Things to do in Matala

Matala sits on the Libyan Sea at the southern edge of the Messara plain, a small former hippie hangout below sandstone cliffs pocked with Roman-era rock tombs. The south coast is generally calmer than the north during the July-August meltemi, but the village itself is modest: a short beach, a handful of tavernas, and far less accommodation than Hersonissos or Malia. There is no north-coast-style nightlife here.

Getting there from Heraklion means a drive of roughly an hour through the interior, since KTEL coaches serve this stretch only a few times a day. Phaistos, the Minoan palace, is about 20 minutes away, and Gortyna, the island's Roman capital, a similar short drive, making Matala a base for a day or two of culture rather than for the whole south.

Swimming season runs May to October, with a cooler sea in spring than late summer.