Hitting The Matala Hippie Trail

Matala is a village located 75km south-west of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.

In the 1960's, the caves were occupied by hippies who were later driven out by the church and the military junta. Matala's hippie history relives during the 3 days Matala Beach Festival (since 2011).

Mythology

When Zeus seduced the princess Europa in the form of a white bull, he crossed the sea and brought her to the beach of Matala. There he changed into an eagle and flew her to Gortys where he had sex with her.

[RichBacon-cj]

I was there in 1969. The caves on the right side, when facing the water, was originally a leper colony. Fascinating carvings of bookshelves and even a table carved by removing the floor down with a remaining top that became the table. When I arrived those caves were filled, so we went to the other side where there were only a few undeveloped caves but what a view. It was still isolated with people from all over the world. We would go to a shack where a Greek made white wine in old milk containers. We each carried an empty bottle attached to a belt loop by a leather strap, he would fill the empty wine bottle for the equivalent of 10 cents, American. The milk containers emitted their fragrance and bees would collect, some got to close to the wine and fell into the ambrosia and drowned. Consequently, we would have bees in our wine and when we reached the last sip, it was an honor to gulp the last of the wine with the bees therein. The mail arrived once a week, on a Thursday, that night when certain 'substances' had been delivered, was wild with fun and joyful madness. I could go on but I feel I must write a book about this adventure and many such more on my journeys.

[Holdenfold]

I was there in Matala in August 1965 hitch-hiking en-route from Mt Ararat in Turkey to climb Mt Olympus in Greece.... I had little money living on Sardines & crackers. Remembering diving from sleeping in my nitch in one of the caves diving into the sea to brush my teeth each morning ... there wasn't the periphery of buildings as you see today... good to see some of the pld boys keeping the spirit alive with generating these festivals.
Originally from Manchester area now living in Vancouver< British Columbia... working in 16 countries & travelling 145 ... I now return to Madagascar periodically where the true wild still you can find & exist

[CoolGrandpa]

Too late - by about 50 years: too early - 10.00am in Matala !
Love the place, thanks for the video.

[keithdickens]

Watching with my friend who is reminiscing about his time there in 1980, the good old days and thanks for the vlog

[PaulMack-oo]

Interesting and a different video ... Much Love ❤

[RichBacon-cj]

I just watched the video. What a drastic transformation. But this seems to happen when a great locale gets discovered. More people arrive and things change. I still have the exquisite memories. I suppose if it is one's first time in Matala, then it is a special place. Oh, well.

[rumirill]

A sad & lonely place, full of empty dreams of bygone times

[ClaudioGabrielSalgado-qtee]

A soul sacrifice...so sad 'n' empty spaces. Sinked 🤢(from Jujuy, Argentina)

[TarpeianRock]

I wonder sometimes : what did they actually do the hippies once at Matala ? There was nothing there save a few houses. I’d get bored out of my mind just hanging around singing songs and smoking weed all day…Doing nothing is just fine once you’re retired but when that young and full of energy ?

[sybillefeierabend]

🌈Die 70ger waren einfach klasse! 🎨🪕🪘...🎶
.Nicht umsonst nannte man sie 🏵Flower Power Zeit☮, und ich bin so froh sie noch erlebt zu haben!😄
Dagegen laufen heute alle rum wie ferngesteuert....👾- nicht zu beneiden.

[smesui]

TURKiYE 🇹🇷 had many hippies and still does.