Larinaki & Listis Beach

On the southern coast of Crete, in the prefecture of Heraklion visitors will find beautiful and remote beaches. Two options that are unknown to most visitors east of the settlement of Keratokampos are Larinaki and Listis.

Larinaki

This is a most attractive beach with pebbles and very clear deep water. It is not organized, and you will encounter neither umbrellas nor sunbeds. A few tamarisks growing at the front of the beach offer shade to the visitor and the wandering campers that prefer this location. Just like a lot of other beaches in the area, the secluded nature of the beach attracts a lot of nudists. Near the beach, we find some tavernas, but for rent-rooms and other amenities you must go to Tsoutsouras a few kilometers to the west.

The area has proven to be archaeologically interesting – as indeed the whole Tsoutsouras area is. Graves from the Hellenistic and Roman period have been discovered in the region. To get to the beach, you follow signs following the road that starts at Tsoutsouras for about 7 km. Afterwards, you can continue towards the exquisite beach of Listis (the Robber), and a little further east to that of Kastri. The distance from Heraklion is 60 km and takes just over 1 hour.

Listis

The beach of Listis offers a most beautiful setting. It is a natural bay with huge rocks that forms a magnificent beach with sand, crystal-clear water and a sandy bottom. The name of the beach (meaning Robber) comes from a cave at a rocky section at the east end. According to the locals, the cave was used as the hiding spot of a robber. Listis does not offer any amenities and is not organized. There are no taverns nearby or accommodation options for visitors wishing to stay in the area. If you do not care for unsupervised camping, then you must make your way to the villages of Tsoutsouras and Keratokampos, where you will find plenty of options. To reach the beach, you will need to follow a steep path, alternatively, you can also walk along the coast from the nearby beach of Kamboula.