Visiting Italy’s colorful village of Burano

Buongiorno amici! Today I want to write about the breathtaking village of Burano, located in the Venetian lagoon, and my amazing visit to this island on Good Friday. The stunning island is a colorful island known for its bright architecture, it’s an explosion of technicolor. Burano, home to roughly 3,000 people, also has a rich lacemaking heritage (I absolutely love the craftsmanship history in northern Italy – Venice is known for its masks, Murano is known for glassmaking and Burano is known for lacemaking. It’s so beautiful). The island is known to be one of the most colorful spots in the world, and you really can’t believe how idyllic it is until you step foot onto the island. If you’re visiting Venice, a trip out to Burano is a must on the itinerary. I couldn’t love this island more even if I tried!

Burano was thought to be founded by refugees in the 5th century and lacemaking really took off in the 16th century. While an island lacemaking school was launched in 1872, fishing was another major component of Burano’s history. In fact, legend said that the colorful homes were created so that fishermen can see their way back home to their wives, even in dense fog. And another legend says that an engaged fisherman held his ground while a siren attempted to entice him and that the siren was so impressed with his loyalty, she created a wedding veil for his fiancee by thumping her tail on his boat and developing a veil from the sea foam. When the other women on the island saw her veil, it stirred and led a commitment and devotion to this craft.

Even King Louis XIV of France had Venetian lace makers employees, and Burano lace rivaled Flemish and French lace.

You can reach Burano from Venice via the vaporetto, Venice’s water bus service. The Vaporetto route 12 departs from Fondamente Nove, which is approximately a 20-minute walk from St. Mark’s Square. The journey will take 40-45 minutes.

You don’t need a whole day for Burano, the whole island can be explored in half a day. The best thing to do on this island is simply have a leisurely stroll by foot admiring all the colored homes. Chances are, you’ve never seen anything like this. Burano’s rainbow of colors is so charming, it really is impossible to take a bad photo here. I won’t lie, it’s crowded, especially at the entrance to the island, but the crowds thin out as you walk deeper into the island and it’s not overwhelming (It must also have been the time I visited, it was the weekend before the Easter holidays).

We then stopped by the cutest pink cafe where we were seated on the cafe’s second floor and had cappuccinos and cichetti- They are Venice’s answer to tapas, they are tiny, open-faced sandwiches with toppings like tomatoes, salmon, eggs and anchovies. Cichetti are ordered individually or you can have a cichetada (which we chose), a platter that has a selection of the house specialties. 

After, we went to the Lace Museum, which is definitely a must-see during your island trip! Housed in the historic palace of Podestà of Torcello, it can be completed in one hour and offers an in-depth look into the island’s tradition: You’ll see a variety of intricate lace pieces, ranging from historical treasures to bridal veils to contemporary works done by students (I loved the “Andra tutto bene” (Everything will be allright) with the lace mask and a saying in Italian that goes the star will always light up the night sky. Long story short, there’s a plethora of lace work on display, along with an explanation of the techniques that lacemakers use, lace-making tools and best practices.

After the museum, we visited Chiesa di San Martino – this church is also a must-see on your visit to Burano. It’s located on the island’s main square and the access is a side entrance. It’s a 16th-century Baroque Roman Catholic church with a bell tower. The main draw of this church is the artwork Crucifixion by Giambattista Tiepolo – Absolutely breathtaking. Because it’s in the Baroque style, the church is extravagant and is certainly grandiose.

Make sure to stop by one of the traditional stores on the island that sell the lace! It’s fascinating to see the dresses and the other products they create with lace. Burano lace is traditionally made with a needle and thread, but nowadays, some of the lace is machine-produced. Don’t forget to commemorate your visit with a lace souvenir – The bookmarks are adorable. Lace-making remains a way of life on the island, passed down from generation to generation.

We ended our trip to Burano with some tasty gelato from a cafe before boarding the vaporetto back to Venice. I know I sound like a broken record, but walking the bright streets of Burano was the absolute best. Allow yourself to stroll off the beaten path and explore the side streets. The combination of bright homes, the cute bikes in the front and the display of lace is incredible. It is mind-blowing to me that people live here! A walk through Burano is quite possibly the most colorful walk you’ll experience in your lifetime. I truly felt like I was walking through a rainbow and I left feeling very inspired by the craftsmanship. You have to visit this slice of heaven when you’re in Venice. Buon viaggio!