Matala

Matala is the most ancient village in the whole of Crete. It is located 66 kilometers from Herakleion, on the southern coast of the island.  Once a small fishing village, today it has developed into a tourist resort. It has by far the best-known beach in the Herakleion province mainly because of the famous caves cut into the cliffs above its beautiful sands.  During the 1st and 2nd century CE the caves were used as tombs by the Romans.  Some caves may even have been used as prehistoric dwellings.

Click on the thumbnails below in order to see pictures of Matala.  Use your browser's back button to return to this page.

     

The clear waters and famous caves of Matala.		Being the psycho volleyball players that we are, we just had to photograph this volleyball court, which ended up being the only volleyball court we saw in Greece.		Grisel at Matala.
West of Matala, in the open waters of the Messaras Bay, are two uninhabited islands known as Paximadia.		The caves are carved out of limestone cliffs on the sheer side of the north hill of Matala.		The hollowed-out rock caves of Matala.
Caves at Matala.		Jeff at the caves at Matala.		Jeff at the caves at Matala.
The beach of Matala opens like an embracing arm into the Libyan Sea.		The Libyan Sea and Matala.		Interesting formation in one of the caves at Matala.
Matala cave "window".		Tombs at Matala.		Tombs at Matala.

© All pictures are Copyright 2000 Grisel Gonzalez and Jeff Prosise