We reach the famous beach of Matala, 68 km southwest of Heraklion, one of the most popular tourist destinations of Crete, located close to Phaestus, the second-largest palace of Minoan Civilization.
This is the place where Zeus, having taken the form of a bull, swam ashore with Europa on his back before dragging her off to Gortys.
Both the Minoans and the Romans used this place as their harbor.
Nevertheless, for most people, Matala means only one thing: hippies. Back in the late 1960s - 1970s, this little town was a colony of the “flower children”, who lived in the caves that used to be former Roman tombs.
Many of them have stairs, beds, windows, suggesting that they were used as residences.
Here we will enjoy the crystal waters, the warm sun and lunch by the sea, while later we can explore the prehistoric caves, carved on the steep rocks of the area.
