Prevali and Matala

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29 September 2014

We drove eastward and soon came to the Monastery of Moni Prevali set high above the Libyan Sea. It is well known for sheltering allied troops while they were awaiting evacuation by submarine during the German occupation of 1941. Close by is the stunning Preveli beach at the mouth of the oleander palm lined Megalopotamos River. From the car park above it we walked down a steep1k path to enable us to have a stroll amongst the palms.

A further 65k drive brought us to attractive Matala set in a westward facing bay flanked by cliffs dotted with Roman tomb caves. The caves were used by hippies in the late 1960s as rent-free residencies and the feel of this era is still evident.

After a swim we drove out of town in the evening sunshine and found a fantastic cliff top place to park the van just outside a taverna where we feasted on mussels and prawns in spaghetti doused with a white wine, garlic and tomato sauce. A delicious way to end a lovely Cretan day.

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