The Vlacherna monastery, the epitome of Corfu

To begin with, you have to imagine the site of the Vlacherna monastery in Kanoni, without Corfu's busy airport, and without the tourists too: just a few kilometres south of Corfu town, this place of meditation enjoyed grandiose peace and quiet, at the entrance to a wide, shallow lagoon.

The surrounding landscape is magnificent: the heights of Corfu stretching the length of its coastline, the massive Greek mainland, marked by the relief of Epirus just opposite, and between the two, a beautiful, tranquil-looking inlet, its water often oily and reflecting the intense blue sky, all bathed in generous Mediterranean sunshine. An attractive setting in which to found a monastery!

The monastery of Vlacherna dates back to the 17th century. It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Panagia Vlachernon): built on a small rocky islet, it eventually fell into decline during the 19th century. The history of this small monastery can be summed up in a few words... Its main interest is expressed through other qualities: photogenic, Instagrammable, whatever you want to call it, the Vlacherna monastery knows how to make itself attractive through the image it projects!

The Vlacherna monastery is a veritable tourist pilgrimage destination in Corfu, but you don't go there just to take a photo. While the site itself, a slab on the sea overlooked by the monastery's buildings, can be visited in just a few minutes, there is plenty of time to explore the surrounding area.

Just off the coast of the Vlacherna monastery, only a short distance away, the small island of Pontikonissi and its cypress trees stand out against the calm sea. "Small' is a poor word to describe it: it's actually tiny! So much so that its name, Pontikonissi, translates as the island of the mouse...

Despite its small size, Pontikonissi carries a certain mythological weight. It is said, for example, that it was here that Ulysses ran aground on the last stage of his Odyssey before reaching his island of Ithaca. Others claim that it was Odysseus' ship that was turned to stone by Poseidon, who was angry with him... you choose your version of events!

Meanwhile, on this small promontory, a venerable white chapel, typical of all Greek landscapes, has watched over the island since the Byzantine period (12th century). Orthodox, with iconostasis and icons, the chapel is dedicated to Christ Pantokrator (Almighty). To reach Pontikonissi, a small ferry leaves regularly from the jetty leading to the Vlacherna monastery.