Matala Beach

Matala is the famous south-coast beach of Crete, known for its sandstone cliffs riddled with ancient caves and its clear, sheltered bay.

About Matala Beach

Matala is one of the most distinctive beaches in Crete, a crescent of sand and fine pebbles set in a sheltered bay on the south coast, framed by golden sandstone cliffs that are riddled with man-made caves. The caves were carved in Roman or early Christian times, probably as tombs, and were famously occupied by a community of hippies and travellers in the 1960s, a period that gave the beach its enduring countercultural reputation. Today the caves are fenced and can be visited for a small fee, and they give the beach a silhouette unlike any other in Greece. The water is clear and usually calm, the bay is well sheltered from the north wind, and the seabed shelves gently, making it good for swimming. The village behind the beach has grown into a small resort with tavernas and shops, but the beach itself keeps a relaxed, slightly bohemian atmosphere. Matala is also known for its sunsets, which colour the cliffs and the caves, and for the Red Beach, a smaller, more secluded cove reached by a path over the headland. The combination of a swimmable bay, dramatic geology and genuine history makes Matala one of the essential south-coast stops in Crete.