CAR ROUTE 48- ‘Matala’
Gortys – Matala – Phaistos
What makes Routaki autoroute 48 - 'Matala' so special:
- You start the route at the Gortys excavations, with extensive explanations
- the opportunity to visit the Messara archaeological museum
- the special story of Agia Deka and her ten saints
- the information about the Messara plain - its fertility and past
- the herbal shop Botano in Listaros
- possibility to visit the Monastery of Odigitrias
- crossing the international village of Pitsidia
- climbing the caves of Matala
- enjoy the sandy beach among the hippies
- enjoy the viewpoint over Kommos with its excavations
- see the excavations of the second largest Minoan palace of Festos
- hear the stories of Agia Triada
- enjoy the views over Tympaki and its airport
- Finally, visit the ethnological museum of Vori
What makes Routaki autoroute 48 - 'Matala' so special:
- You start the route at the Gortys excavations, with extensive explanations
- the opportunity to visit the Messara archaeological museum
- the special story of Agia Deka and her ten saints
- the information about the Messara plain - its fertility and past
- the herbal shop Botano in Listaros
- possibility to visit the Monastery of Odigitrias
- crossing the international village of Pitsidia
- climbing the caves of Matala
- enjoy the sandy beach among the hippies
- enjoy the viewpoint over Kommos with its excavations
- see the excavations of the second largest Minoan palace of Festos
- hear the stories of Agia Triada
- enjoy the views over Tympaki and its airport
- Finally, visit the ethnological museum of Vori
This route starts at the parking lot of the Gortys excavations and is 66 km long (see the starting point on the Google maps map). The idea behind this Routaki route is that it will take you a whole day. Enjoy the excavations, beaches and villages you drive through.
This route takes place in the southwest corner of the widest part of the island. From Gortys you are forced to drive a short distance west, so you can also visit the Archaeological Museum of Messara. This route then leads you through the village of Agia Deka and then across the fertile Messara plain to Petsidia and Matala. There you will of course have plenty of time to view the village itself, but also to visit the well-known 'hippie caves'.
Once you drive on the Messara plain, various RAGiFs [Routaki Audio Guide info Files] have already explained what you have encountered or seen along the way. This is the special thing about a Routaki route; you get the right information at the right time. For example, you have already received a lot of information about the Gortys excavations before your departure. As you pass a field full of carnations you will hear why they are grown here in full numbers and how they are 'used'. Your own smartphone 'talks' and 'plays' as a guide about things you encounter along the way, or that are generally important for Crete.
You continue driving and follow the directions given and displayed by your own smartphone or tablet. Routaki routes uses the VoiceMap app. With this GPS-interactive software you always know where you are and the software knows what to play or display.
And all that off-line. You download the app for free, create an account and purchase this route. The route is downloaded and is at your disposal forever. You can even listen to it in advance in the audio-book version for your pre-holiday-fun.
The spoken texts, but also the images ensure that you drive around with a safe feeling and you realize that it is almost impossible to get lost. Even sharp bends or potholes are noted. If you deviate from the route, the app will notify you so you can return to the route.
However, you can also interrupt or stop the route whenever you want. You can take a break, go swimming, take a walk in the woods or continue the route on another day. Whatever you want. If you wish to continue the route, simply press the 'Resume' button and the route will be displayed again.
The second part of the route takes you via the beaches of Kommos to the grand excavation site of Phaistos. If that's not enough, you will also pass by Agia Triada and the Ethnological Museum in the village of Vori. The real agricultural towns of Tympaki and Mires can be visited optionally. The route ends just before Mires, giving you the choice of taking the southern highway via Spili towards Rethymnon, or the same highway back towards Heraklion.
This route naturally includes audio items about the Gortys and Fortis excavations. The hippie history of Matala is mentioned and why the beaches of Kommos are so special. In addition, the RaGiFs talk about agricultural products, but also some plants and tree species.
In total there are 25 different RaGiF's in route 48, in addition to all the audio explaining the route. The route is up-to-date and very extensively recorded, with images for indication or clarification.
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Install the free VoiceMap app and find this route among more than 1,400 other routes available.
Some useful tips:
- Bring your smartphone battery charger.
- Maintain an average speed of 55-60 km.
- Wear appropriate clothing for churches and monasteries.
- Purchase the correct language version of the route (Dutch or English).
- Ensure that the route is NOT set to the audio-book setting.
- If you have one, bring a smartphone holder
- Disable automatic screen turn-off (don’t forget to put it back on afterwards)
