If you’ve had the chance to read Victoria Hislop’s The Island, I’m sure it’ll encourage you to check out the isle that was used as the main setting of the story.
The island of Spinalonga is situated on the northeastern side of Crete, which is one of the more renowned isles in Greece. From 1903 to 1957, the island was a leper colony. Leprosy was a dreaded disease and those who were sick with it were exiled there until doctors finally discovered that leprosy was a curable bacterial illness.
The island fortress was soon deserted and became closed to visitors. Spinalonga Island became famous again after it was used as the main setting for Hislop’s book and the series that followed it. Brilliant artists like, Stelios Mainas, Katerina Lechou and Aimilios Cheilakis were all in the show. The TV program offered a fairly accurate historical account. So, when the show was aired, a lot of people were able to better understand the island’s past and how it was used as a leper colony. Hislop’s novel was a huge bestseller, selling more than 850,000 copies in the United Kingdom alone, and over seventeen countries bought the rights for the book. Both the book and its spinoff became immensely popular to people around the globe because of its moving and riveting story.
Moved by the island’s intriguing past, a lot of people are now attempting to revive the island and proposals have been submitted to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for their consideration. Plans are now being analyzed and hopefully finalized soon. Previously closed due to lack of staff, the island is open on weekends and hopes to enjoy an economic surge from visitors.
Tourism initiatives such as these can only help Greece’s weakened economy and job market. It’s unlikely that corporate schemes would fail. But if they do, another alternative to keep out of debt is to capitalize on the remarkable and impressive stories about Greece.
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