South-central Crete is steeped in fascinating history and the southern shore is home to some of the island's best beaches. On this tour, you'll take in a traditional village market at Moires, followed by an afternoon of relaxation at Matala beach.

The journey begins with a visit to the village market in Moires, where you can experience the local lifestyle firsthand. Wander through the bustling stalls, each brimming with fresh produce, artisanal goods, and unique crafts. It's a fantastic opportunity to interact with local vendors, sample traditional Cretan foods, and perhaps pick up some souvenirs.

After exploring the market, we'll take you to the stunning Matala beach. In the 60s and 70s, Matala had a thriving hippie scene – and you can still feel the more bohemian vibe today. Spend your afternoon soaking up the sun, swimming in the inviting Mediterranean waters, or exploring the famed caves carved into the cliffs.

The new AI guides were very poor ; they kept losing signal and missing out vital information. Even worse, people who did not have smart phones, or were unable to use a smart phone, were left helpless. The app should have been sorted before making us guinea pigs for your company. The guide spoke German and I am sure she was very good but I could not understand the information she was giving. Matala is beautiful and well worth a visit but it would have been enhanced by better technology.

Beautiful place guide very knowledgeable tried new earphones connect to our phones so could read it. We did however kept losing the signal. The market was excellent could of definitely spent more time there than an hour. This could have been achieved by reduced time at Matala. Still plenty of time to eat and look in local shops for gifts. Enjoyed trip well worth the money thank you Julie White

We had specifically asked for an English speaking guide. Our guide spoke mostly in German. We were required to wear ear pods using our mobile phones to connect to a translation. THIS DID NOT WORK. WE FOUND THIS MOST UNSATISFACTORY. WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CRETE AND IN PARTICULAR THE AREA WE WERE TRAVELLING THROUGH. Even when English was spoken the noise from the bus and the crackle of the microphone drowned out most of what was being said.

The only disappointing part was the stop at Moires Market. We did not find it added much value to the excursion, as it mainly consisted of stalls selling low-cost clothing and general goods. There was very little of cultural or local interest, and we would have preferred to spend that time exploring more of Matala or a traditional Cretan village instead. The market stop felt unnecessary and did not enhance the overall experience.

Praktisch den ganzen Tag nur Bus gefahren in Relation zur Ausflugszeit. Als Gast im Kalimera Kriti zuerst abgeholt mit 25 min Verspätung und wieder als Letzter retour. Das geht gar nicht, An zig Hotels Leute abgeholt, wieso sagt einem dies niemand? Der Markt war nicht sehenswert. Matala war toll aber biel zu kurz. Sind eigentlich nur Bus gefahren!

Strand war nicht zum Baden geeignet. Starker, gefährlicher Wellengang.

Why you’ll love this…

You'll browse the stalls at the village market at Moires
You can buy some authentic souvenirs and local produce
There's time for sea swimming and relaxing at Matala Beach

Important to know

Bring swimming gear and sunblock

Cancellation policy

Receive a 100% refund if you cancel up to 1 day before the experience begins.

What’s included

Transport
German-speaking guide

Booking fee

Good news! No extra fees are applied to this booking.

Pickup points

To see which pickup points are available, check under availability & prices.

Provider

TUI Hellas Travel, Tourism and Airlines SA

What people say about this experience

4.4/5

All reviews are verified

Based on 202 reviews

Review categories

Safety

4.2/5

Service

5/5

Staff

5/5

Value for money

5/5

All ratings (202)

5 stars (110)

54%

4 stars (68)

34%

3 stars (20)

10%

2 stars (4)

1 star (0)

G
Gill
Travelled with a group of friends
22 June 2026
4.2
United Kingdom
The new AI guides were very poor ; they kept losing signal and missing out vital information. Even worse, people who did not have smart phones, or were unable to use a smart phone, were left helpless. The app should have been sorted before making us guinea pigs for your company. The guide spoke German and I am sure she was very good but I could not understand the information she was giving. Matala is beautiful and well worth a visit but it would have been enhanced by better technology.
J
Julie and John White
Travelled as a couple
22 June 2026
5
United Kingdom
Beautiful place guide very knowledgeable tried new earphones connect to our phones so could read it. We did however kept losing the signal. The market was excellent could of definitely spent more time there than an hour. This could have been achieved by reduced time at Matala. Still plenty of time to eat and look in local shops for gifts. Enjoyed trip well worth the money thank you Julie White
W
Would not recommend
Travelled as a couple
22 June 2026
2.6
United Kingdom
We had specifically asked for an English speaking guide. Our guide spoke mostly in German. We were required to wear ear pods using our mobile phones to connect to a translation. THIS DID NOT WORK. WE FOUND THIS MOST UNSATISFACTORY. WE WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CRETE AND IN PARTICULAR THE AREA WE WERE TRAVELLING THROUGH. Even when English was spoken the noise from the bus and the crackle of the microphone drowned out most of what was being said.
G
Gryta van Beek
Travelled with family
8 June 2026
3.8
United Kingdom
The only disappointing part was the stop at Moires Market. We did not find it added much value to the excursion, as it mainly consisted of stalls selling low-cost clothing and general goods. There was very little of cultural or local interest, and we would have preferred to spend that time exploring more of Matala or a traditional Cretan village instead. The market stop felt unnecessary and did not enhance the overall experience.
K
Kati
Travelled with family
9 July 2026
1.8
Germany
Praktisch den ganzen Tag nur Bus gefahren in Relation zur Ausflugszeit. Als Gast im Kalimera Kriti zuerst abgeholt mit 25 min Verspätung und wieder als Letzter retour. Das geht gar nicht, An zig Hotels Leute abgeholt, wieso sagt einem dies niemand? Der Markt war nicht sehenswert. Matala war toll aber biel zu kurz. Sind eigentlich nur Bus gefahren!
T
Tina
Travelled with family
8 July 2026
4.2
Germany
Strand war nicht zum Baden geeignet. Starker, gefährlicher Wellengang.