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Matala Beach Festival celebrates music, freedom, and the spirit of community. Set against the iconic caves of Matala, it brings together people of all ages for three days of live performances, beach energy, and shared moments. Matala Beach Festival 2026 is expected to take place in early July on Matala’s main beach. The exact dates will be announced and updated closer to the event.
But the Matala Beach Festival is not just about the music; it’s a celebration of unity, freedom, and the indomitable spirit of human connection. It’s a place where strangers become friends, where barriers are broken, and where love and acceptance reign supreme.
The Matala Beach Festival is one of Europe’s biggest free music festivals.
In June 2011 the Festos Municipality threw a festival on the beach to celebrate the launch of the ‘Myth of Matala’ book featuring photos of the hippie cave residents during the 60s & 70s. It was a hippie reunion. 35,000 people heard about it and flocked to Matala beach.
In June 2012 over 58,000 people visited the festival weekend and the word is quickly spreading. It was a huge success as free events which brought together music and arts fans from all generations together on the beach beneath the caves to celebrate peace, love and happiness.
Matala Beach Festival 2013 introduced to 70.000 people the meaning of LIFE! In June 2013, they have invited Harry Keyworth to be the first solo artist to drive the Road To Matala Tour along the original ‘hippie trail’ of the 1960s and 1970s.
Overland from London to Crete in the VW Beetle. The tour culminated in Harry performing on stage at Matala Beach alongside artists including Hugh Cornwell, former frontman of The Stranglers, The Doors Tribute, Janis Joplin Tribute, Locomondo, Pink Floyd Tribute, Tonis Sfinos and many more!
During the Matala Beach Festival, there are several accommodation options available in and around Matala. You can camp for free at Matala campsite. It offers basic services on a large 40,000 m2 area next to Matala beach. It’s a low-cost option with showers, toilets, and hot water, allowing visitors to experience the “Myth of Matalas” like in hippie times in the 60s and 70s. It’s important to note that the campsite offers basic services and may have limited capacity, so it’s advisable to arrive early to secure a spot.
You can also check the following hotels in the area:
Learn more about Matala village.
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Set in Matala, a few steps from Matala beach and 1.1 km from Red Sand Beach, Διαμέρισμα Villa Iro offers air conditioning. It has a garden, mountain views and free WiFithroughout the property.
The apartment with a balcony and sea views features 1 bedroom, a living room, a TV, an equipped kitchen with an oven and a toaster, and 1 bathroom with a hot tub. Towels and bed linen are featured in the apartment.
A car rental service is available at the apartment.
Phaistos is 12 km from Διαμέρισμα Villa Iro, while Museum of Cretan Ethnology is 15 km away. The nearest airport is Heraklion International, 64 km from the accommodation, and the property offers a paid airport shuttle service.
Located in Matala, just a few steps from Matala beach, Teacher’s Apartment provides beachfront accommodation with free WiFi. The air-conditioned accommodation is 1.1 km from Red Sand Beach.
The apartment with a balcony and sea views features 1 bedroom, a living room, a flat-screen TV, an equipped kitchen with an oven and a microwave, and 1 bathroom with a walk-in shower. Towels and bed linen are featured in the apartment.
A car rental service is available at the apartment.
Phaistos is 12 km from Teacher’s Apartment, while Museum of Cretan Ethnology is 15 km away. The nearest airport is Heraklion International, 64 km from the accommodation, and the property offers a paid airport shuttle service.
Situated in Matala and only 100 metres from Matala beach, ROOF GARDEN SUITE features accommodation with sea views, free WiFi and free private parking. This apartment provides air-conditioned accommodation with a terrace.
The apartment has 1 bedroom, a flat-screen TV with streaming services and a fully equipped kitchen that provides guests with a dishwasher, an oven, a washing machine, a microwave and a toaster.
Red Sand Beach is 1 km from the apartment, while Phaistos is 12 km from the property. The nearest airport is Heraklion International Airport, 64 km from ROOF GARDEN SUITE.
from
€143
/night
Ageliki Studio is an accommodation located in Matala, a few steps from Matala beach and 700 metres from Red Sand Beach. This property offers access to a balcony and free WiFi.
The air-conditioned apartment consists of 1 bedroom, a kitchenette with dining area, and 1 bathroom with shower. Towels and bed linen are offered.
Both a bicycle rental service and a car rental service are available at the apartment, while hiking can be enjoyed nearby.
Kommos Beach is 1.8 km from Ageliki Studio. The nearest airport is Heraklion International Airport, 71 km from the accommodation.
from
€85
/night
The Cretan Diet Festival 2026 is scheduled to return in early July at the Rethymno Municipal Garden. The exact date will be announced later. Tickets are available at the entrance.
Cretan Diet Festival promotes local food culture and supports regional producers. The event highlights Cretan products and encourages trade for local farmers and artisans.
Each year, the Rethymno municipal garden hosts a week of culinary and cultural activities. Visitors explore Cretan cuisine through direct interaction with wine producers, cheesemakers, and small-scale farmers. The festival offers food tastings, exhibitions, and traditional music and dance events.
Cretan Diet Festival presents a direct experience of Cretan life. The focus remains on ingredients sourced from the island and the community built around them.
Date: July 2026
Location: Rethymno Municipal Garden
Tickets: Tickets are available at the entrance
Chania Rock Festival is one of the most significant rock and metal music festivals in Greece.
Since 2002, the Chania Rock Festival has presented the best of the best in metal on stage in Chania, Crete. From the Greek rock scene to the international rockstars, if you like to headbang and jam out to metal, then the Chania Rock Festival is the music festival in Greece you’ve been searching for to live it up with fellow metal fans.
The Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos on August 15th is one of the most significant holidays in the Greek Orthodox calendar, celebrating the “falling asleep” and Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Neapoli hosts the largest festival in the prefecture, attracting thousands of visitors and Cretan musicians.
Celebrations begin on August 14th with a cycle race and a long-distance run ending in Neapoli’s central square. After the evening church service, young men race up and down the steep mountainside to the Timios Stavros summit. The square transforms into a lively party with traditional singing, dancing, live music, and a market offering toys, icons, and clothing, continuing into the early hours.
On August 15th, a lengthy church service is followed by a grand procession of the Virgin Mary’s icon through the town, accompanied by priests, dignitaries, and the Neapoli Town Band. The festivities, combining religious, sporting, and cultural events, make this a unique and vibrant two-day celebration.
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