Lendas Beach (also known as Lentas or Lentasis) is part of the village of the same name and is a narrow strip of coastline stretching between the resort's buildings and the sea. The tourist resort of Lentas is one of the smaller and quieter resorts of Crete, but it has a very interesting history, as in the past the town served as one of the two ports of Gortys, which was the most powerful Cretan city during the Roman rule. The approach to the resort and the beach is particularly impressive, thanks to the surrounding high cliffs you descend down a narrow path from an incredible height to the coast.

The beach just adjacent to the village of Lentas is covered with a mixture of sand and pebbles, while on the seabed you will find a coarser surface and here and there larger pieces of stones and rocks, which is not surprising given the rocky surroundings. The beach is located in a small bay, bordered by Cape Psamidomouri to the east, and its western end is closed by Cape Lion, which from afar really resembles a large reclining lion. The name of the village itself refers to the king of animals, as it comes from the Greek word 'Leondas', which translates as 'lion'.

Lendas beach is partially organised, with sunbeds and umbrellas (provided free of charge) available at its busiest point, and beach showers and water sports on offer. There are several nice tavernas and restaurants near the beach, and others further away from the beach in the resort. Even today, the village still has its fishing tradition, as a significant part of the menus of the local taverns is made up of fresh seafood from the fishermen. The beach also includes a small fishing harbour.

Thanks to the surrounding rocks, the beach is relatively well protected from the wind and the sea in this area tends to be rather calm and nicely heated. However, it stands out above all for its cleanliness, as evidenced by the diverse underwater life here. If you like snorkelling or diving, make sure you get the necessary equipment, because the underwater world here will offer you an extraordinary spectacle. If you venture further away from the noise of tourists to the surrounding rocky outcrops, you may even spot a giant kareta turtle swimming peacefully beside you. The Caretta-caretta turtles are protected and it is on Lendas beach that they lay their eggs in the sand between May and September, which then hatch into baby turtles.

Lendas is one of the quietest beaches, but if you want more privacy, head east along the coastline where you'll find several isolated and secluded beaches, often popular with nudists. Further east of Lendas beach are the smaller beaches of Petrakis and Loutra, and after a few kilometres you'll reach the long sandy beach of Tris Ekklisies, which is protected by a wall of high cliffs (the town of Tris Ekklisies is reached by a winding road down to the coast from the top of the cliffs). If, on the other hand, you head west along the coast, you will reach Dyskos or Gerokampos beaches.

More touristic destinations of Crete

Most favourite beaches of Crete: Amoudara Beach (Heraklion), Balos Beach, Elafonisi Beach, Falassarna Beach, Glyka Nera Beach (Sweet Water), Matala Beach, Platanias Beach, Preveli Beach, Stalis Beach, Stavros Beach, Vai Beach, Voulisma Beach, Xerokampos Beach

Resorts, beaches, sights or trips - clearly listed on the map of Crete.