After all, we are children of the 70s so we wouldn't miss visiting mystical, magical Matala.
In recent history Matala was made famous when hippies of the 60s and 70s lived in the white sandstone caves carved out of the cliffs that rise behind the beach and gently slip down into the clear, blue sea. Well before the hippies though, the caves were once burial crypts and then hideouts for lepers; but it's Matala's ancient history that I love.
In Greek mythology, a Cretan legend tells of Zeus, King of the Gods, disguised as a bull swimming ashore with Europa on his back. It is here on Matala beach that Zeus reveals his identity and seduces Europa. So great!
There are beautiful tamarisk trees that fringe the beach and provide shade in this searing heat. They're older than the hippies of the 60s, perhaps not quite as old as the legend of Zeus. Oh, and there's also a thriving little village filled with tourist shops, tavernas and cafes. But I guess it never was going to stay that tiny unspoiled fishing village once those hippies moved in!
Matala is a Blue Flag beach, the water is clear, clean and a glorious shade of turquoise blue - it's deep and the shore is covered in tiny smooth stones and pebbles of all colours. We swam over to the cliffs and, with swimming shoes on, it was an easy climb up the rocks to the lower caves.
Fun Fact: Just 15 minutes drive inland from Matala beach is the ancient Minoan city and palace of Phaistos, first built nearly 4,000 years ago. Matala was the port for the city. During excavations in 1908 the famous Phaistos Disc was discovered. The disc is just 15cm in diameter, made of clay, and it is engraved in a spiral pattern of symbols, like hieroglyphics. It's on display in the fabulous Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, and despite scholars studying the Phaistos Disc for over a century, it has never been deciphered.
In recent history Matala was made famous when hippies of the 60s and 70s lived in the white sandstone caves carved out of the cliffs that rise behind the beach and gently slip down into the clear, blue sea. Well before the hippies though, the caves were once burial crypts and then hideouts for lepers; but it's Matala's ancient history that I love.
In Greek mythology, a Cretan legend tells of Zeus, King of the Gods, disguised as a bull swimming ashore with Europa on his back. It is here on Matala beach that Zeus reveals his identity and seduces Europa. So great!
There are beautiful tamarisk trees that fringe the beach and provide shade in this searing heat. They're older than the hippies of the 60s, perhaps not quite as old as the legend of Zeus. Oh, and there's also a thriving little village filled with tourist shops, tavernas and cafes. But I guess it never was going to stay that tiny unspoiled fishing village once those hippies moved in!
Matala is a Blue Flag beach, the water is clear, clean and a glorious shade of turquoise blue - it's deep and the shore is covered in tiny smooth stones and pebbles of all colours. We swam over to the cliffs and, with swimming shoes on, it was an easy climb up the rocks to the lower caves.
But let's not talk about fare-thee-wells now
The night is a starry dome
And they're playing that scratchy rock and roll
Beneath the Matala moon.
- 'Carey' by Joni Mitchell
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| Beautiful Matala beach |
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| Not sure which cave was Joni's, or Bob's, or Leonard's, or........ |
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| Absolutely beautiful. |
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| Shady ancient tamarisk trees fringe the beach, or you can pay 2 euros for a sunbed and another 2 for an umbrella. Seriously, Greece could boost its economy by charging 20 euros for every beach umbrella. In this heat, it would be a bargain even at that price! |
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| Hippy to be here :) |
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| Harrison, that is. |
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| #Matala life |
Fun Fact: Just 15 minutes drive inland from Matala beach is the ancient Minoan city and palace of Phaistos, first built nearly 4,000 years ago. Matala was the port for the city. During excavations in 1908 the famous Phaistos Disc was discovered. The disc is just 15cm in diameter, made of clay, and it is engraved in a spiral pattern of symbols, like hieroglyphics. It's on display in the fabulous Archaeological Museum in Heraklion, and despite scholars studying the Phaistos Disc for over a century, it has never been deciphered.
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