Burano: The Island of Color in the Venetian Lagoon

^{All images on this page are property of the author, Nicole Pellegrini.}

The island of Burano is believed to have been first settled in the 6th century, by people fleeing hostile invaders on the mainland. It has always been predominantly a fishing village and community—legend goes that the brightly colored homes are a remnant of that tradition, that the colors were useful to fisherman struggling to find their way home in bad weather and fog.

Although the island quickly thrived after settlement, it was ruled by the more important, nearby settlement of Torcello (the "first Venice", if you will) and was not given the same privileges of nearby Murano, home of the glassmakers. However the island rose in importance beginning in the 15th century, when the women began making lace with needles and fine cotton thread. Their lace came into high demand throughout Europe before the trade began to dwindle in the 18th century.

In 1872, a school of lacemaking opened on the island, reviving the industry for some decades. The intricate lacework could take seven different people to complete one piece, as each lacemaker  specialized in a particular pattern or style. The lace school closed in 1970, however, and today is the site of the island's lace museum.

Only a handful of women today still practice the traditional art of Burano lacemaking; you may observe some of them at work in the museum or in one of the island's best lace shops, La Perla Gallery.

When you visit La Perla, you can see their collection of incredible modern and historic lace pieces. We purchased the two framed pieces shown above in 2016 on a visit to the island. With so few remaining today who can produce such art, we were actually encouraged that should we ever wish to re-sell our precious works to connect La Perla as they would offer to rebuy them first!

Two years later we returned to the shop and were happy to see Emma still there, hard at work. (And yes, we found another piece of lacework to bring home with us!)

There are a number of restaurants on Burano where you can sample the local cuisine—and of course seafood is the specialty! Perhaps the two most famous restaurants on the island are Trattoria da Romano (featured by Anthony Bourdain in an episode of "No Reservations") and Trattoria al Gatto Nero (visited by Andrew Zimmern on "Bizarre Foods" and Jamie Oliver on "Jamie Does Venice!"). At both restaurants you can taste the Burano specialty of Risotto di Gò, a very subtly-flavored risotto made from a stock of lagoon goby fish.

You'll also want to grab an espresso and some freshly-baked bussolà or esse cookies, a sweet treat specialty of the island. Many shops sell bags you can bring home with you...and trust me, they are addictive!

The easiest way to get to Burano is via the vaporetto water bus. The Number 12 will get you there from the Fondamente Nove dock in Venice in about 40 minutes. The boat runs frequently in both directions for most of the day, and every hour into the evening.

I've noticed in the past that many tourists flood onto Burano around mid-day after spending their morning first on Murano shopping for glass. My suggestion? Go against the tide. If you have the full day, take the Number 12 past Burano to the island of Torcello first, which is extremely quiet and with two beautiful, ancient churches to visit (and is perhaps my favorite place in the entire lagoon).

It seems particularly charming here as the island is so small, you will see the same people stroll back and forth several times, greeting friends and neighbors, before heading home to make dinner.

Taking the vaporetto back to Venice from Burano is also a wonderful experience later in the day, watching the sun set over the lagoon. For more information on using the vaporetto system of Venice, please visit my article linked below: