Greece · Ionian Islands

Chalikiopoulos Lagoon

Directions

Λιμνοθάλασσα Χαλικιόπουλου

The Chalikiopoulos lagoon, also spelled Halikiopoulou, lies about 2–3 km south of Corfu town, below Kanoni, with the airport built across much of it. Pontikonisi, or Mouse Island, and the Vlacherna monastery stand at its entrance, one of the most familiar views of Corfu. It is shallow, about a metre deep on average.

History

In antiquity it is said to have been the first commercial port of Corfu. Until 1469 it was called Nekrothalassa, the dead sea, and it was also known as Gliki Limni, the sweet lake, for the fresh water of the ravines that run into it. It was once a large fish farm.

Nature

The airport has changed its shape, but it remains an important wetland, and part of it is protected. Herons and egrets, including great egrets, use the shallows, especially on migration, and many kinds of fish, four amphibians and eleven reptiles have been recorded. Reeds and marsh line the west side, and seagrass grows in the water. Rubbish along the shore has been a problem.

Visit

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

A narrow pedestrian causeway of about 280 m crosses the lagoon from Kanoni to Perama, and aircraft land and take off directly overhead, which has made it a well-known place for plane spotters. You can explore on foot or by bicycle, though much of the shore is hard to reach. It is easily combined with Kanoni, Mouse Island and the Vlacherna monastery.