Archaeological Site of Matala
The necropolis of Matala with the tombs carved into the rock of the Graeco-Roman period, also known from the “flower people”.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
For many, Matala is synonymous with the “flower children”, who in the 1960s and 1970s used the characteristic caves of the area as a refuge. Few know that the caves carved into the rock were tombs of the Graeco-Roman period, while some are thought to have been used earlier as dwellings.
The archaeological value of the area is even greater: ancient Matelon was the port of the palaces of Minoan Phaistos and later, in Roman times, the port of Gortyn. At the archaeological site, next to the modern settlement, excavations that began in the 1980s brought to light houses and workshops for metalworking and pottery.
Highlights
- Rock-cut tombs of the Graeco-Roman period
- Port of Phaistos and Gortyn
- Houses and workshops for metalworking and pottery
- Operated by
- Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού – Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων Ηρακλείου
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
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| Reduced | €3People over 65 from Greece and the EU (with ID or passport), teachers accompanying school visits, and parents accompanying primary school pupils from Greece and the EU. |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 18 · Free admission for children up to 18 years of age, with ID or passport. |
| Seniors | €3Reduced ticket for people over 65 from Greece and the EU, with ID or passport. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with a disability (67% or more) and one companion, with ID or passport and a disability certificate (KEPA or the equivalent from abroad). |
| Students & apprentices | freeFree admission for young people aged 18–25 from Greece and the EU, with ID or passport. |
Free admission: 6 March, 18 April, 18 May, the last weekend of September, 28 October, and the first and third Sunday of each month from 1 November to 31 March.
Free and reduced admission also applies to other categories defined by the Ministry of Culture. Tickets are also available online via the Hellenic Heritage platform.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
There is an intercity bus connection from the city of Heraklion; the journey takes about 1 hour and 50 minutes.
By car
Parking available
By car from Heraklion, the journey takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes. From the village of Matala the site is about 7 minutes on foot.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | Two kilometres from Matala lies the sandy beach of Kommos, where the ruins of the second commercial harbour of Phaistos survive. |
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