Private tour to Matala and Phaistos - Southern Crete

Matala is a village located 75 km southwest of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

Once, it was a small fishing village but became very popular when people from all over the world were living in the 1960s having a very different way of life since then, the little village turns a must for tourists.

This is one of the most popular tourist destinations of Crete and certainly the most famous beach of south Heraklion prefecture. Worth seeing the caves that people from all over the world were living in in 1960 shaving a very different way of life. It is believed that the Matala Caves were originally used as tombs during Roman occupation over 2,000 years ago. Hippies all over the World overtook Matala in the ’60s and ’70s, a place and time when they could live a simple and natural life, made of love, peace… and probably other ingredients too! In the era of the Minoans – the Bronze Age civilization of Crete – Matala served as the port of the Palace of Phaistos. Later, in the Roman era, this was the port of Gortyn. Historians estimate that the caves were used as tombs in the Roman or Christian period. Both the Minoans and the Romans used the place as their harbor.

On the way to Matala the second-largest and most famous ancient city in Crete after Knossos, the city of Phaistos. Both cities are built in the Minoan era. Built on the top of the Agios Ioannis hill and looking to the Messara plains, was discovered by archaeologist Halbherr at the beginning of the 20th century. The archaeological site of Phaistos is located 62 km south of Iraklion, at an altitude of 100 m from sea level. According to mythology, Phaistos was the seat of king Radamanthis, brother of Minos, and king of Knossos. Here are found very interesting artifacts from the Minoan era set at the Heraklion Museum now. The famous Phaistos Disk was found here. It was found in one of the eastern rooms of Phaistos. The script on both of its surfaces resembles hieroglyphs and has not been deciphered yet.