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Lendas in southern Crete |
Lendas, or Lentas, is located about 35 kilometres south of
Zaros in Heraklion region
and has about 80 inhabitants. Lendas was, just like Matala, a hippy resort
during the happy sixties and seventies. There are no hippies left today,
either in Matala or
here in Lendas. But the cool atmosphere remains. Note that Lendas
is just as often written with a T, i.e. Lentas.
The beach in Lendas in one direction.
In the good old days, most people stayed in tents or slept under the sky. Now the former hippies return with their families to stay comfortable in cosy pensions. Lendas is really something of a returning paradise. Once Lendas always Lendas seems to be the motto.
The beach in Lendas in the other direction.
The village is small and almost completely car-free. Almost all buildings are pensions or tavernas, but Lendas do still not feels like a touristy place. You get more of a feeling of visiting an adult day nursery where time has stopped. The few streets starts from the square and leads down towards the beach. Lendas can in a way be compared to Loutro in Chania Region, but they are really like two different worlds.
Read about Loutro in Chania Region here »View of the Loutro-like village of Lendas. The tiny village of Dytikos on the right. Lentas is located at the end of the road and the landscape is extremely barren. From my favorite village Zaros, it is about 35 kilometers to Lendas.To the right in the picture you see the tiny village of Dytikos peep out, there lies a beach that is better than the one in Lendas. Dytikos beach is located 2 kilometres west of Lendas. |
The beach is quite okay and it is lined with tavernas and pensions with great location. Sitting down at one of the beachside tavernas and looking out over the sea is really worth the long journey here. Here you will find several nice tavernas serving great homemade Cretan food. One of the better tavernas at the beach is El Greco. Here I have eaten one of the best Fasolakia I have ever eaten.
At Taverna El Greco in Lendas you eat excellent food.
I had the best Fasolakia I ever ate at Taverna El Greco in Lendas.
If you are fond of low-key tourist resorts where peace and quiet is the main brand, you will love Lendas. All facilities are available. There used to be no ATM, but there has been for a few years now. Previously, you had to bring cash when you travelled to Lendas. It is not common that you can pay by card.
The "square" in Lendas. |
Tavernas, hotels and pensions above the beach in Lendas.
Svenska Kulturcentret Lendas Kreta is a non-profit association that organizes a variety of courses in Lendas during the summer months. The Cultural Centre offers courses in everything between heaven and earth, including yoga, choir singing, watercolour painting, photograph and theatre. Unfortunately, 2022 was the last year, the pandemic broke the last strength of the project. But Peter Östman Hillered and Eva Östman Hillered continue to give workshops under their own auspices in their newly built house which they call Lendas East Hill. Read more on their website.
Outside of Lendas is this strange rock called The Elephant Rock.
ACCOMMODATION IN LENDASThere are more hotels and pensions than you might think. Looking for a room on site works depending on the season. The smartest thing to do is to book in advance because Lendas is at the end of the world.
There are more hotels and pensions than you might think in Lendas.
Below are suggestions for good hotels in Lendas.
Book Pantheon Studios here »Book Lendas Paradise here »Book Athina Residence here »Book other hotels in Lendas here » |
WHAT YOU MUST NOT MISS WHEN YOU ARE IN THE AREADon't miss Dytikos beach, which you can read about here »Read more about Crete here » |
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© 2007-2024 | Janni Eklund | Kalispera and Kalimera. |