If there is one place in Greece that has been so closely associated with the hippie counterculture, it’s Matala.
It was in the early 60s when wandering artists from all over the world discovered this small coastal hamlet south of Heraklion.
They settled in the artificial caves carved thousands years ago into the rock opposite to the village, and they began to enrich the place with colors, flowers and music.

They chose Matala not by accident. The energy in this place is amazing, extending far beyond the beauty of its nature. Matala has been inhabited since ancient times; the place served as a port for the two important Cretan cities of antiquity, the Minoan Phaistos and the Roman-Byzantine Gortyna, which are located nearby. The caves where the hippies made their home used to be prehistoric dwellings and later, in the Roman times, served as tombs.

The unconventional spirit that the Flower Children brought with them in this remote corner of Crete didn’t go unnoticed. Their ideals of Peace, Love and Freedom, their movement against the Vietnam war and their libertarian life-style were not appreciated by the local authorities. At that time Greece was ruled by a brutal right-wing military Junta. It was only a matter of time before the happy community broke up.
What’s left behind of those days? Luckily a lot of remnants are still there. Of course Matala changed for the sake of tourism. Τhe village consists mostly of hotels, rooms and apartments to rent, tavernas and bars; big part of the beach is now occupied by sunbeds. Nevertheless the place is filled with good vibes. The vintage atmosphere here is authentic.
Every summer, the last 14 years, thousands people of all generations and from all over the world gather in Matala to celebrate together, to dance, to share, to feel free. Matala Beach Festival started as a reunion of the original hippies who lived there and now is turned into a yearly big event for Crete. Enjoy!