Burano:
Take a break from the tourist-filled streets of Venice, and escape for an afternoon in the fisherman’s village of Burano. Walking around the town makes you feel like you are transported into a postcard, and the sights seem almost too picturesque to be real.
The canals are lined with vibrant rainbow-colored homes of the local islanders. When you first step off the boat, the idyllic buildings seem to be from a movie set. The quaint town is a mere hour from Venice and after seeing what is has to offer the trip seems as just a small inconvenience.
The village can be quite busy during the day, but during dusk the town becomes quiet and calm as the tourists leave for the evening. As the sun sets, the surrounding water paints a mirrored picture with rippled strokes, and for a moment the world is serene.
History:
The fishermen’s village dates back to the Roman era. Refugees from nearby Altino, who were fleeing in the path of Attila founded the village in the 5th century. Max, a Venetian native, said the refugees were convinced to go to Venice because of its name. Venezia originates from the Latin word meaning “come with”.
Compared to the other Venetian islands, Burano used to be much poorer because of its remote location and the lack of transportation. Before motorized boats, it would take hours to travel from the main island of Venice. Over the years, this isolation kept the traditions and authenticity of the island alive.
For most of its history, Burano’s main source of income came from seafood. While this is no longer the island’s only industry, Burano is still a prominent fishing village. One of the biggest game changers has been tourism. People travel from all of the world to see the quaint town and its colors.
The tradition of the Crayola-colored homes comes from fishermen wanting to make their homes visible from the sea during foggy nights. It has since stuck and now attracts flocks of visitors from around the world to get a glimpse of the vivid oasis.
The colors of the homes have been a part of the families for centuries, and no two homes on the island are the same. To change the paint of their home, the owner must submit a formal a request to the government and only specific colors are permitted and approved.
Aside from being incredibly photogenic, Burano is also known for its famous lacework. The origin of how the lacework began is lost to history, but as the old legend is told a fisherman was outside of the lagoon, in the east sea, and was held by a siren (woman whose singing lured unwary sailors on to rocks) who was determined to entice him.
When the fisherman did not oblige the siren queen was so struck by his faithfulness to his fiancée back home that she offered him a gift-lace made from sea foam. Upon returning home he gave the mermaid’s lace to his bride-to-be. She was envied by all of the women in town. The local woman were so jealous, they decided to replicate the veil with needles and thread and it was then that Burano lacework was born.
Getting to Burano:
From Venice, the vaporetto is the best way to get to Burano. Line 12 will take you directly there in about an hour from the San Zaccaria stop. The ride will cost about 7 euro each way, but I would suggest investing in a day or weekend vaporetto pass depending on how long you will be staying in Venice.
Along the way to Burano, the vaporetto stops at the nearby island of Murano, which is known for its beautiful handmade glass. I recommend visiting both the neighboring islands in the same day.
Before arriving in Venice, do yourself a favor and download the transportation app it will to save time and help to navigate around the city.
Download the app here: http://actv.avmspa.it/it/content/avm-venezia-official-app
Things to do:
It is well worth the short trip to stroll down the streets and admire the colorful homes of Burano. Be sure to bring your camera to capture the beauty of the island and set out a good-sized portion of your day to simply walk around, get lost and enjoy the view. Burano is less than one square mile in size, so you won’t have to worry about not finding your way back.
Once you have walked enough to work up an appetite, stop at one of the charming family-owned cafés for the freshest seafood you will encounter in all of Venice. Al Gatto Nero is an island favorite and has been mentioned by Jamie Oliver, after he learned to make risotto by the owner.
For dessert, stop at Palmisanos Italian bakery. Burano is well known for their delicious Bussola Buranello cookies, which the town’s women would make for their husbands for long voyages at sea. The cookies are only made in Burano and them alone, may be worth the trip.
After lunch, I recommend visiting the lace museum, which is located in the former home of Burano’s lace making school. Inside you will find beautifully embroidered and intricately detailed lace that dates back centuries. Tickets for the Lace Museum Burano can also be bought here: Burano Lace Museum tickets.
Who knew paradise and all its bright colors would be found in a small fishermen’s village outside of Venice. If you have a chance to visit Burano and all of its beauty, take it.
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