The Monastery of Panagia Vlacherna is a Christian monastery located on a small islet near Kanoni, about 4km south of Corfu Town. The islet is connected to the mainland by a walking bridge where boats dock to take visitors to the nearby Pontikonisi. The monastery, together with Pontikonisi in the background, is one of the most photographed spots in Corfu. It is a symbol of the island and has appeared in many movies because of its beautiful location on the sea and the unique design of the church.

According to tradition, the monastery was built in 1685. It was a women’s monastery until 1980. It holds great religious significance. The name “Vlacherna” comes from a famous monastery in Constantinople. Today, only a small church within the monastery is used for celebrations and is open to tourists and pilgrims. There is also a gift shop in the courtyard. The monastery celebrates its feast day on July 2nd. The entrance to the courtyard and the church is at the base of the bell tower. Click here to view the location on Google Maps.

To reach the Monastery of Vlacherna, you can take the Blue Bus line #2 to Kanoni. After getting off at the stop, walk down the steps next to the cafés to reach the small port in Kanoni. From there, you can cross the walking bridge to the monastery.
If you have a car, there is a large parking area next to the small port. Near the parking lot, you’ll also see a concrete bridge connecting Kanoni to Perama.

If you’re lucky, you might see planes flying low overhead as they land at the nearby airport.