Hangzhou Global Tour: Day 20

Burano is bellissimo.

It was an early morning water taxi that took us from Venice proper, to the colorful island of Burano. When I saw Burano on the itinerary, I thought it was a typo…that we were actually going to the island famous for glass called, Murano (with an “M”). As it turned out, Burano was in fact correct. As I learned, Burano is very well known for its quality lace and vibrantly colored homes.

Burano is a pretty small island and home to only 2000 residents, yet they welcome nearly one million visitors each year. Most of the visitors only come for the day as there are no hotels, and only a couple small boutique bed and breakfasts available. While a million people a year sounds like a lot, I found Burano to be significantly less crowded than Venice. The perception of being less crowded may stem from the fact that the streets are wider and there seems to be more open space, allowing for an easier flow of pedestrians.

Our first stop on the island of Burano was to the Lace Museum, where we discovered a great deal about this dying art and craft form. Lace used to be a highly coveted design element for the affluent to show off their wealth. The painstaking process of creating lace is highly labor intensive. Some ornate and larger pieces of lace might take a person more than a year to stitch/create. Today of course, lace can be made by machines in seconds and cost a fraction of the price. There are only a few older ladies on the island still creating handmade lace; one of them just celebrated her 100^th birthday. Once these women pass, the art of handmade lace will likely die with them as no younger people are interested in taking up a trade that in no longer desired or in demand.

After lunch at a local bistro, we toured the only art museum on the island. During our visit I had to ask our tour guide the burring question as to why all the homes were/are painted with such vibrant and differing colors. I was informed that during particular months of the year the fog and haze on Burano made it difficult for fishermen to find their homes. It is also said that alcohol could have also contributed to the inability of some fishermen to finding their way, but that rumor has not been substantiated. Regardless of the exact reason, one fisherman had the bright (a slight pun) idea to paint his house a bold color so he would be able to find it during those “foggy” evenings.  The rest they say, is history. I tried to find out from the art museum curator, who is 80 years old, how long the homes have been painted such bright colors…he simply replied in Italian, “since the beginning.” I also learned that every single building in Burano is a different color, no two shades are alike. This also begged the question, how did they keep track of this, as well as identify the exact color way back when. Unfortunately my question was not translated well enough to elicit a discernible reply.

After returning to Venice for our last evening on the aquatic island town, we had some free time to shop and explore.

Tomorrow we’re off to Geneva and will have to say arrivederci to Venice. Please stay tuned for my update tomorrow. Click here to read the previous day, click here to read the next one.