Situated 66km southwest of Heraklion, Kommos (or Komos) lies a mere 2km north of Matala and in close proximity to Pitsidia village. It stands as the southernmost and remotest section of the extensive beachfront of Messara Bay. Once serving as the port of Phaestus, the remnants of the ancient port of Kommos can still be observed on the beach. It can be reached by driving towards Matala and following a sign to Kommos near Pitsidia.
The entire beachfront of Messara is exposed to the prevalent westerly winds. Visitors should exercise caution as the seabed can be rocky in certain areas. The beach also serves as a nesting ground for the protected loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) between the months of May and September.
Potamos or Potamoserma, the northern section of Kommos, is a popular spot among naturists, dating back to when hippies frequented the area. The location is dotted with sparse tamarisk trees and devoid of buildings due to its protected archaeological status, restricting construction. Next to the archaeological site in the south, there is a developed beach equipped with amenities such as umbrellas, sun beds, a toilet, showers, a canteen and a lifeguard. Surrounding sand dunes are home to white sand lilies that mark the end of summer. Nearby Kalamaki or Pitsidia and Matala offer options for accommodation and dining.
The sight of Paximadia islets during sunset is breathtaking. A large rock, known locally as Volakas, stands 300m out at sea, opposite the archaeological site. According to local lore, this rock is the tip of the boulder that the blinded Cyclops Polyphemus hurled at Odysseus’ ship to prevent his escape, following Odysseus and his crew’s escape from Polyphemus’ cave.
Kommos, the ancient port of Phaestus, was established around 200BC. However, it was subsequently destroyed by an earthquake and then rebuilt at the same location. The archaeological site of Komos, not open to the public, houses a Minoan harbour, public buildings, warehouses, oil presses, shipyards and a large courtyard. Archaeologists have uncovered a small temple, constructed on the ruins of an older one.
Get directions to Komos beach
Komos beach is located on the southern coast of Crete, Greece.
Yes, Komos beach is suitable for swimming. However, it is important to be cautious of the water conditions and follow any warnings or advisories.
No, there are no water sports available at Komos beach.
Yes, there is a designated area for nudists at the western end of Komos beach.
Yes, the village of Pitsidia is located just a few kilometers from Komos beach.
Yes, there are hiking trails in the nearby hills and mountains that offer stunning views of the coastline and surrounding landscape.
Yes, there is a parking area near the Komos beach. However, it can get crowded during peak season.
The water colour of the Komos beach is blue.
The Komos beach has sand as its sand type.
The Komos beach has a normal water depth.
The Komos beach usually has wavy sea surface.
The Komos beach is usually quiet.
The Komos beach has nearby food and water facilities, umbrellas and beds, sports facilities, a lifeguard, and showers.
The Komos beach can be accessed through a paved road.
Yes, there is tree shade available at the Komos beach.
Find below list of things to do near Komos beach:
This day trip crosses Crete from the north coast to Matala, the south-coast village where Roman rock tombs became homes for the hippie community of the late 1960s. Matala sits in a sheltered bay below cliffs cut with those caves, and the trip gives you free time to swim, explore the caves and walk the village. ETHERION runs it from €34 with free pick-up anywhere between Malia and Ammoudara, and it holds a 3.81 rating across 30 reviews.
The coach runs south across the island, spends the afternoon in Matala and returns to Heraklion. Three things fill the time on site.
First is the beach, a curve of fine sand in a calm bay with clear water and cliffs at either end. Second are the caves, carved into the soft rock as Roman tombs and occupied by the flower children in the late 1960s and early 1970s, they are the reason most people come, and entry costs €4 separately. Third is the village, with small shops, tavernas along the water and the ruins of Roman buildings including a bath and an arena near the shore.
Matala’s history runs deeper than the hippies. Both the Minoans and the Romans used the bay as a harbour, and Greek myth places it as the spot where Zeus, in the form of a bull, came ashore with Europa.
The trip crosses from the Heraklion coast to the southern shore, ending at one beach.
The fare covers the coach, the guide and the pick-up, and it excludes the cave entry and everything you eat.
Included:
Not included:
We recommend Matala itself without hesitation and this particular trip with reservations, and it is worth separating the two.
Matala earns its reputation. The caves are genuinely unusual, Roman tombs turned into a 1960s commune, still open to walk through, and the bay behind them is a good beach on its own terms. Reviewers who went agree: several call it a must-see in Crete, and the ones who rated the day three stars still said they were glad they saw the place. If you are based on the Heraklion coast without a car, a coach is the practical way to get there.
The reviews also praise the guides on the good days, with one calling them great and very informative, and several note the pick-up going smoothly from their hotel door.
Now the problems, because this trip scores 3.81 out of 5 and three of the ten reviews we read sit at three stars or below.
Coach time is the biggest complaint by a distance. Value for money scores 3.4 and guiding 3.5, the two lowest marks. The trip is billed as 7 hours but that is door to door, one reviewer reported only 3 hours actually in Matala, another 4 hours, and a third said an hour went on collecting other passengers before the coach even set off south, calling it more time on the bus than on site.
Guiding is inconsistent. One reviewer said the guide spoke three sentences on the coach and then left the group to its own devices with no explanation of the caves or the town. Another booked a Polish-language tour and found it running in French, and was told it did not matter. A third struggled to follow the English commentary.
Matala gets crowded. One reviewer could not get a lounger on the beach at all in August.
Bring the cave money, set your expectations on timing, and head for the caves before the beach.
Free pick-up covers Malia, Stalida, Hersonissos, Limenas Chersonisou, Koutouloufari, Anissaras, Analipsi, Gouves, Kato Gouves, Kokkini Hani, Amnissos, Karteros, Heraklion and Ammoudara. The operator emails your exact pick-up point within 24 hours of booking.
Bring a sun hat, towel, sunscreen and beachwear. The trip is flagged as likely to sell out.
Reviewers report 3 to 4 hours on site. The trip is listed at 7 hours, but that includes the coach south and a pick-up circuit along the north coast first.
Cave entry costs €4 and is not included. One reviewer noted EU residents under 25 entered free.
A multilingual guide travels with the coach, though reviewers report the amount of commentary varying considerably and at least one language mismatch.
Matala’s cliff caves are Roman rock tombs that the flower children lived in during the late 1960s and early 1970s, which is how the village got its name in travel writing.
Pick-up is free from anywhere between Malia and Ammoudara, covering the whole Heraklion north coast strip.
The bay is sheltered and the sand is fine, though reviewers travelling in August report the beach busy enough that loungers ran out.
Check dates and prices for the Matala hippie caves day trip.
Intro:
Located approximately 68 km southwest of Heraklion, Matala is one of the most popular destinations and one of the most beautiful beaches of our island. Mostly famous for the caves carved in the rocks next to the beach and the hippies of the 60’s.
Gortyna,also known as Gortys, was a city of ancient Crete mentioned by numerous ancient writers for its importance and splendor that is by no means inferior to that of Knossos.
Full description:
Once you are greeted by our friendly driver and guide, your day trip is about to begin.
Our first stop of the day is a visit to the archaeological site of Gortyn which is located 45 km south of Heraklion. Inhabited since 3000 BC, evolved as one of the largest cities during the Minoan era, finally reaching its peak during the Roman Empire, the city of Gortyn is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece. Walk around the site and have a chance to travel back in time while admiring the ancient ruins.
After a quick ride, we reach our second destination, the village of Matala. As we approach the village, a beautiful sandy beach of around 300 m long will greet you. You will have plenty of time to dive in the crystal clear deep water, swim under the Cretan sun and have lunch in one of the traditional taverns surrounding the beach. Matala is also known for its hand-carved caves that are found in the cliff of its bay. The caves were created in the Neolithic Age and were used throughout history as living spaces. During the 60’s the caves were occupied by the hippies who travelled from all over the world in search of their very own paradise on earth.
Explore the intriguing caves, enjoy a refreshing dive and allow us to take you on an unforgettable experience.
This day trip runs south from Rethymno across the island’s interior to the Libyan Sea, taking in the fishing village of Agia Galini, the cave-cut bay at Matala, a four-acre medicinal herb garden and the village of Spili with its lion-head fountains. The stops are timed generously: 1.5 hours at Agia Galini and 3 hours at Matala. PLATANOS TOURS run it over 7 hours from €30.40, with a 4.58 rating across 24 reviews.
The coach crosses to the south coast and works back north through the hills. Four stops fill the 7 hours.
First is Agia Galini, a fishing village built up a hillside above a small harbour, with 1.5 hours to take a coffee and walk the alleys. Second is Matala, where the cliff at the north end of the bay is honeycombed with caves cut as Roman tombs and occupied by the hippie commune of the 1970s, you get 3 hours for the caves and the beach. Third, on the return, is the botanic garden, four acres of medicinal and aromatic herbs that are at their best from April to September. Fourth is a short stop at Spili, known for the row of Venetian lion-head fountains that still run in the village square.
Three hours at Matala is the longest stop any Matala trip we list gives you.
The route crosses the island from the north coast to the Libyan Sea and back.
The €30.40 covers the coach and the guide, and every stop on the route.
Included:
Not included:
We recommend this one on the time it gives you. Most Matala trips from the north coast leave you three or four hours for the whole day and much of that on a coach. This one puts 3 hours at Matala and 1.5 at Agia Galini inside a 7-hour day, which means you can actually swim, climb to the caves and eat rather than photographing the cliff and leaving.
The four stops are also well chosen as a set. A working fishing village, a famous beach with genuine archaeology, a herb garden and a Venetian fountain square is a fair cross-section of southern Crete, and at €30.40 it is the cheapest multi-stop day we list.
Reviewers praise the running of it consistently. A British guest called the guide informative and the driver fantastic and very safe; a German group named their guide Barbara for providing information throughout the day including on the bus. Value for money scores 4.7 out of 5, the strongest of its three dimension scores.
Two things reviewers flag.
The botanic garden stop is short. A German reviewer who otherwise rated the day five stars said the time there was too brief and suggested two hours. It is a return-leg stop rather than a destination.
Matala does not suit everyone. A Romanian reviewer rating the trip four stars found the water uncomfortably cold at Matala even on a 33-degree day, because the bay is shaded and deep against the cliff. If a warm swim is the point of your day, Agia Galini’s beach is the gentler option.
Climb to the caves early, budget cash for the €4 entry, and take a jumper for the fountains.
Pick-up covers eleven named points between Panormo and Georgioupoli; the Georgioupoli area, Petres, Kavros and Gerani are excluded as transfer points. Personalised pick-up information arrives in a separate email, check your spam folder.
Bring comfortable shoes, a hat, swimwear, a towel and sunscreen. Smoking is not permitted in the vehicle.
The day runs 7 hours, with 1.5 hours in Agia Galini and 3 hours at Matala.
Three hours, the longest Matala stop of any trip we list, enough for the caves, a swim and lunch.
The cliff at Matala is cut with Roman rock tombs that the hippie commune lived in during the 1970s, which is how the bay got its name in travel writing.
Spili has a row of Venetian lion-head fountains still running in the village square, and the stop is a short break on the return leg.
No food or drink is included. Agia Galini and Matala both have tavernas, and the stops are long enough to eat.
Eleven points from Panormo through Rethymno town to Georgioupoli, though the Georgioupoli area, Petres, Kavros and Gerani are excluded.
Check dates and prices for the Matala, Agia Galini and Spili day trip.
This day trip runs 90 km south from the Heraklion coast to Matala, the bay on the Libyan Sea where a cliff of Roman rock tombs became a hippie commune in the late 1960s. The coach arrives at 11:00 and leaves at 15:00, so you get four hours to swim, climb to the caves and eat before the return. PLATANOS TOURS run it over 8 hours from €38.72, with a 4.41 rating across 210 reviews.
The day is one long transfer built around a single four-hour stop. Three stages make it up.
First is the pick-up run along the north coast, starting at Malia at 08:30 and working west through Hersonissos, Gouves and Heraklion to Ammoudara by 09:55. Second is the drive south across the island to Matala, arriving at 11:00. Third is four hours of free time, then departure at 15:00 and arrival back in Heraklion at 16:15.
Matala earns its reputation twice over. The cliff at the north end of the bay is honeycombed with caves cut as Roman tombs and later lived in by the flower children of the late 1960s and 1970s. The bay itself was a working harbour for the Minoans and the Romans, and in myth it is where Zeus came ashore as a bull carrying Europa.
The route crosses the island from the north coast to the Libyan Sea.
The €38.72 covers the coach and the transfer. Everything at Matala is your own.
Included:
Not included:
We recommend this for one specific reader: someone staying on the Heraklion coast without a car who wants to see Matala. At €38.72 it removes a 180 km round trip on mountain roads and the parking problem at the other end, and the pick-up net is wide, twelve named points from Malia to Fodele.
Reviewers who booked it on those terms are satisfied. A visitor from Réunion put it exactly right: a day trip done in an organised setting from central Heraklion without having to rent a vehicle. A British guest praised the organisation and the amount of time at Matala, and several reviewers single out the hostess.
Matala itself is worth the road. The caves are real archaeology you can walk into, the village is small and colourful, and Red Beach is a walk over the headland for anyone who wants a quieter swim.
Three things to weigh honestly, because this rates 4.41 and the complaints repeat.
Four hours divides opinion. Two separate reviewers rated the day four stars specifically on time: a French guest said the experience was far too short and it was impossible to do everything, and a British visitor said four hours at the beach is not long enough and you need at least five. If you want the caves, Red Beach and a proper swim, four hours is tight.
The coach is the weak link. A French reviewer reported the bus had no working air conditioning and the journey was hot; a Dutch reviewer called the bus outdated. Transportation scores 4.4 out of 5.
This is transport, not a guided tour. GetYourGuide’s own summary of verified reviews says travellers would like clearer information that the day is mainly transport with limited guiding. Guide quality also scores 4.4. Book it as a coach to Matala and you will not be disappointed.
If you would rather have longer at the beach, our Matala hippie beach page covers the alternative departures.
Wear water shoes, carry small change for the caves, and climb early.
Pick-up times run from 08:30 at Malia to 09:55 at Ammoudara, and the route covers 90 km each way. Arrival at Matala is 11:00 and departure 15:00, with drop-off in Heraklion at 16:15.
Bring a sun hat, swimwear and a towel. Infants are seated with their parents rather than given their own seat.
You get four hours of free time, arriving at 11:00 and departing at 15:00.
The cliff at Matala is cut with Roman rock tombs that a hippie commune lived in during the late 1960s and 1970s, which is how the bay entered travel writing.
Entry is €2, paid at the site and not included in the tour price.
A multilingual guide accompanies the coach, English, Polish, French and Italian on Mondays, Russian instead of Italian on Thursdays, but reviewers describe the day as mainly transport.
Yes, reviewers recommend them, the beach is rocky, the water deepens quickly and sea urchins sit near the rocks.
Twelve points from Malia through Heraklion to Fodele, with times running from 08:30 to 09:55.
Check dates and prices for the Matala hippie beach and caves day trip.
After a short drive through the Messara plain you reach Matala. Known for the colony of hippies in the Sixties, where they lived in large holes formed on the mountain. The rocks are holes with a Roman burial. In Matala you will have time for a refreshing dip in the water, eat something or just enjoy a drink on the beach. This is the place where Zeus, having taken the form a bull, swam ashore with Europa on his back before dragging her off to Gortys. Both, the Minoans and the Romans used the place as their harbor. Nevertheless, for most people, Matala means only one thing: hippies. Back in the late 1960s – 1970s, this little town was a colony of the “flower children”, who lived in the caves that used to be former Roman tombs
Our Cretan cooking class is a 100% hands-on experience, perfect for those eager to explore and indulge in the flavors of Cretan gastronomy. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced cook, what truly matters is your open heart and eagerness to embrace the warmth of Cretan culture, becoming a cherished part of our family along the way!”
Mama Stella, my wonderful mum, loves to share her culinary knowledge and techniques with you! We will cook a 4-course meal, by providing all you need, from aprons to fresh, farm-sourced ingredients ensuring a 100% hands-on cooking experience! Local homemade refreshments and water will also be provided. After your cooking adventure, revel in the joy of your creations accompanied by local Cretan wine. Leftovers are carefully packed for you to take along.
Immerse yourself in this unique, 3.5 to 4-hour experience at our olive oil farm. Cooking unfolds in an outdoor space beneath a beautiful wooden roof, surrounded by olive trees on one side and a lush garden on the other. Engage your senses—smell, taste, and feel our culture through a one-of-a-kind cooking adventure. Join us, cook with passion, and savor the moments!”
Find below the list of hotels near Komos beach:
Irene Komos is located between Pitsidia and Matala, 800 metres from Komos Beach, amidst a large garden with trees and flowers. It features self-catering accommodation with straight or side views of the Libyan Sea.
All apartments at Irene Komos are air conditioned and open out to a balcony. Each has a kitchenette with a mini fridge and cooking hobs to prepare breakfast or a light meal. Free Wi-Fi is provided.
Guests will find a restaurant and bus stop at 100 metres, and a mini market at 1 km from Irene Komos. The lively Matala is at 2 km, while the archaeological site of Phaistos is 10 km away. Free private parking is provided on site.
from
€55
/night
Featuring air-conditioned accommodation with a private pool, mountain view and a patio, Komos Beach Estate is located in Kalamaki Heraklion. This beachfront property offers access to a balcony, free private parking and free WiFi.
The villa is equipped with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, bed linen, towels, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with sea views.
Guests at the villa can enjoy hiking nearby, or make the most of the garden.
Kommos Beach is 1.1 km from Komos Beach Estate, while Kalamaki Beach is 1.3 km away. The nearest airport is Heraklion International Airport, 64 km from the accommodation.
from
€47
/night
Located in Neo Kalamaki, 200 meters from the sea, this air-conditioned holiday home features a terrace. It provides free private parking. Free WiFi is featured throughout the property and guests are benefited with view of the southern Cretan sea.
The kitchen features an oven, a microwave and a fridge, as well as a coffee machine. A flat-screen TV with satellite channels is available. There is a private bathroom with a bidet and shower.
Heraklio Town is 49 km from Rodanthi Guest House, while Balíon is 43 km away. The nearest airport is Heraklion International Airport, 51 km from the property.
from
€92
/night
Boasting garden views, Full View in a Luxury House offers accommodation with a balcony and a coffee machine, around 1.3 km from Kommos Beach. It has barbecue facilities, mountain views and free WiFithroughout the property.
The villa has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, bed linen, towels, a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a terrace with sea views. The air-conditioned villa also features a seating area, washing machine and 2 bathrooms with bathrobes.
Kalamaki Beach is 1.5 km from the villa, while Afratia Beach is 1.6 km from the property. The nearest airport is Heraklion International Airport, 63 km from Full View in a Luxury House.
from
€164
/night
Situated in Kalamaki Heraklion, a few steps from Kalamaki Beach and 1.3 km from Afratia Beach, Ocean Blue II, Seaside Suite offers a private beach area and air conditioning. This beachfront property offers access to a terrace.
With free WiFi, this 1-bedroom apartment features a flat-screen TV, a washing machine and a kitchen with an oven and fridge. Towels and bed linen are available in the apartment.
Kommos Beach is 1.4 km from the apartment, while Phaistos is 8.1 km from the property. The nearest airport is Heraklion International Airport, 63 km from Ocean Blue II, Seaside Suite.
Situated in Kalamaki Heraklion, a few steps from Kalamaki Beach and 1.3 km from Afratia Beach, Ocean Blue I, Seaside Suite offers a terrace and air conditioning. This beachfront property offers access to a balcony.
With free WiFi, this 1-bedroom apartment features a flat-screen TV, a washing machine and a kitchen with an oven and fridge. Towels and bed linen are available in the apartment.
Kommos Beach is 1.4 km from the apartment, while Phaistos is 8.1 km from the property. The nearest airport is Heraklion International Airport, 63 km from Ocean Blue I, Seaside Suite.
Find below list of beaches near Komos beach:
Kalamaki, a quaint seaside hamlet, is nestled between Matala and Kokkinos Pirgos, 65km southwest of Heraklion. The beach, a 2.5km stretch of the vast Messara Bay coastline, graces the village’s front. Its sandy shore is kissed by the sea, which conceals a slick, flat rock bed beneath its surface. It features large waves, usually stirred by northwest winds, making beach access challenging at times due to the rocky seabed.
The village-facing part of the beach is well-equipped with sunbeds, umbrellas, eateries, accommodation, a lifeguard, playground, and water sports. For a more isolated experience, head southeast towards Kommos beach, a favorite among nudists.
To the north, you’ll find Afratias and the Pahia Ammos beach, which features patches of rocks. Devoid of amenities, the beach does boast a small park used for hosting cultural events like concerts during summer months.
Further north lies the Timbaki military airport, now serving as a resort for Greek Air Force staff. Although the beachfront is accessible, trespassing beyond the fence is prohibited and could lead to arrest. Sometimes, parachuters and skydivers can be spotted descending from small aircraft, courtesy of a local club based at the airport. In 2008, a small plane crashed into the Kalamaki sea, with the pilot miraculously surviving the ordeal. The Tymbaki airport holds ecological significance for the Mesara plains as it’s intersected by the Geropotamos River, which flows out to the beach. This river, the area’s largest, serves as a sanctuary for hundreds of rare birds across its numerous ponds.
The sandy coast of Messara Bay is a protected breeding ground for the loggerhead sea turtle. To prevent nest destruction and avoid frightening these creatures, it’s best not to roam the beach’s darker areas during summer nights.
Although Kalamaki doesn’t boast a significant history due to its relatively new establishment, it’s a popular seaside resort for Kamilari locals. Some believe it once served as a small harbor for Phaestus or Gortys in ancient times, though no concrete evidence supports this claim.
The beach of Matala is situated 68km southwest of Heraklion, where the Messara plain and Asteroussia Mountains intersect. It is one of the most frequented tourist spots in Crete and the most well-known beach in the southern region of the Heraklion prefecture. Matala is notable for its rock-carved caves and its association with the hippie culture of the 1970s. It lies in close proximity to Phaestus, the second largest palace of the Minoan civilization, having once served as its port. During the era of the Romans, Matala transformed into a port for Gortyn.
Nestled at the end of a small valley, Matala overlooks an enclosed bay with a picturesque view of the Paximadia islands. The beach spans 300m and features beautiful sandy shores, fine gravel, and crystal-clear deep waters. However, parts of the seabed, particularly the central area, are quite rocky and waves are common due to frequent westerly winds. A large cave can be found on the northern part of the beach, from which some thrill-seekers dive.
Matala beach is well-equipped with amenities such as umbrellas, restrooms, showers, lifeguards, first aid facilities, beach volleyball courts, snack bars, water sports, excursion boats, and a camping site. The surrounding area of Matala offers a range of accommodation, dining, and entertainment options. The beach is largely shaded by tamarisk trees, providing a respite from the sun. Come evening, the beach bars are brimming with people, both locals and tourists. The internationally acclaimed Matala Festival draws large crowds every June.
Red Beach, known in Greek as Kokkini Ammos, is a red-sand beach on the south coast of Crete, about 800 metres south of Matala and 68 kilometres southwest of Heraklion. You reach it on foot over Kastri hill or by boat from Matala harbour. The rust-red sand comes from the local geology and sets off a blue-green sea, which is what makes the beach so striking.
The beach is remote and unorganised. It has no road access, so it stays quiet even in high season, and it is open to the western winds that blow across this part of the coast.
Most visitors walk from Matala on a marked trail that crosses Kastri hill north of the village. The walk takes about 15 to 25 minutes one way and involves some rock scrambling at the start and a steep descent near the end, so wear proper walking shoes rather than sandals. The route is clear but rough underfoot.
Follow these steps from Matala:
You can take a boat from Matala harbour for a small fee of around 5 euros each way if you would rather not hike. A car makes the wider Matala area much easier to reach, since the beach sits on the exposed south coast with no road nearby, so you can compare options for a hire car in Crete.
Red Beach has very few facilities. There is a simple stone-wall coffee shop that opens occasionally for food and drinks, plus a small number of umbrellas that fill up quickly. The only natural shade comes from a few tamarisk trees near the canteen, so it is worth bringing your own mat, umbrella, water, and snacks.
You can swim here, but the beach faces the prevailing western winds and the sea is often wavy, so take care on windier days. The reward for the effort is a quiet bay with panoramic views, clear water, and wide sunset views over the sea.
Red Beach was a favourite of hippies in the 1960s and 1970s, and enthusiasts have kept visiting ever since. The northern part of the beach is known as a nudist-friendly area and has an international reputation for it. The beach and its surroundings are protected under the Natura 2000 programme because of their ecological value.
At the northern end, a long limestone formation resembles the rock of Matala. It is decorated with carvings of Minoan and Egyptian sea figures made by Gerard, a Belgian admirer of Matala, and these sculptures have become part of the beach’s character.
Between Matala and Red Beach stands a large rock called Theosini, which gives wide views over Messara Bay. The sea has eroded it into a marine cave known as Kouroupi, reachable only by boat. The cave shelters endangered Mediterranean monk seals and several species of wild pigeon.
Walk the marked trail from the northern edge of Matala over Kastri hill, which takes about 15 to 25 minutes and includes some rock scrambling and a steep final descent. Alternatively, take a boat from Matala harbour for around 5 euros each way.
Yes, you can swim at Red Beach, but it faces the western winds and the sea is often wavy, so swim with care on windy days. Calmer conditions give clear blue-green water.
Red Beach rewards the short hike with rust-red sand, clear water, panoramic views, and quiet sunsets. Its limestone carvings and protected setting make it more than an ordinary swim stop.
Yes. The northern part of Red Beach is well known as a nudist-friendly area and has an international reputation for it.
Facilities are minimal: an occasional stone-wall coffee shop and a few umbrellas. Bring your own mat, umbrella, water, and food, since the only natural shade comes from a few tamarisk trees.
No. Red Beach has rust-red sand from the local rock, not pink sand. The pink-tinted sand Crete is famous for is at Elafonisi, in the southwest of the island.
Gournia, a remote area situated on the outskirts of the Pigaidakia village in the Asterousia Mountains, lies between Vathi beach and the rugged location of Sideropetra. This is along the route that links Matala with Vathi. Reaching Gournia from the mainland demands a high level of fitness due to the strenuous and shadeless journey. However, the raw charm of the landscape makes up for the difficulty.
The region is marked by the soft white limestone that has been eroded by the sea, giving it a resemblance to a lunar landscape. In Gournia, there are five successive, narrow, and rocky bays formed at the outlets of deep streams, reminiscent of tiny fjords. Several small natural ponds, or troughs, which give the place its name, Gournia (meaning troughs), are also present.
In the largest and most dramatic fjord, a small, captivating beach is occasionally formed, depending on the eastward carrying portable materials by the winter rains. This unnoticed beach was photographed by Manolis Dretakis and Nektarios Savvakis in May 2020, providing a delightful surprise as it was previously considered just a rocky bay.
To reach Gournia, one has to endure a walk from Matala, which takes around two and a half hours, or from Vathi, taking one and a half hours, where a dirt road from the Monastery of Panagia Odigitria leads to the area.
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