Day 7 – Knossos, Zaros, Matala, Spili

We had a lot planned for today, so we left right after breakfast and headed towards Heraklion. Shortly before reaching the city, a turnoff leads to probably the most famous archaeological site in Crete – Knossos.

Knossos is truly impressive. The sprawling palace complex with its red columns and elaborate frescoes was absolutely imposing.

We wandered through the ruins. The size of the buildings and the perfectly reconstructed murals, depicting scenes from a long-lost era, were especially fascinating.

Greek mythology comes back to life in this place. One almost expects to encounter King Minos and the Minotaur between the impressive columns. I’ve always been a huge fan of Greek mythology, so I was absolutely happy here.

We continued south to the mountain village of Zaros, picturesquely situated on a hillside. The village is best known for its fresh springs, but also for the lush nature that surrounds it.

We strolled through the narrow lanes with their whitewashed houses. We stopped at a romantic taverna and, as always, ordered our favorite dishes of Greek cuisine: Greek salad, souvlaki, stuffed vine leaves, and other delicacies.

Then we continued on to Matala, which rose to fame in the 1960s as a hotspot for hippies. They had settled in the historic caves carved into a cliff at the end of the long beach.

Today, the caves are no longer inhabited, but they can still be visited.

However, it’s not just the caves that are worth a visit – the village itself shouldn’t be overlooked.

It lies beautifully right by the sea. Today, the village is filled with tourists, but it has still managed to retain the charm of the fishing village it once was.

We spent some time at the lovely, wide sandy beach. In the village, we treated ourselves to some cool drinks and picked up a few souvenirs.

The sun was already very low in the sky when we slowly began our journey home.

This time, however, we chose a different route, as we wanted to stop in Spili on the way.

By the time we arrived, it was already dark. This idyllic village exceeded all our expectations. Surrounded by mountains, it is perched on a hillside. It is best known for its traditional stone houses and the lion fountain.

In the evening, Spili was bustling with life. The restaurants and cafés were very busy, and the atmosphere was relaxed. People clearly enjoyed the coolness of the evening after another hot day.

We joined them and ordered some coffee.

Then it was time to finally begin the long drive back. Another wonderful day on this beautiful island had come to an end.