From hippie utopia to a celebration of music
Matala in southern Crete is a place where nature, history, and a sense of freedom meet in a unique symphony. In the bay where the golden sand embraces the blue waters of the Libyan Sea, a vertical rock stands tall, perforated by caves carved into it in antiquity, which became a refuge for the hippies of the 1960s. They became famous around the world through the music, painting and colourful slogans of freedom that still come alive in the alleys.
Today, this aura of the past is expressed in the annual Matala Beach Festival, a major celebration with music, art, and outdoor exhibitions, where visitors from all over the world dance on the sand, and under the sun and stars. Despite its reputation and increased tourist traffic, Matala retains the charm of a quiet seaside village, with tavernas, kafenia (traditional coffee houses) and an aura of unpretentious freedom.
From here, you can combine moments of relaxation with notes of culture: A few kilometres north is Phaistos, one of the most important Minoan palaces of Crete, while cosmopolitan Agia Galini lies to the west, and wild Agiofarango, one of the most remote and mysterious bays of the island, lies to the east.
Let Matala lead you through an experience that combines the unpredictable with the timeless and become part of the unique aura that makes this place so special.
Today, this aura of the past is expressed in the annual Matala Beach Festival, a major celebration with music, art, and outdoor exhibitions, where visitors from all over the world dance on the sand, and under the sun and stars. Despite its reputation and increased tourist traffic, Matala retains the charm of a quiet seaside village, with tavernas, kafenia (traditional coffee houses) and an aura of unpretentious freedom.
From here, you can combine moments of relaxation with notes of culture: A few kilometres north is Phaistos, one of the most important Minoan palaces of Crete, while cosmopolitan Agia Galini lies to the west, and wild Agiofarango, one of the most remote and mysterious bays of the island, lies to the east.
Let Matala lead you through an experience that combines the unpredictable with the timeless and become part of the unique aura that makes this place so special.
