Caves, hippies and the south coast
MatalaA beach village under a cliff of Roman tombs, with Red Beach over the headland and Phaistos up the road
- Author
- By George K., Crete travel specialist
- Updated
- Updated 13 September 2026
- Reading time
- 6 min read
Photo: Giannis Tsoumetis · Pexels
Matala at a glance
- Region
- Matala · Heraklion
- Known for
- Caves, hippies and the south coast
- Best months
- May, Jun, Sep, Oct
- Getting there
- Athens (Piraeus) ferry 8h 30m to 9h
- Character
- Bohemian · Beach · History
- 70 km from Heraklion (1h 15m)
- Roman rock-cut tombs in the cliff
- Red Beach: 20 min walk over the headland
- Kommos and Kalamaki 5 km north
- Phaistos palace 10 km
- Best: May-June, September-October
01Why go to Matala
Why go to Matala
Matala is a small beach village on the south coast of Heraklion prefecture, 70 km from Heraklion city (about 1h 15m) and 1h 30m from the airport. It is famous for the caves cut into the sandstone cliff above the beach, Roman and early Christian tombs where hippies lived in the late 1960s, and for the sandy bay below them. Red Beach is a 20-minute walk over the headland, Kommos and Kalamaki beaches are 5 km north, and the Minoan palace of Phaistos is 10 km inland.
Matala is one bay, one cliff and one street of tavernas. The bay faces west, so the sun sets into the sea behind the fishing boats; the cliff on its north side is honeycombed with caves cut as tombs in Roman times; and the street behind the beach is painted with murals from the village's hippie years.
Those years, roughly 1967 to 1973, put Matala on the map. Travellers lived in the caves, Joni Mitchell wrote a song about it, and the Greek junta eventually cleared them out. The village has traded on the memory ever since, with a beach festival every June and a relaxed, slightly bohemian crowd that still fits the place.
The coast around it is the reason to stay more than a night. Red Beach over the headland is a small cove with reddish sand; Kommos to the north is a long, wild beach with a Minoan harbour site and turtle nests; Kalamaki beside it is the family beach. Phaistos, Gortyn and the Messara plain are the day trips.
“Watch the sunset from the caves, then eat in Pitsidia. Matala's beach is for the day; the village up the road is for dinner.”
- Bohemian
- Beach
- History
- Sunsets
Show Matala on the map
02Where to stay in Matala
Where to stay in Matala
Each area below suits a different trip. Compare live rates on the Matala hotels page, or ask Touristas AI to shortlist for your dates.
Matala village
One street, one bay, painted walls
The village is the beach, the caves and a pedestrian street of tavernas and shops behind. Rooms are simple; everything is within three minutes on foot.
- The caves
- Sunset from the beach
- Mural street
- Tavernas on the sand
Pitsidia
Village 3 km inland with the better tavernas
An old village on the hill above Matala with a square, plane trees and tavernas that locals prefer. Quieter rooms and a ten-minute drive to three beaches.
- Village square
- Traditional tavernas
- Quiet rooms
- Central for beaches
Kalamaki
Family beach village 5 km north
A small resort on a long sandy beach with shallow water, tavernas and apartments. The family alternative to Matala.
- Long sandy beach
- Shallow water
- Family apartments
- Kommos next door
Agia Galini
Harbour town 30 minutes west
A steep fishing town on the Rethymno border with a harbour, boat trips and a bigger choice of hotels and restaurants.
- Harbour tavernas
- Boat trips
- More hotels
Local partners we have visited
- Book direct
Intertrip Luxury Villas
Crete-wide villa collection · from €95/night
03The best beaches near Matala
The best beaches near Matala
- 1
Matala beach
Sandy bay under the caves
The caves on one side, sunset straight ahead
- Water
- Clear, sand and small pebbles, can have waves
- Access
- The village fronts it
- Best for
- Everyone; sunsets
- 2
Red Beach (Kokkini Ammos)
Small cove with reddish sand
Reached only on foot over the headland; relaxed, part-naturist
- Water
- Clear, deep
- Access
- 20-minute steep path from the village
- Best for
- Couples, walkers
- 3
Kommos
Long wild beach with Minoan ruins
Kilometres of sand, dunes, turtle nests and the Kommos excavation
- Water
- Open sea, waves in wind
- Access
- 5 km north; short walk from the car park
- Best for
- Space, walkers, nature
- 4
Kalamaki
Family beach
Shallow and sandy with tavernas
- Water
- Shallow, warm
- Access
- 5 km north by car
- Best for
- Families
04Things to do in Matala
Things to do in Matala
A realistic day plan, in the order a local would do it.
Morning · 1 hour
The caves
The cliff is a fenced archaeological site with a small entry fee. Climb the paths between the tomb chambers before the heat; the views over the bay are the best in the village.
Morning · 2-3 hours
Phaistos
The second Minoan palace of Crete, 10 km inland, unrestored and quiet, with the Messara plain below. Combine with Agia Triada villa 3 km away.
Afternoon · 2-3 hours
Walk to Red Beach
The path climbs from the south end of the village over the headland and drops to the cove in 20 minutes. Proper shoes; bring water and shade.
Afternoon · 3 hours
Kommos
Drive 5 km north, park at Kommos and walk south along the beach past the excavation. Turtle nests are marked in summer; keep clear.
Full day · 5 hours
Gortyn and the Messara
The Roman capital of Crete, 20 km away, with the law code inscription and the basilica of Titus, then lunch in a plain village.
Evening · 3 hours
Sunset and dinner
Sunset from the beach or the caves, then dinner on the sand or up in Pitsidia.
05Eating in Matala
Eating in Matala
Messara plain produce, south-coast fish
- Grilled fish
- The tavernas on Matala beach buy from the village boats; sea bream and red mullet are the usual catch.
- Dakos
- Barley rusk with tomato, mizithra and olive oil from the Messara plain.
- Goat with horta
- Braised goat with wild greens, the Sunday dish in Pitsidia.
- Kalitsounia
- Cheese pies, sweet with honey or savoury with greens.
- Messara watermelon
- The plain grows Crete's best; served free after dinner in summer.
- Raki
- Every taverna pours its own; Pitsidia's is stronger than Matala's.
06When to go to Matala
When to go to Matala
Month by month: daytime temperature, how busy it gets, and what is happening.
| Month | Temp | Crowds | Our rating | What is happening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr | 21°C | Very low | 4 out of 5 | Wildflowers; sea 18°C; hikers arrive |
| May | 25°C | Low | 5 out of 5 | Gorges open; boats start; quiet beaches |
| Jun | 29°C | Medium | 5 out of 5 | Warm sea, long evenings |
| Jul-Aug | 33°C | High | 3 out of 5 | Hot; Greek holiday weeks; book early |
| Sep | 29°C | Medium | 5 out of 5 | Sea at 26°C; the best month |
| Oct | 25°C | Low | 5 out of 5 | Still swimming; gorges reopen after summer heat |
| Nov-Mar | 16°C | Very low | 3 out of 5 | Mild; some tavernas and rooms stay open |
07Getting to Matala and getting around
Getting to Matala and getting around
- From Heraklion airport, 1h 30m by car via Mires. KTEL buses from Heraklion take about 2 hours with a change at Mires in some seasons.
- A car is essential here: Phaistos, Gortyn, Kommos and Agia Galini are all short drives with poor bus links.
- Parking in Matala is a paid car park at the village entrance; the village itself is pedestrian.
08Minoan port, Roman tombs, hippie caves
Minoan port, Roman tombs, hippie caves
Port of Phaistos
In Minoan times the harbour for Phaistos was at Kommos, just north of Matala, where a large stone-built harbour town has been excavated. Matala itself served Gortyn, the Roman capital, as a port.
The caves (1st-2nd c. AD)
The caves in the cliff were cut as tombs in the Roman period and reused by early Christians. Their chambers, benches and windows are what the hippies later moved into.
The hippie years (1967-73)
Travellers on the overland route to India lived in the caves for years. Joni Mitchell's "Carey" (1971) describes the scene; the junta evicted the residents and the caves are now a fenced archaeological site.
The festival
Since 2011 the Matala Beach Festival in June has brought free concerts and street art to the village; the murals on every wall come from it.
- 1st c. AD
- tombs cut in the cliff
- 1971
- Joni Mitchell writes "Carey"
- 20 min
- walk to Red Beach
- 10 km
- to Phaistos
09Practical tips
Practical tips
Money, health, manners and what changed this year.
Money
- Matala rooms are cheap by Crete standards outside the June festival week and August.
- Taverna meals on the beach are €12-18 per person; Pitsidia is cheaper.
- The caves cost a few euros to enter; Phaistos €8.
Health and safety
- The nearest health centre is in Mires (20 minutes); the hospital is Heraklion.
- The Red Beach path is steep and loose; not for flip-flops.
- The south coast is hotter than the north by 2-4 degrees; midday shade in July and August.
Local manners
- The caves are tombs and an archaeological site: no climbing outside the paths, no camping.
- Red Beach is part-naturist; that is accepted here.
- Turtle nests on Kommos are marked; lights and umbrellas near them are banned.
New this year
- The Matala Beach Festival in June fills every room within 20 km; book months ahead or avoid that week.
- Phaistos needs timed tickets in July and August like Knossos.
- Kommos is a protected site: park only in the marked area.
10Matala questions, answered
Matala questions, answered
Can you still sleep in the Matala caves?
No. The caves are a fenced archaeological site (Roman-era tombs) with a small entry fee and daytime hours. Sleeping or camping in them has been banned since the 1970s.
How do I get to Red Beach?
On foot only: a steep 20-minute path from the south end of Matala village over the headland. Wear proper shoes and carry water; there is a small taverna in season but no shade.
How far is Matala from Heraklion?
About 70 km, 1h 15m by car via Mires and the Messara plain; 1h 30m from the airport. Buses take around two hours.
Is Matala good for families?
The bay is fine for families but the village is small and the rooms are simple. Kalamaki, 5 km north, has the shallower beach and family apartments; many families stay there and visit Matala for the caves and sunset.
What is there to do around Matala?
Phaistos and Agia Triada (Minoan sites, 10 km), Gortyn (Roman capital, 20 km), the beaches of Kommos, Kalamaki and Red Beach, the village of Pitsidia, and Agia Galini harbour 30 minutes west.
When is the Matala Beach Festival?
Usually over a weekend in mid-June, with free concerts on the beach and street-art events. It is the busiest weekend of the year; book accommodation months ahead.
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