If you’ve seen one photo of Corfu before ever visiting, there’s a good chance it was this one: a whitewashed monastery on a tiny islet, a smaller wooded islet just beyond it, and open water in between. The viewpoint is Kanoni, just south of Corfu Town, and the two islands are Vlacherna and Pontikonisi — “Mouse Island.”
Where Kanoni Is
Kanoni sits on a narrow peninsula a short drive south of Corfu Town, overlooking the Halikiopoulos Lagoon. The name comes from old cannons once positioned here by the Venetians to guard the approach to the town — a scrap of military history that’s since been overshadowed entirely by the view.
Vlacherna: The Monastery on the Causeway
The closer of the two islets holds the small Monastery of Panagia Vlacherna, connected to the mainland by a short paved causeway you can walk out on. It’s a working religious site, modest in scale, and one of the most-photographed single buildings on the island precisely because it sits so close to shore and so perfectly in frame with Pontikonisi behind it.
Pontikonisi: Mouse Island and Its Legend
A little further out, reachable by a short boat ride from Vlacherna in season, Pontikonisi is a small, densely wooded islet topped by a tiny Byzantine chapel dedicated to the Pantokrator. Local legend ties the island to Homer’s Odyssey: Corfu has long been associated with Scheria, the land of the Phaeacians, and one telling of the myth holds that Pontikonisi is the Phaeacian ship that carried Odysseus home, turned to stone by Poseidon as punishment. It’s a legend rather than settled history, but it’s part of why the islet carries more weight than its size would suggest.
Why This View Became the Island’s Postcard Image
Few viewpoints on Corfu combine so much in a single frame — a monastery, an islet, open water, and the wooded hills behind Corfu Town — all visible from one accessible spot a short drive from the center. The view has appeared on postcards and travel brochures for Corfu for decades, cementing it as the image most associated with the island before people even arrive. Kanoni’s position next to Corfu International Airport adds an unusual extra: incoming flights pass low over the lagoon on approach, and watching planes descend past the same islands is its own small spectacle for anyone at the viewpoint.
Visiting Kanoni
The main viewpoint areas around Kanoni are a short, easy walk from parking, and the causeway out to Vlacherna is open to visitors for most of the day. Boats to Pontikonisi run seasonally from a small jetty near the monastery. Mornings tend to be quieter; the view is popular enough that midday can bring more visitors and tour groups.
Explore More of Corfu with Corfu Compass NSK
Kanoni pairs easily with a wider day around Corfu Town and the southeast coast. Corfu Compass NSK’s car rental makes it simple to combine the viewpoint with the Old Fortress, the Achilleion, or other nearby stops on your own schedule.
Contact Corfu Compass NSK to arrange your rental car today.
