Spinalonga Island can be found on the eastern part of Crete. The island got its name from the Venetian term ‘spina lunga,’ which stands for ‘long thorn.’’ But the name originated from the Greek term ‘Elounda,’ which means ‘to Elounda.Spinalonga Island is the setting of Victoria Hislop’s novel The Island and Werner Herzog’s short film Last Words. The isle was initially built to protect the way to the port of Ancient Olous. Today, the former fortress island and its abandoned leper colony are some of the attractions of Crete. There are marvelous pebble beaches scattered around the island.
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. People then abandoned the isle and it soon became closed off to visitors. Yet it was a television series based on Hislop’s novel that made people remember the island again. The series starred talented artists, such as, Stelios Mainas, Katerina Lechou and Aimilios Cheilakis. 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 The Island was a phenomenal success having sold more than 850,000 in the United Kingdom alone and its rights were sold to more than seventeen nations. Like the novel, the series also enthralled many viewers with its attention-grabbing plot. People have worked on reopening the fortress isle to the general public and they have already appealed to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The appeal is currently under consideration. Lack of workforce is one of the main reasons why the isle was previously closed. But now, it is open during weekends. There is a positive outlook, however, and people are hoping for economic advancement brought in by an increase in the number of visitors. Distinct tourism schemes like these can hopefully facilitate Greece’s economic development and aid in improving the 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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