Matala – the legendary hippie mecca, during the day is a crowded and loud place, filled with tourist coaches from hotels in the north of the island. This is one of the most important tourist destinations of Crete. It is difficult to feel the atmosphere of an old village in such conditions. We have another idea for Matala. We invite you for a walk along the sky path, leading over the cliffs of the southern coast between Kommos and Matala. It is an extremely scenic trail. All the time we will be accompanied by impressive views of rocky cliffs, the Libyan Sea below, Kommos and Kalamaki beaches, Paximadia islands, Kedros mountains and the Ida mountain peaks. On the way, we also go down to the water line to take a bath in an isolated small fjord and then look for numerous fossils in limestone rocks. Our goal will be the cliffs above Matala. We will see the beach and buildings of the settlement from above, in silence and without a crowd of tourists. We will return the path through the hills, still having the highest peak of Crete Psiloritis in front of the eyes and the fertile plain of Mesaras below. After the journey, before the evening, when large coaches start leaving Matala, there will be plenty of time to visit the beach and hippie caves.


  • view of the legendary Matala from a completely different perspective, away from the crowd of tourists, in the silence and majesty of the rocks
  • panorama of the southern coast from Agia Galini to Kommos with the Ida range in the background
  • swimming on a secluded beach
  • numerous fossils on the trail

About 3 hours

Around 4km

About 200m

Path, stones, boulders, rock, gravel road, in some places a large drop

Average

10 AM

Kommos beach, Mystical View tavern (access by own means of transport)

Kommos beach distances from:

  • Matala: 10min (4,3km)
  • Spili: 1h (50km)
  • Heraklion: 1h 22min (70km)
  • Plakias: 1h 30min (71km)
  • Rethymno: 1h 36min (77km)
  • water
  • beach accessories (towel, swimming trunks, sunblock)
  • snack if you need (at the beginning and end of the trail – taverns in Kommos, on the trail – no taverns and shops)
  • comfortable hiking shoes
  • flip flops, crocs or shoes to the sea to the beach
  • a comfortable outfit
  • a hat
  • sunglasses