into the sea. By the way, you can climb into some caves from the sea and not pay an entrance fee, but these caves are from the very edge, they do not have such a view of the bay as from above.

South side of the beach and trail to Red Beach

The south side of the beach is flatter and lower. Cafes with panoramic terraces on the sea and the opposite rock with caves stretch along the rocky "claw". In the evenings, you can watch sunsets from the terraces of the cafe.

Under the cafe, all more or less horizontal ledges of rocks are used. There are terraces literally for a couple of tables.

Behind a row of cafes, the steepness of the slope increases. The houses end, the path goes up. The trail through the mountains leads to Red beach, the nudist Red Beach. Go there for 40 minutes.

Where is the best place to stay in Matale?

While the center of the village is occupied mainly by shops and cafes, most of the hotels are located on both sides of a quiet street that departs from the main road and stretches south. There are several hotels on the main road, at the very beginning of the village.

Matala hotels are small, 2-3 storey buildings, which, as a rule, are located in the back of the courtyard and are surrounded by trees. They look cozy and cute.

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Matala is an oasis and the last refuge of flower children in Crete, and besides, a place with rich history And good beach. With all this, the size of Matala is by no means amazing: it is a very small village, albeit with its own character and charm.

At the entrance to Matala, you are met by an old large olive tree, turned into an intricate wooden sculpture, skillfully carved and polished, with pebbles nailed to it. The sculpture depicts different faces, apparently of love. Instead of one word, as in most European languages, there are four terms for the concept of "love" in Greek; they all differ in meaning and are carved on a tree trunk. Near the olive, on an eternal joke, stands the legendary vehicle a hippie, a Volkswagen minibus spray-painted in all the colors of the rainbow.

As we move forward, the town continues to live up to its good reputation. On the way to the beach and caves, you are sure to meet the last few hippies of our time: they occupy the only shady spot under a couple of trees near the shore. With them - all the colorful attributes: dogs, guitars and bottles. Hippies, as expected, do not look too clean, but they are hung with baubles, which they sell to tourists right on the spot, from their hands.

The caves are very picturesque, tourists love to climb them and take pictures in the openings against the backdrop of the sea.

Meanwhile, Matala played an important role in the history of the island long before the appearance of overseas hippies here. During the heyday of the Minoan civilization, it became a large and important port, which was owned by Festus; under the Dorians, it became owned by Gortyn. It was in Matale that Arab invaders landed on Crete in the 9th century. The caves of Matala were carved into the pancake rock by the sea during the Neolithic period, and during the period of Roman rule were used to bury the dead. But thanks to the cheerful children of peace and love, there is no gloomy aura here today - on the contrary.

In the sixties, during the heyday of the hippie movement, the caves of Matala were discovered by hippies who moved here from America. Neolithic depressions turned out to be quite suitable for life in modern times, and great and iconic figures of the love and beat generations came to Matala: Johnny Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and later members of the Rolling Stones. The caves are really very picturesque, they are located, as it were, on several “floors”, some of them are connected to each other. Tourists love to climb them and take pictures in the openings against the backdrop of the sea. Inside, both prehistoric structures such as hearths and shelves have been preserved, as well as traces left by later tenants - Pacifica and texts on the walls, traces of candle wax on the shelves and soot on the ceilings.

The caves are surrounded by a fence and are under state protection, but tourists can visit them at their own peril and risk, as indicated by the corresponding sign at the entrance. In general, it is quite safe, but still the slopes here are quite steep, and the stones, polished by the winds and many feet, are slippery. It is better to be careful not to climb the upper tiers in beach flip-flops.

Matala is famous beautiful beach: it is not very suitable for families with children - there are quite high waves here - but it is great for surfing. nearby beach chosen by nudists, but separated from Matala by a cape, so this will not confuse anyone. The village itself is pleasant and characteristic: to this day, funny evidence of the hippie past is everywhere, such as drawings on the pavement, the names of cafes and bright cars. There is no embankment with a promenade as such in Matale, but that part of the village that goes to the sea is raised above the beach. Here you can find slightly different souvenirs or eat with an excellent view of the surf.

The life-affirming inscription in yard-long letters on the concrete fence of the beach of Matala reads: "Today is life, tomorrow never comes."