Lendas

Lendas is a picturesque seaside village located 74km south of Heraklion, on the southern slopes of the Asterousia Mountains. It belongs to the community of Miamou and has developed into a quiet tourist destination, well suited to relaxing holidays beside the South Cretan Sea.

Lendas is reached through the mountainous road network of the Asterousia range. The route crosses a rugged landscape and offers panoramic views of the sea and the southern coast of Crete.

The surrounding area has several quiet beaches and small coves. West of the village lies Dyskos beach, while the beach of Lendas, directly in front of the settlement, is the busiest and best-organised beach in the area. The present harbour is located farther east, at Loutra.

The modern village is built on the site of the ancient city of Levena, which flourished during the Hellenistic and Roman periods as the harbour of Gortyn. Levena became particularly renowned for its sanctuary of Asclepius, established near a healing spring and developed into an important therapeutic centre of the ancient world.

Near the archaeological site stands the Byzantine church of Saint John the Theologian, built partly with materials taken from earlier buildings of the ancient city.

The landscape around Lendas is distinguished by unusual rock formations. The cape west of the village resembles the head of a lion, a rock near Cape Psamidomouri looks like an elephant, and farther east Cape Trafoulas resembles a crocodile. According to a local legend, the three petrified animals remained behind to guard the area forever.

Tripiti beach at Asterousia

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Tripiti is located 73km south of Heraklion and 12km east of Lendas, in a small valley formed at the exit of Tripiti Gorge, which should not be confused with the gorge of the same name in Chania. It takes its name from the church of Panagia Tripiti, which is built inside a cave in the gorge.

Lendas beach

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Lendas is a remote coastal village located 74km south of Heraklion, on the southern slopes of the imposing Asterousia Mountains. It is a tourist resort and a port, mildly developed offering very relaxing holidays. Lendas can be accessed from Agii Deka, close to Mires town, via the village of Miamou, through a narrow paved road.

Trafoulas beach

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Trafoulas or Dragon Bay is located 4km east of Lendas and 69km south of Heraklion. It is a completely isolated beach of south Crete, which is formed at the exit of a small canyon on the Cape Trafoulas or Trahilas. According to the legend, this beach was visited by King Minos and his men, while the neighbouring Loutra beach was the bathing beach of Minos's wife, Pasiphae, and her female followers.

Tripiti Gorge

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The gorge of Trypiti is formed at the range Asterousia, to the south of the village Vassiliki. The length of the canyon reaches 4 km and a beautiful pebble beach is formed at its exit. The beach is reached though a dirt road that runs high along the eastern side of the canyon for several kilometers before reaching its riverbed, just before the exit to the sea.

Platia Peramata beach

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It is located at the exit of a small valley, a rare phenomenon in the wild Asterousia Mountains, which starts from the village Antiskari and ends in settlement. The fertile valley is used for growing early vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, etc., since the temperature here is always high. Characteristic of the warm climate is that the swallows do not leave the area in winter.

Loutra beach

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Loutra (i.e. Baths) is located 3km east of the seaside village Lendas, 77km south of Heraklion. It is known to locals because it hosts the port of Lendas, which is protected by the Cape Trafoulas on the east.

Tsigounas beach

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West of Lendas you'll meet the small village of Tsigounas with the small beach of Limanaki (harbor) used as a local harbour, due to its protected orientation. Tsigounas name derives from the word tsigounis (stingy) referring to a local spring with a small quantity of water.

Trafoulas Gorge

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This is a short canyon, easily accessed that leads to the beach of Psili Ammos. The gorge has water till early spring, while it is actually a part of a longer gorge.

Lendas

Lendas

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