
The caves and beach in Matala
Matala located 71km southwest of Iraklion
via the Iraklion - Agia Varvara - Agii Deka - Mires - Matala road is on the coast, south of the town of Timbaki. Matala is quite a large town with a good range of tourist facilities from which you can easily reach the archaeological sites of Festos, Agia Triada, and Gortyn. Various other beaches of southern Crete are also nearby. Matala has remains of Minoan, Greek, Roman and early Byzantine eras.
Matala was originally the harbour of Festos during the Minoan and Greek period, and when Gortyn defeated Festos in 220 B.C., it became the harbour of Gortyn. Traces of the ancient settlement are seen on the bottom of the sea.
Matala is famous for its man-made caves which were first inhabited during the prehistoric period. Tombs found in the caves date from Greek, Roman and Early Christian times.
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People from all over Europa see Matala as a second home,often sleeping directly under the Tamerisk trees at Matala camping,and, if you stay there or at one of the hotels you will find somewhere different at the worlds end with out a care.Go to Matala
There were a few more tourist shops around and quite a few more hotels but it still felt like the same Matala that i had lived in all those years before. Even some of the hoteliers remembered me and treated me like an old friend.
The beach is gorgeous and the caves make it just more interesting.
I would say to anyone to go and spend time there. It is a truly wonderful place to visit.