# Kanoni, Mon Repos and Paleopolis: Corfu’s Southern Peninsula > Kanoni Corfu guide: the Vlacherna and Mouse Island view, plane spotting, the Mon Repos estate, ancient Kerkyra at Paleopolis and how to get there from town. URL: https://theauthenticgreece.com/kanoni-and-mon-repos/ Last updated: 2026-10-31 --- Kanoni is the view on half the postcards of Corfu: the small white monastery of Vlacherna on its islet, joined to the shore by a thin causeway, with the wooded Mouse Island floating just beyond. It sits at the tip of the peninsula south of Corfu Town, about 4 km from the old town, in an area the Corfiots call Paleopolis, the old city, because this is where ancient Kerkyra stood. Give it half a day and combine the viewpoint with Mon Repos park and the ancient ruins on the way. ## Quick facts - **Where:** the Kanoni peninsula, south of Corfu Town, between Garitsa Bay and the Halikiopoulos lagoon. - **Getting there:** about 15 minutes by taxi, a city bus from San Rocco Square, or around an hour on foot from the Old Town. - **Time needed:** 1 hour for the view and Vlacherna; half a day with Mon Repos and Paleopolis. - **Best time:** early morning for calm light and few people, or late afternoon. - **Good for:** photographers, plane spotters, families, history lovers. ## The view and the cannon The name means cannon. In 1798, during the first brief French occupation of the Ionian Islands, the French placed an artillery battery on this headland to guard the lagoon and the southern approach to the town. One old cannon still stands on the terrace, and the whole district took its name from it. The terrace is now lined with cafés, and the view down the slope is the reason everybody comes. Below you, Vlacherna sits on its tiny islet at the end of a narrow causeway; behind it is Pontikonisi, a rocky islet covered in cypress and pine; to the right, the runway of Corfu airport runs straight across the lagoon. It is one of the very few classic Greek views that includes an airport, and it is part of the fun. ## Vlacherna monastery The little monastery of Panagia Vlacherna, dedicated to the Virgin, dates from the 17th century. It was a convent until the late 20th century and is now a church that you can visit by walking along the causeway from the foot of the Kanoni steps. The interior is small, with icons and a carved wooden screen; dress modestly, with shoulders covered, and keep quiet if a service is under way. From the jetty beside the monastery, small boats cross to Mouse Island during the season. ## Mouse Island (Pontikonisi) Pontikonisi means Mouse Island, and there are several explanations for the name. The most common is that, seen from above, the islet with the causeway of Vlacherna looks like a mouse with its tail. Another holds that the original name came from monks from Pontus who settled here, and that Pontionisi turned into Pontikonisi over time. Neither has been proved. Corfiots also connect the islet with the *Odyssey*. In one local tradition Pontikonisi is the Phaeacian ship that brought Odysseus home to Ithaca, turned to stone by an angry Poseidon on its return. The same story is claimed by other rocks around Corfu, notably near Paleokastritsa, but Mouse Island is the version most visitors hear. On the summit stands the small Byzantine chapel of the Pantokrator, usually dated to the 11th or 12th century. The Swiss painter Arnold Böcklin’s *Isle of the Dead* is often said to have been inspired by Pontikonisi, though several other islands make the same claim. The islet also became a symbol of Corfu in popular culture: it appears in the song “Kerkyra, Kerkyra” sung by the Corfiot actress Rena Vlahopoulou in the 1970s Greek film comedy *The Countess of Corfu*. ## Plane spotting at Kanoni From the foot of the Vlacherna causeway, a pedestrian bridge crosses the mouth of the lagoon to Perama on the other side. The bridge lies right at the end of the runway, so aircraft on approach pass very low overhead, close enough to read the registration. On busy summer days there are landings every few minutes, and the bridge fills with people holding phones up. Children love it. The bridge is also a pleasant short cut on foot towards Perama and the road to the [Achilleion Palace](https://theauthenticgreece.com/achilleion-palace/). For airport practicalities, see our guide to [Corfu airport transfers](https://theauthenticgreece.com/corfu-airport-transfer/). ## Paleopolis: the ancient city Ancient Kerkyra was founded around 734 BC by colonists from Corinth, and it occupied the peninsula between Garitsa Bay and the lagoon, then a natural harbour. Kerkyra grew rich and powerful: by the 5th century BC its navy was second in Greece only to that of Athens, and its quarrel with its mother city Corinth helped spark the Peloponnesian War. After raids in the early Middle Ages the inhabitants moved to the more defensible headland where the Old Fortress stands today, and the ancient city was gradually abandoned. Traces of it are scattered across the peninsula. Opposite the Mon Repos gate stand the ruins of the early Christian basilica of Agia Kerkyra, built in the 5th century with stone from ancient buildings. Inside the Mon Repos estate are the foundations of a large Archaic temple, generally identified with the sanctuary of Hera, and, near a spring by the sea, the remains of a Doric temple known as the Kardaki temple. The famous Gorgon pediment from the temple of Artemis, found in this area, is in the town’s archaeological museum. Our article on ancient Corfu covers these sites in detail. ## Mon Repos Mon Repos is a large wooded estate on the coast of Paleopolis, open to the public as a park. The neoclassical villa at its heart was built between 1828 and 1831 for Sir Frederick Adam, the British Lord High Commissioner, and his Corfiot wife Nina, as a summer residence. After the union of the Ionian Islands with Greece in 1864 it passed to King George I, who named it Mon Repos, “my rest”, and it became the summer home of the Greek royal family. Prince Philip, later Duke of Edinburgh, was born here on 10 June 1921. After decades of neglect, the villa was restored and since 2001 it has housed the Museum of Paleopolis, with finds from the excavations of the ancient city and rooms evoking the British and royal periods. The park around it is the real pleasure: shaded paths through old trees lead down to a small swimming spot and the Kardaki spring, and past the temple ruins. It is one of the coolest places on the island on a hot afternoon. ## A walking route from town If you have the legs for it, walking out is the best way to understand how close everything is. From Spianada follow the seafront south around Garitsa Bay, passing the Archaeological Museum and the Anemomylos windmill point. Continue to the gate of Mon Repos, see the Agia Kerkyra basilica across the road, and spend an hour in the park. Then follow the road south through the quiet residential streets of Kanoni to the viewpoint, around 4 km in total. Take a bus or taxi back. Our [Corfu Town walking route](https://theauthenticgreece.com/corfu-town-walking-route/) covers the first part of the walk inside the old town. ## Practical tips - **Buses:** blue city buses run from San Rocco Square to Kanoni throughout the day; check the current route and timetable locally, as they change between summer and winter. - **Boats to Mouse Island:** they run in the tourist season only, from the jetty by Vlacherna. Agree the price before you go and expect to pay in cash. - **Mon Repos opening:** the park and the museum have separate hours, and the museum is usually closed on one weekday. Check the current times before you go. - **The steps:** the path from the Kanoni terrace down to the causeway is steep; the walk back up is tiring in summer heat. - **Swimming:** the lagoon side is not for swimming; the small rocky spots in Mon Repos park are better for a quick dip. - **Combine:** Kanoni is on the way to Perama, Benitses and the Achilleion, so it fits well into a day exploring the east coast. See more ideas in our list of [things to do in Corfu](https://theauthenticgreece.com/things-to-do-in-corfu/). ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How do I get from Corfu Town to Kanoni? It is about 4 km, roughly 15 minutes by taxi or around an hour on foot along Garitsa Bay and through Anemomylos. Blue city buses run regularly from San Rocco Square to Kanoni; check the current route number and timetable locally. ### Can you visit Mouse Island? Yes. Small boats cross to Pontikonisi from the jetty by Vlacherna monastery during the season, a ride of a few minutes. The islet has a small Byzantine chapel and paths through the trees, so 20 to 30 minutes on the island is enough. ### Why is it called Kanoni? Kanoni means cannon. The name comes from an artillery battery the French set up on the point in 1798; one old cannon still stands on the terrace above the view. ### Is Mon Repos worth visiting? Yes, especially if you like history and shaded walks. The park has woodland paths, the remains of ancient temples and the neoclassical villa where Prince Philip was born in 1921, which now houses a museum of finds from ancient Kerkyra. ### Where is the best place to watch planes landing in Corfu? The causeway and footbridge between Vlacherna and Perama, at the end of the airport runway. Aircraft pass very low overhead on approach, and the café terraces at Kanoni also give a view down onto the runway. ## Frequently asked questions ### How do I get from Corfu Town to Kanoni? It is about 4 km, roughly 15 minutes by taxi or around an hour on foot along Garitsa Bay and through Anemomylos. Blue city buses run regularly from San Rocco Square to Kanoni; check the current route number and timetable locally. ### Can you visit Mouse Island? Yes. Small boats cross to Pontikonisi from the jetty by Vlacherna monastery during the season, a ride of a few minutes. The islet has a small Byzantine chapel and paths through the trees, so 20 to 30 minutes on the island is enough. ### Why is it called Kanoni? Kanoni means cannon. The name comes from an artillery battery the French set up on the point in 1798; one old cannon still stands on the terrace above the view. ### Is Mon Repos worth visiting? Yes, especially if you like history and shaded walks. The park has woodland paths, the remains of ancient temples and the neoclassical villa where Prince Philip was born in 1921, which now houses a museum of finds from ancient Kerkyra. ### Where is the best place to watch planes landing in Corfu? The causeway and footbridge between Vlacherna and Perama, at the end of the airport runway. Aircraft pass very low overhead on approach, and the café terraces at Kanoni also give a view down onto the runway.