Burano could possibly be the brightest place on earth. This colourful little fishing village is located in the Venetian lagoon and makes for the perfect day trip from Venice, as it’s only a 45-minute vaporetto (water taxi) ride away. Like many people, I discovered Burano thanks to its constant presence on social media. I’m sure you’ve seen this rainbow island grace your Instagram or Pinterest feed more than once, and thanks to these viral images more and more people have discovered this once hidden gem. Turns out Venice isn’t the only superstar in the area.
This Rainbow Island is a Photographer’s Paradise
This charming village is truly a photographer’s paradise. You won’t be stuck trying to find a photo op, because this entire island is one giant backdrop. There’s not a whole lot to do in Burano, other than strolling around and having impromptu photoshoots around every corner. So if you enjoy bright colours and taking photos, then you will love this vibrant island. TIP: Dress for your surroundings. A bright coloured outfit against a bright backdrop will pop. Don’t be boring and wear black. This is Burano!
Welcome to the Home of Lace
Burano is the home of Venetian lace, so if you’re looking for some authentic souvenirs, lace is your best option. The women of Burano started stitching lace in the 16th century, each of them specialising in one specific stitch. With seven stitches in total, this meant every piece of lace would take several women to finish. Given its time consuming nature, it’s not surprising that very few places in the world still produce handmade lace. While many of the shops in Burano will be selling machine-made, if you want to drop the equivalent of a down payment on a house on some handmade lace, well you can do that here.
Why Does Burano Look Like a Skittles Packet?
The colour coded houses were to help fishermen identify their homes after a long day at sea. You’d assume just hammering a number into your front door would do the trick, but when you think about it, coming down the canal in your fishing boat at night in a thick cloud of fog, your bright pink house will be much easier to distinguish from a distance than a door number. It must have been awkward for the wives when their neighbours husband stumbled into their house thinking they were home. Once the houses were painted, it must have been even more awkward because the men no longer had that excuse. You even need to get government approval now if you wish to paint your house in Burano. They take their colour coding very seriously.
How to Avoid the Crowds
While Burano is far less crowded than Venice, tourists still come here in droves. So if you can, try to visit in the early morning or late afternoon. I arrived at about 5pm and there were very few photo-bombers around. Expect the main canal of town to always have some tourists buzzing about, but you simply need to head for the residential streets and canals to escape the crowds. It’s here you’ll have the place all to yourself, except for the elderly Italian lady stitching some lace on her front porch and the neighbourhood cat purring against your leg.
Come Fully Charged
Charge your camera, charge your phone, charge your iPad, charge everything! While you’re at it, make sure you’ve cleared space on your SD card and phone for photos, or bring a spare SD card if you’re running low on space. Bottom line, come prepared. This is not the kind of place you want your battery to die.
Getting There
Don’t make the same mistake a lot of tourists do by only visiting Venice. Burano isn’t your typical day trip. It’s only 45 minutes away by vaporetto on line 12 and you only need a few hours to walk around the island. You could easily tick it off in the morning and be back in Venice at lunchtime. One-way vaporetto tickets are priced at €7.50, so it’s often cheaper to buy a 1, 2, 3, or 7 day pass. Venice certainly doesn’t offer budget public transportation, but if you’re staying on one of the surrounding islands, you will definitely get your money’s worth with a multi-day pass.
