Under the Romans, Lebena (today’s Lendas) was a health spa cherished for its therapeutic springs. The ancient settlement stood right above the beach, but only two granite columns of a 4th-century-BC temple remain (along with a few discarded columns strewn about). Next to the temple was a treasury with a mosaic floor that is still visible. Very little else is decipherable, and the springs have been closed since the 1960s. Nearby, the Byzantine church of St John also remains.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.6 MILES
Crete’s most famous historical attraction is the Palace of Knossos, the grand capital of Minoan Crete, located 5km south of the city of Iraklio. The…
9.03 MILES
Gortyna (also Gortyn or Gortys) has been inhabited since Neolithic times but reached its pinnacle after becoming the capital of Roman Crete from around 67…
10.36 MILES
Phaestos was the second-most-important Minoan palace-city after Knossos and enjoys an awe-inspiring setting with panoramic views of the Messara Plain and…
19.77 MILES
Although just a huge and fairly featureless hole in the ground, Ideon has sacred importance in mythology as the place where Zeus was reared by his mother,…
29.93 MILES
Historic Moni Preveli cuts an imposing silhouette high above the Libyan Sea. Like most Cretan monasteries, it was a centre of resistance during the…
29.72 MILES
Also known as Palm Beach, dazzling Preveli is one of Crete’s most celebrated strands. At the mouth of the Kourtaliotiko Gorge, where the river…
25.43 MILES
Driving south from Arhanes, look for the turn-off for Giourtas. The narrow (but drivable) road leads to the top of Mt Yiouhtas. After a bone-rattling 5km,…
11.25 MILES
Well worth a detour to Vori, this nonprofit museum lifts the curtain on how rural people lived on the island until well into the 20th century. The English…
Nearby Iraklio Province attractions
0.6 MILES
About 1km west of town, over the headland, there’s a nice long stretch of sand called Diskos (or Dytikos), a naturists' favourite.
1.53 MILES
The pretty, if rocky, Loutro beach is the launching pad for a scenic 6km hike to Kronos via the Trakhoula Gorge. It’s about 5km east of Lendas. Its…
7.6 MILES
About 6km south of Sivas, Moni Odigitrias is a historic monastery with a tower from which the monks fought off the Turks, the Germans and the odd pirate…
4. Agia Marina Donkey Sanctuary
8.75 MILES
This place is for animal lovers. The passionate folk at Kiwi-run Agia Marina Donkey Sanctuary feed and care for abandoned donkeys. At research time, 22…
9.03 MILES
Gortyna (also Gortyn or Gortys) has been inhabited since Neolithic times but reached its pinnacle after becoming the capital of Roman Crete from around 67…
10.36 MILES
Phaestos was the second-most-important Minoan palace-city after Knossos and enjoys an awe-inspiring setting with panoramic views of the Messara Plain and…
10.6 MILES
Matala’s main beach below the caves is a lovely crescent but often gets uncomfortably crammed. To escape the crowds, follow signs to Red Beach, reached in…
10.75 MILES
Located 2km north of Matala near Pitsidia and reached by a steep and winding road, the sun-kissed sands of Kommos hug Messara Bay in one of the region's…