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Enjoy a guided day trip to South Crete from Heraklion. Explore the archaeological site of Gortyna, chill out in the beautiful historical village of Matala and visit the caves of hippies by the beach.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later: Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 8.5 - 10.5 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English, German, French, Italian
Pickup included: Pickup is available from a list of pickup points in Stalis, Malia, Hersonisos, and Sisi. You will receive a personalized email about the exact place and time of pickup, within 24 hours after making the booking. Please check your spam folder.

Highlights

Step back in time as you admire history at the archaeological site of Gortyna
Trace the history of Crete with artifacts that date back to the Neolithic Age
Swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Libyan Sea or sunbathe on Matala beach
Purchase a ticket to see the caves where the hippies once lived in Matala
Be picked up and dropped off from select locations on the island of Crete

Full description

Take and airconditioned bus trip through South Crete on this day trip with pickup from Heraklion. Travel back in time as you explore Cretan history at the Gortys archeological site and have plenty of free time to soak up the vibes of at the colorful, seaside town of Matala.

Be picked up from the comfort of your accommodation in selected locations on Crete in the morning. Drive for 1.5 hours to the Gortys archeological site. Purchase a ticket to the site to uncover sights from 5000 years of Cretan history.

Take a short drive to Matala and spend 4.5 hours of free time where you can go swimming, sunbathe at the beach, purchase a ticket to the local caves or have lunch at a charming seaside café.

Return to your accommodation in Crete at the end of your free time in Matala.

Includes

Hotel pickup and drop-off from select locations
Transportation in an air-conditioned bus
Driver
Guide
Liability insurance coverage

Archaeological Site entry (6€)
Entrance to the caves (4€)
Food and drinks

Important information

What to bring

Comfortable shoes
Sunglasses
Hat
Swimwear
Towel
Sunscreen
Water
Beachwear

Know before you go

This tour takes place rain or shine

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.5 /5

based on 127 reviews

Review summary

Guide
4.9/5
Transportation
4.5/5
Value for money
4.3/5

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We had a great time on this excursion! Travel time from Heraklion was not too long. Note there is little to no signage at the Gortyn site, so I’d recommend doing some quick research in advance in order to get the most out of that stop. In Matala, the caves were visible from the beach, and a few at the bottom reachable for strong swimmers, so we didn’t feel the need to pay the extra fee to walk up to the caves. Our only complaint is we wished we had more free time in Matala!

June 29, 2023

Heraklion: Matala Beach, Hippie Caves, and Gortyn Day Trip

Heraklion: Matala Beach, Hippie Caves, and Gortyn Day Trip

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