Greece - Crete, Matala

Sunset at the beach of Matala.

Matala once was the place of the flower power and the hippy-scene. Before 1970, when the flower-children and the hippies overrunned the quiet fishing village, Matala only existed of ten houses, one tavern, a beautiful beach and of course the ancient cave houses to which Matala owns her fame.

Nobody knows quite who started cutting these caves, but it seems likely that they were first hollowed out as Roman or early Christian tombs. The artificial caves, with their passages, stone beds and fireplaces, have now been put under monumental care.