The Halikiopoulou Lagoon is located next to Corfu Town, about three kilometers south of the historic town center. The lagoon and its surrounding wetland have a size of approximately 2,664 acres, about half of which is a protected nature reserve, while the entire area is a designated Important Birds Area.
The Halikiopoulou Lagoon contained the first commercial port of Corfu, the Hyllaikos Harbor of ancient Paleopolis. The old harbor was located on the eastern shore of the lagoon, where the airport is now located. The runway of Corfu International Airport runs through the eastern part of the lagoon parallel to the Kanoni peninsula. The southern end of the airport runway is where the lagoon meets the Ionian Sea. The modern Kanoni Harbor is also located here.
At the mouth of the lagoon, a 400-meter-long concrete footbridge connects Kanoni with Perama. Two small islets are also located here: Pontikonisi and Vlacherna, two popular tourist sights. The area with the two islands and the footbridge right under the flight path of arriving and departing airplanes is one of the most iconic locations in Corfu and unique in the world. The bridge is the perfect location for plane spotting and on both the Kanoni and Perama sides, there are panoramic cafes from where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the surroundings.
The Halikiopoulou Lagoon is also a great place for bird watching as the size of the wetland makes it an attractive stop for migratory birds. The lagoon is also a natural habitat for a number of species of fish, amphibians, and reptiles. So, despite the many human interventions in the area, the Halikiopoulou Lagoon has retained significant ecological importance.
