South Crete: Escape to Matala Hippie Beach & Explore Gortys Archaeological Site
4.8
17 Ratings
Heraklion
Escape to Matala Hippie Beach and explore the ancient Gortys Archaeological Site in South Crete. Swim in crystal-clear waters, visit the famous Caves of the Village, and discover the rich history of the Roman capital of Crete.
Duration: 9 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Heraklion - We will start collecting participants from pick-up points in the morning.
    Depending on the place of your hotel/apartment the bus ride will differ.
  • Gortys - First stop will be at this unique archaeological place at the South of Crete, named Gortys, with sights from all periods of the 5000 years Cretan history.
    We will stay there for about 1hour.
  • Matala - Bus Drive to Matala: 20 minutes
    Free Time in Matala: 4.5 hours
    Clients are free to enjoy swimming, lunch and visit the famous hippy’s caves, the most popular hippies shelter during 60’s&70’s.
  • Heraklion - Embarkation in the buses and drive back to the hotels where we gathered participants in the morning.
    Depending on traffic and on the pick-up places of each one, the time of journey back to the hotel will differ.
What's Included
  • Liability Insurance Coverage by ALLIANZ for tour participants
  • Air-conditioned vehicles for comfort
  • Professional driver for safe transit
  • Knowledgeable tour guide for an insightful experience
  • Inclusive of all fees and taxes
What's Not Included
  • Entrance of Gortys Archaeological Site: 6€
  • Lunch
  • Matala Caves: 4€
Additional Information

Experience a day in the southern area of the Heraklion Region. Explore its coastline and the picturesque landscapes of Matala, take a dip in the pristine waters of the Libyan Sea and enjoy a stroll to the globally recognized caves of the village. Take in the vistas of the bay and roam through the village streets for some souvenir shopping or a bite to eat. On this trip, you’ll also explore the archaeological site of Gortyn, the Roman hub of the island of Crete, first settled around 7000 BC.

Location
Heraklion
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(17 Ratings)
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Yousef_a
Oct 23, 2023
A fun experience - It was fun and enjoyable. I liked it. The hippies beach was beautiful and had nice paintings and colors.
Review provided by Viator
Lisa_l
Oct 13, 2023
Take the tour! - This was an excellent tour. Matala beach is definitely worth checking out. The whole area has a unique vibe! Very picturesque!
Review provided by Viator
684fatenm
Oct 9, 2023
Matala tour with TripAdvisor - Matala is a great place to enjoy sitting and swimming in their beautiful beach, food is really good.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Companion15592682873
Sep 8, 2023
Original - Pretty beach with plenty of deckchairs. Very pretty with its cliffs. Original. Lots of nice little shops
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tessan187
Aug 31, 2023
Very nice day in Matala - Fast road from Angel Village Ligaria sector Very good explanations and welcome from the guide Interesting morning visit to Roman archaeological site Matala: 4 hours on site, beach, shopping and very nice restaurant Bring sea shoes because there are rocks before you can swim and masks and snorkels for snorkeling Picturesque caves
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jodiej106
Aug 28, 2023
Great trip, nice beach - Great tour operator, nice coach, picked us up with no issues, took us to a small archeological site as a stop off on the way, we travelled through amazing mountains and see some great sites, matala is a wonderful place beach so chilled and lovely seafood and some shopping and the caves which you do need good shoes on the climb. Beach is small stones and pebbles with a bit of sand… Great to trek to the south side of the island and explore a little. My son is 12 and my niece 23 we all enjoyed it
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Autoviaggio
Aug 14, 2023
An excellent agency to get to know the island of Crete and its wonders - During our holiday in Crete, we had the opportunity to participate in several excursions with this Agency, such as Matala, the beaches of Elafonissi, Balos and Gramvusa, there were also others but the time spent on the island was not It was a lot, I would also add excellent organisation, highly trained guides, exceptional buses and minibuses with excellent drivers. I recommend it to you
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Clarisse
Aug 4, 2023
Excursion into the depths of the country - Departure early in the morning by coach and crossing the island, with comments in the chosen language (French) which explain the particularities of the island, the habits and customs of the inhabitants, the history of the villages and archaeological sites through which we we passed. The guide was funny, the explanations always very interesting and very approachable. Visits to the Gortys and Matala site are done independently. Probably my best day of the stay! The break on Matala beach was an incredible moment of relaxation surrounded by majestic landscapes, enhanced by a swim in turquoise water!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Steff
May 30, 2023
Brilliant day at matala - Joanna at the sissi office booked this tour for us. We are a family of 5 with 3 young boys aged 2 4 and 7. This was a brilliant day. The archaeological site was interesting. The beach at matala is amazing. Brilliant swimming and great sea food. The day flew by. A longish journey from sissi but worth it as the drive itself is an experience seeing the beautiful island. Would recommend. Joanne is a brilliant and informative tour operator who I would trust to recommend an excellent day out suited to your needs.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa_r
Jun 17, 2023
Creran odyssey - Great day adventuring , Great to have a nice amount of time in Matala. Have done a few tours with the same company recently and they have all been lovely. I particularly like the happy driver who collected is from bus at the end of day.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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