Burano is the colorful and festive little island that pops up in a lot of Instagram photos. When I went to Burano, it was a spur of the moment decision in the late afternoon and required no prior planning. I was in Venice for a weekend and since I had been to Venice before, I wanted to explore the Venetian Lagoon. Murano is known for its glass, and Burano is known for its delicate lace. There wasn’t enough time to visit both islands, but I knew I wanted to visit Burano. I want to tell you how easy it is to visit Burano for a few hours.
Getting There From Venice
It’s really easy to walk anywhere in Venice without a map. You don’t really have to follow any specific routes, just aim for the general direction of your destination. Just don’t be afraid to get lost!
From St. Mark’s Square, we walked north towards Fondamente Nove (F.te Nove) Ferry Terminal. Take the N or the 12 ferry for about 8 €. There is a ferry every 20 minutes to Burano, making a few stops including one to Murano. It doesn’t look too far away from Venice, but a one-way ride is about 45 minutes long. I totally passed out on the ferry.
There are guided boat tours that take you to Murano and Burano. Tours are around 4-hours long, so if you have the time and prefer having a guide, these tours may be the way to go.
Burano
Burano is very colorful and quaint, and there are many winding alleyways and bridges to explore. The buildings in Burano are square-ish and have only two or three floors. It’s said that the homes were painted in bright colors by the fishermen long ago so they could see them from far away when they were fishing away from the island. Today, there are about 3000 people living in Burano.
Fun fact about Burano: To repaint one of these pretty ladies, residents need to submit a request to the local government who will then grant permission to paint using colors permitted for the house.
Burano Highlights
The highlight for me was just walking around and taking a ton of pictures for Instagram, but here are some things to see on the island:
Galuppi Square is the main piazza with restaurants and souvenir shops.
The Lace Museum showcases the main craft of the island.
Pisa isn’t the only Italian city with a leaning tower. The Leaning Bell Tower of Burano leans 1.8 meters!
Check out the series of bridges that connect the canals. The Tre Ponti Bridge connects 3 canals and 3 of the most colorful streets in Burano.
See if you can find the most colorful house on the whole island. It features multicolored geometric shapes.
Photo Tip
We arrived around 7-8 PM in the summer and the late afternoon sun yielded a dark shadow on one side of the canal homes. Try to arrive just after 12 PM for the best light, but keep in mind that the island would also be busier with tourists at that time.
Safe Travels!
xx Deb
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