Not So Well-known, This Greek Island Is The First COVID-19-free Travel Destination In Europe

Kastellorizo Island (Wikimedia Commons / Chris Vlachos)

JAKARTA - The not-so-well-known island of Kastellorizo ​​in Greece has been praised for the success of the COVID-19 vaccination program, even being the first in Europe to be completely free of COVID-19.

Located in a remote part of the Aegean Sea, a few kilometers from the Turkish coast, the island has successfully vaccinated its entire population of 520 people with COVID-19, with the first and second doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Also known as Castelrosso, this furthest landmass in the Dodecanese is the setting for the film Mediterraneo, directed by Gabriele Salvatores, which tells the story of a small group of Italian soldiers sent to an isolated Greek island during World War II.

The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1992.

Many travel agencies have turned their attention to Kastellorizo. According to Ethnos Greece, they predict tourism on the island will grow 35 percent this year, as reported by Euronews.

The boat dock at Kastellorizo. (Wikimedia Commons / Chris Vlachos)

The barren and rocky Kastellorizo ​​is said to be a pure paradise. It doesn't have a famous beach, but it has other attractions, such as the ancient castle and the Blue Grotto like the cathedral, a sea cave that can only be accessed by lying on a boat.

Because it is so close to Turkey, this colorful island was once part of the Ottoman Empire. So besides typical Greek churches and chapels, you will also find mosques with towers.

Its impressive harbor and traditional European neoclassical mansions all set a scenic backdrop, with views of the turquoise sea all the way down to Turkey.

To note, since last March, only one case of COVID-19 has been detected in Kastellorizo. The Greek government tries to protect small islands that do not have large hospitals by vaccinating their entire population.

Therefore, Greece's strategy is to make all small and remote areas COVID-19 free by summer. They will promote this strategy internationally, in hopes of giving new impetus to tourism.