Matala: what to see, where to stay and how to get around

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Matala is a tiny bay on the south coast of Crete with a cliff full of caves, cut as tombs in Roman times and lived in by hippies in the 1960s. Myth adds that Zeus, as a bull, came ashore here with Europa. This walk takes a morning, mostly on sand and a rocky hill path. Go early to Red Beach before the heat, and come back to the caves in the afternoon.

A short history of Matala

The cliff above the bay is cut with caves that the Romans used as tombs in the first centuries AD. In antiquity the place served as a port for Phaistos and Gortyn, and according to myth this is where Zeus, in the form of a bull, came ashore with Europa on his back. In the 1960s hippies from all over the world settled in the caves, and Joni Mitchell, who lived here for a while, wrote about the place in the song "Carey", released in 1971. The authorities evicted them at the end of the decade, and Matala has remained a small fishing village that lives from tourism.

The ten best sights in Matala

1
Matala caves
Rock-cut tombs in the cliff over the beach; open by day with a small ticket
2
Matala beach
The sandy bay under the caves, with tavernas along it
3
Red Beach
A 25-minute walk over the hill to a reddish-sand cove; shoes, water, no shade
4
Kommos beach
A long wild beach north of Matala, with a Minoan harbour behind it
5
Phaistos
The second Minoan palace of Crete, on a ridge over the plain; 15 minutes away
6
Gortyna
Capital of Roman Crete, with the oldest law code in Europe on a wall
7
Museum of Cretan Ethnology, Vori
The best museum of village life on the island
8
Kamilari tholos tomb
A round Minoan tomb on a hill outside Kamilari
9
Odigitria tholos tombs
Minoan tombs near the monastery on the road south
10
Kaloi Limenes
The Fair Havens of the Book of Acts, a quiet bay to the south-east

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What is an audio walk?

Tours in Matala →

A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Matala:

Free walking tours in Matala

Caves, hippies and a bull

Matala caves · The caves were carved into the soft sandstone as tombs in Roman and early Christian times. In the 1960s hippies from all over the world lived in them, and Joni Mitchell sang about Matala in her 1971 song 'Carey'.
Matala beach · Matala was the harbour of Phaistos in later antiquity, and local tradition names it as the place where Zeus, as a white bull, came ashore with Europa. A slogan painted by the hippies, 'Today is life, tomorrow never comes', still marks the village.
Red Beach · The sand gets its colour from the reddish rock of the cliffs around the cove. The only way in is on foot over the headland, which keeps it quiet compared with Matala.
Kommos beach · Behind the beach lie the remains of Kommos, the Minoan harbour town that served Phaistos, with huge stone ship sheds. Loggerhead turtles nest on this beach in summer, so nests are marked and fenced.
Pitsidia · Pitsidia is the inland village above Matala, and in the hippie years many travellers who could not find a cave rented rooms here. It is still the quieter place to sleep.
Kamilari tholos tomb · The round Minoan tomb outside Kamilari was used for centuries, and among its finds were clay models of people dancing and making offerings, now in the Heraklion museum.

Palaces and laws of the Messara

Inland from Matala spreads the Messara, the largest plain of Crete, where Minoan kings built a palace and the Romans later ruled the whole island from Gortyna. The two sites, a village museum and the market town of Moires lie within half an hour of each other. Allow most of a day by car. The sites are exposed, so do them in the morning.

Phaistos · In 1908 the Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier found here the Phaistos Disc, a clay disc stamped on both sides with signs in a spiral. No one has deciphered it, and it is now in the Heraklion museum.
Museum of Cretan Ethnology, Vori · The museum explains how Cretan villages lived before the 20th century — farming, weaving, building and baskets — with objects collected from all over the island.
Sivas · Sivas has kept its old stone houses and lanes, and is protected as a traditional settlement. Its small square with a café is a good break between Phaistos and the coast.
Moires · Moires is the market town of the Messara, and its weekly street market draws farmers and buyers from the villages of the whole plain. It is also where the buses change.
Gortyna · Gortyna was the Roman capital of Crete and Cyrenaica in North Africa. Tradition says Zeus and Europa lay under a plane tree here, and an evergreen plane by the river is pointed out as that tree.
Gortyn law code · The law code, carved in the 5th century BC, is written in lines that run alternately left-to-right and right-to-left, 'as the ox ploughs'. The Romans later built its stones into the wall of their odeon, where they still stand.

Paul's coast

South-east of Matala the land ends in rough hills that drop to small, hidden bays. The Book of Acts tells how Paul's ship, on its way to Rome, sheltered in one of them, Fair Havens, before the storm that wrecked it off Malta. This route uses mountain roads and a gorge walk; allow a full day. Take food and water, as villages are few.

Odigitria tholos tombs · Round tombs like these were used by Minoan families for generations, with new burials added over the old. The monastery of Odigitria nearby has a fortified tower from the years of pirate raids.
Agiofarago gorge · The name means 'holy gorge': hermits lived in its caves, and the little chapel of Agios Antonios stands near the beach at its end. The cliffs are popular with climbers.
Kaloi Limenes · Acts 27:8 says Paul's ship came 'to a place called Fair Havens', near the city of Lasea, and it is identified with this bay. Paul advised waiting out the winter here, but the captain sailed on into the storm.
Lentas · Lentas stands on the site of ancient Lebena, the port of Gortyna, which had a famous healing sanctuary of Asclepius. The headland beside the bay is said to look like a lion lying down.
Zaros and Lake Votomos · Zaros water, bottled at the springs here, is sold all over Greece. The springs also feed Lake Votomos, a small green lake where tavernas serve trout raised in the cold water.
Rouvas gorge · The gorge path climbs from the lake past the monastery of Agios Nikolaos into an oak forest on the slopes of Psiloritis, the highest mountain in Crete.

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Getting to Matala and getting around

Moires bus station · The bus hub of the Messara; change here for Heraklion
Heraklion Airport · About 75 minutes across the island; flights from Tel Aviv land here

Cheap eats in Matala

The south of Crete eats simply: gyros pita, Cretan salads with barley rusks, fresh fish and the olive oil of the Messara, one of the island's great olive plains. Matala's one street is lined with gyros counters and tavernas, and prices are in euros, lower than on the north coast.

Vagelis Gyros · Gyros pita on the main street, about €3.50-5
The Best Gyros · Another gyros counter near the beach, about €3.50-5
Poldo · Sandwiches and snacks, about €3-6
Mama's Bakery · Pies and bread for the beach, about €1.50-4
StrEAT food · Street food at the entrance to the village, about €4-8

Museums in Matala

Phaistos · Minoan palace with the grand stairway and views over the plain
Gortyna · Roman capital and the law code
Museum of Cretan Ethnology · Village life, crafts and tools
Kommos · Minoan harbour behind the beach (seen through the fence)
Kamilari tholos tomb · A Minoan tomb on a hilltop

Nature and day trips near Matala

Red Beach · A walk over the hill to a quiet cove
Kommos beach · Long sand beach where turtles nest
Agiofarago gorge · Gorge to a beach and chapel
Lake Votomos · Green lake under Psiloritis
Rouvas gorge · Forest gorge with old oaks

Things to do in Matala with kids

Matala caves · Climb into the caves in the cliff
Matala beach · Sand and calm water in the bay
Lake Votomos · Ducks, trout and shade
Phaistos · A real palace to explore
Kommos beach · Big waves and wide sand

Where to eat in Matala

Corali · Taverna over the bay at sunset
Eva Marina · Fish and Cretan dishes by the water
Alexis Zorbas Family Taverna · Family taverna on the main street
Giannis Family · Home-style cooking
Hippies Cave · Dinner with a view of the caves

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Frequently asked questions about Matala

What is there to see in Matala?

The top sights in Matala are Matala caves, Matala beach and Red Beach. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.

How many days do you need in Matala?

Three to four days are enough to see the best of Matala without rushing, including at least one walking tour.

Is there a free walking tour in Matala?

Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Matala, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Caves, hippies and a bull.

How do you get to Matala and get around?

The main ways are Moires bus station and Heraklion Airport. Full details are in the transport section on this page.

Where to stay in Matala, and for how much?

sleepntrip shows only rooms in Matala that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.

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