“The locals now draw tourists to Burano to see their brightly colored homes.”
The island of Burano is located in the Venetian lagoon. I think of Burano as the 'Graphic Isle', because of the juxtaposition of the simple shapes and vivid colors one finds there.
There will be fresh linens on the bed tonight!
The Venetian lagoon holds many other islands besides the main island-town of Venice. The two other islands most visited by tourists are Murano, where Venetian glass is still made, and Burano, where Venetian lace was made for centuries.
Chances are that you've seen this award-winning photo before
Though a bit of lace is still hand made in Burano, it has become a lost art due to the competition of machine-made lace from other parts of the world. Perhaps the demise of the Burano lace industry is what makes Burano so colorful -- the locals now draw tourists to Burano to see their brightly colored homes.
Burano is located a bit northeast of the town of Venice and to get there, you will need to take a vaporetto (water bus). It takes about 45 minutes to reach Burano from Venice's Fondamente Nove vaporetto stop. On the way, you soon pass by the cemetery island of San Michele and the glass lover's island of Murano before you get to a long stretch of water -- take your guidebook to pass the time.
The buildings on the island are not of new construction!
There are several nice restaurants on the island, so when it comes time to have lunch or dinner, you won't have any problem getting a typical Venetian meal. Many of the restaurants and shops are located on the main thoroughfare of Via Baldassarre Galuppi.
For the photos of the colorful homes you see in this article, I spent most of my time on the eastern half of the island.
Life on the Island of Burano
Some of the local citizenry getting together for their daily chat.
[as always, please click an image for a larger view]
Friends gather for an afternoon chat
Another local keeping an eye on the situation in Burano.
Local wildlife...there are many, many cats
Yes, there are some lovely places to eat on the island, and there is a definite emphasis on local seafoof.
Burano has been settled for many years, and some of the early architectural elements are beginning to shift a bit.
This campanile does not elicit confidence
As on the main Venetian island, religion has play a strong part in the culture of Burano. Here you can see one of the many religious shrines, and a self-aged photo of a glass case housing cherished relics.
The Graphic Side of Burano
Now I introduce you to that very colorful and graphic side of the island of Burano.
Daily Life on Burano -- even the elements of daily chores are pleasantly arranged!
Walls, Windows and Doors -- contrasting colors are de rigueur on the isle.
The next three photos are some of my favorites from Burano because of their strong graphic nature. For these first two, I very consciously revealed a smidgen of certain elements to provide a clue to the composition -- the bit of pavement in the first and a hint of a distant wall in the second.
My all-time Burano favorite which I've titled 'Just Around the Corner' has been an award winner. What is that glowning just around the corner? Let's go find out!
Passages -- even the passages have strong graphic elements.
Crumbling Character -- many of the building's facades show the ravages of time.
Place it Just There -- everyday objects seem to have had studied placement!
Utilitarian Needs Combine with Graphic Needs -- as far as I can tell, this is a fire hydrant -- but I may be mistaken.
Serenity
Not all is garish color on Burano...there is also a good bit of tranquility, too.
I found my two trips to the island of Burano in the Venetian lagoon to be well worth the efforts. You can indeed still find a bit of hand-made lace, too -- you will have to look a bit and pay a bit when you find it -- but what a nice souvenir!
I'll see you in Burano!
Ciao for now,
Steve