Kanoni, Corfu, GR
Stella Andronikou, Iasonas Giannopoulos
Kanoni, located 4km to the west of Corfu town was once the main port of the island. Kanoni’s name derives from a battery that was safeguarding the entrance to the port, built in the 18th century under the second French occupation. During the 1960s and 1970s, Kanoni became one of the most renowned and popular tourist destinations of the island due to its picturesque landscape, spectacular views and important archaeological sites.
Geographically, Kanoni is a peninsula in-between the Chalikiopoulou lagoon and the Ionian Sea. Its topography around the lagoon is flat, becoming rather steep along the sea coast reaching 76m height.
Despite the conflicting use of the Kapodistrias International Terminal, the Chalikiopoulou lagoon is an important wetland, registered in the Natura 2000 network.
Kanoni undeniably combines unique natural beauty, history, tourism infrastructure in close vicinity to Corfu town and the airport. Nevertheless its four large scale hotel developments are outdated with very low occupancy rates, due to the lack of investment interests as well as planning restrictions regarding especially the archaeological sites and the wetland.
Sea Lane(S)
