Vlacherna Monastery on Corfu & Mouse Island

They are a postcard motif and the most famous landmark of the island of Corfu: the white Vlacherna Monastery with the Mouse Island in the background. Even the Austrian Empress Sisi was so taken with the scenery that she is said to have swum here often to enjoy the lonely silence of Pontikonisi.

But the silence of yesteryear is over today: every quarter of an hour, holiday jets thunder over the two mini-islands of Corfu and delight the hearts of aircraft fans. We tell you below what a visit to the two popular Corfu sights would be like:

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#1 Getting to the monastery and Mouse Island

Corfu’s Mouse Island and the picturesque Vlacherna Monastery are located at the southern tip of the Kanoni Peninsula, only about 20 minutes drive from the capital Kerkyra. A trip is worthwhile at any time of the day.

The Vlacherna Monastery is within walking distance via a narrow causeway. Directly behind it is the Mouse Island (Pontikonisi), which can be reached by sea from here. The taxi boats to Mouse Island depart several times a day directly from the dam of the monastery. For the journey from Corfu Town there are several options for you.

By taxi or rental car to Vlacherna: About 20 minutes drive to the port of Kanoni, where free parking is available. You can find cheap car rental offers for Corfu with our partner Discover Cars*:

➲ To cheap rental cars for the island*

By public bus to Vlacherna: Line 2A runs regularly from Corfu Town to Kanoni. Timetables at: Corfu City Buses

Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island are located just outside Corfu Airport (CFU). The runway runs parallel to the Halikiopoulou Lagoon, just a few hundred meters from the Kanoni Peninsula.

Best time to visit Vlacherna Monastery

We recommend that you visit Vlacherna in the morning before most of the day-trippers arrive. The most beautiful lighting mood for photos of Mouse Island and Vlacherna Monastery is in the evening, when the setting sun bathes the scenery in a magical warm light.

#2 Parking at Vlacherna Monastery

You can park directly at the small Port of Kanoni in a large free parking area. Due to the one-way system on the peninsula, it makes sense to first drive down to the harbor and visit the Vlacherna Monastery and Mouse Island.

In the low season, you can then take the vehicle up to the Kanoni Plateia and the cafés, but there are only about 20 parking spaces here. Due to the acute shortage of parking spaces, it is advisable to visit the cafés on foot and enjoy the magnificent view without looking for a parking space again.

By the way: If you don’t want to travel with your own rental car or public bus, you can also get one guided tour to Vlacherna and connect to the Mouse Island. About our partner GetYourGuide* you will find many offers, let yourself be inspired:

➲ To the tour to Pontikonisi*

#3 Vlacherna Monastery

The picture of the gleaming white monastery on an offshore mini island is the postcard motif of Corfu and if you were lucky, you probably already saw it when you landed on Corfu. Because Vlacherna Monastery Island with the church »Panagias tou Vlachernon« is located directly in front of the runway of Corfu airport.

From the fishing port of Kanoni you can walk around the pier and then over a concrete dam to the well-known most interesting monastery on Corfu. The 17th-century monastery presents itself in bright white with its striking bell tower, which was inhabited by nuns until 1980.

In 1981, it even served as a backdrop for the film “James Bond 007 – On a Deadly Mission”. Today, the cultural asset is used as a tourist attraction and for weddings, church festivals and occasional trade fairs. Light a candle in the small church and take a break in the leafy courtyard. To the left of the monastery entrance is the Vlacherna- Souvenir Shop with all kinds of knick-knacks.

By the way, from the port of Kanoni you can still cross the lagoon of Halikiopoulos, at the northern end of which the airport is located, via a narrow concrete dam, called Kanoni Perama Bridge. But be careful with arriving planes, the suction is extreme!

• Opening hours Vlacherna Monastery Corfu: open during the day all year round, free admission

#4 Mouse Island Corfu (Pontikonisi)

Afterwards you take a small boat, usually a fisherman’s kaiki, and in 5 minutes you arrive at the neighboring Islet Pontikonisi (also Pondikonisi). Literally translated, it means Mouse Island (Greek pontiki = mouse, nisi = island) and is a floating green oasis and a place of silence if airplanes did not regularly thunder over it.

The only buildings on the Mouse Island of Corfu are the white Pantocrator church “Metamorfoseos tou Sotiros” (built 11th – 12th century) and a kiosk with an attached handicraft shop.

In a quarter of an hour you have circumnavigated the small island (size 110 x 100 m) with its dense cypress forest. If you pay attention, you may even spot turtles and peacocks in the dense bushes of Mouse Island.

Even the Austrian Empress Sisi (1837 – 1898), who was an ardent fan of Corfu and even had the famous Achilleion built, loved Mouse Island and came here every time she was in Corfu. A memorial plaque commemorates them. However, Pontikonisi is not suitable for swimming.

The round trip to Mouse Island costs about €3 per person. The small boats to Pontikonisi depart from monastery pier every 10 minutes every day in the season from May to October. Out of season, travel times may vary.

However, the exact origin of the name Mäuseinsel remains a mystery to this day. Some think the island looks like a mouse. Other sources refer to Greek mythology. For example, the sea god Poseidon, in his irascibility, is said to have transformed the ship of the hero Odysseus, so that he could no longer return to Ithaca. Since then, it has been petrified in the sea.

#5 Plane-spotting at Café Kanoni

The most beautiful view of the Vlacherna Monastery and the mouse island of Corfu you catch from Café Kanoni with a cool Freddo, which is particularly refreshing on hot summer days. In addition, a light sea breeze up here provides pleasant cooling. In addition to locals and holidaymakers, planespotting fans regularly come here to experience the landings of the planes up close and want to photograph them.

Rarely do you get so close to an airplane in the air. The planes thunder just a few meters above the heads of the amazed spectators before they touch down with a loud impact on the only 2.4 kilometer long runway of Corfu Airport.

Incidentally, the name of the Kanoni Peninsula (also known as the Analipsi Peninsula) comes from the iron cannon of Russian design that stands at Kanoni Plateia and probably dates back to the British occupation period. The British ruled Corfu from 1815 to 1864 and left their mark on many places, including the cricket field in the old town and the courthouse and prison in the new town.

#6 Hotels nearby

Due to the persistent aircraft noise on the Kanoni Peninsula, we cannot recommend hotels or apartments in the immediate vicinity of Vlacherna Monastery. We advise you to stay directly in Corfu Town and from there take a day trip to Vlacherna Monastery and to the Mouse Island.

Enclosed we have 5 nice places to stay in Corfu Town. Click on the links from Booking.com* to see prices and availability:

• Acanthus Blue*
• Arcadion Hotel*
• Sky Loft Corfu*
• Bella Venezia*
• NV Luxury Residence*

→ You can find more articles and numerous travel tips for the island of Corfu here:

• Corfu Highlights
• Corfu Holidays – 11 important information
• Corfu Beaches – our top bathing spots
• Canal d’Amour – Important information for your visit
• Paleokastritsa – Holiday resort on the west coast

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