Visiting Burano Island - A Brighter Shade of Venice 

When the crowds of Venice start getting on your nerves and your mood turns grey, that's when you need to color your life bright... with a trip out to multi-colored Burano Island. 

If you'd prefer not to visit on your own, then the good news is that Burano is often included as part of the tour that visits the glass factories of Murano. This is a great option if your time is limited and you don't mind being rushed a little.

DIY Burano

How to get to Burano...

I always head for Burano early, catching the number 12 vaporetto (water bus) over to the island; the one I travel on leaves at 06:10 from Fondamente Nove.

Arriving, hardly a soul is around, and I enjoy a leisurely breakfast of a cappuccino and a croissant at one of the many bars.

My day in Burano

Then I explore the main part of the old town—the part that, after 11 a.m. (when most tours start landing), is packed with tourists.

After 11 a.m., I go to the edges of the island, down the little lanes, where few tourists are to be found. This is where I hear the stories of life, love, and fishing told by locals.

These stories become my stories, my memories, and the moments I treasure.

While wandering the lanes out on the edge of the island, I've met those anonymous heroes who've made Burano world famous for its lace, ladies like Nonna Gisella, who traveled the world promoting Venice and the tradition of lace-making.

Nonna Gisella visited New York, Paris, and London, teaching others the art she learned at the age of four and that has taken her a lifetime to master. She tells me some youngsters are once again eager to learn the traditions for the first time in a long time, but she fears that cheap imports from Asia will one day kill off the tradition of lace on Burano completely.

I hope she is wrong. Please try to support local lacemakers if you can.

Eating on Burano

A local in Burano gave me some good advice once: "Order the simplest meal on the menu," was his suggestion.

I've always followed that in Burano and elsewhere and never gone wrong...

On Burano, the seafood is super fresh, the vegetables come from the mainland nearby, and the pasta is homemade.  They don't go crazy on sauces here; they believe they take away from the quality of the local ingredients. Tastes are simple, subtle, and unforgettable.

Where to eat?

Riva Rosa is the go-to restaurant for dishes similar to those you'd eat at the home of a local family. The bread and pasta are always homemade, and the fish were swimming around the Venetian lagoon earlier in the day. Try their Risotto di Go," a fishy risotto that is a staple dish here. If it's a special occasion, ask for their top table; you really will get their "top" table. 

Ever heard of bussolà biscuits? They don't look like much, but they are buttery bliss. Visit Pasticceria Garbo in Via San Garbo to give bussolà a try.

The "Top" table at Riva Rosa Restaurant, Burano

Shopping for Lace

Lacemakers in Burano

What Else?

There are a few sights to see on the island. These are the most important ones:

• Church of San Martino with its leaning bell tower.
• The lace museum I mentioned earlier.
• Casa Bepi, the most colorful house on the island

Church of San Martino

Where is Burano?