Around Venice – Burano, A Myriad of Colours

The small island of Burano has been deemed one of the ten most colourful places on the planet, and it is the myriad of colours that guarantee visitors a memorable and joyous experience. Burano is easily reached from Venice by a 45-minute waterbus ride. Soon into your journey, you will spy your destination, identifiable by a leaning bell tower that appears to defy the pull of gravity by sheer willpower.

After disembarking, you walk through a tiny park, which is patrolled by a few watchful, half-friendly feral cats. Very quickly, you reach the picturesque Via Galuppi, the main street, lined by restaurants and shops, many selling lace. The extravagance of the colour of the buildings is breathtaking.

A Burst of Colour

Pulsating reds, vibrant blues, luminous lime greens, and radiant yellows are interspersed with calming maroons, subdued ochres, and cooling shades of blue. The colour contrasts never jar, perhaps because of a degree of official control.

• The most reliable evidence suggests that colour was originally used to signify the extent and boundaries of each property.
• The myth persists that the colours enabled fishermen to see their houses when far out at sea.
• Some even suggest it was to help drunken fishermen find their way home.

Burano’s narrow, turquoise-watered canals are straddled by mainly wooden bridges that provide vantage points for enthusiastic photographers. Via Galuppi leads to the disproportionately spacious Piazza Galuppi, where a market is held on Wednesday mornings.

Dominating the piazza is the 16th-century church of San Martino, with its leaning bell tower. Although its façade is rather unprepossessing, it houses some important art, including an impressive work by Gian Battista Tiepolo.

Pro tip: The church is closed from 12 noon to 3 PM.

Across the piazza is the Museo del Merletto – the Lace Museum (closed Mondays). Back in the 16th century, Burano lace was the envy of Europe, but the industry declined before reviving in the 1870s. The statue in the piazza is of Baldassarre Galuppi (1706-85), the famous Burano-born composer.