island of Burano travel guide

Visiting The Island of Burano, Venice’s Colorful Neighbor

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Have you ever seen pictures of beautifully colored houses along canals in Venice? Well, many of those pictures are actually not the island of Venice itself, but of the nearby island of Burano!


Just a short ride away from Venice, the island of Burano makes the perfect day trip to enjoy a charming and colorful slice of paradise.


In this guide we're going to share all of the details for visiting the island of Burano, so that you can have a seamless and enjoyable stay there.

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An Intro to the Island of Burano, Venice

Before we get into all of the great ways to explore this great day trip from Venice, we're going to share some fun facts with you.


🤩 Why is Burano Famous?

Burano is famous for its brightly colored houses. The fisherman's village had each house painted a different color, so that the fisherman could find their way back home after fishing all day.


The island still keeps these houses brightly colored, and it has now become an increasingly popular destination for tourists.


Another thing that Burano is famous for is its needle-lace, which is was one of its most popular crafts in the 18th century.

island of Burano

📍 Where is the Island of Burano in Venice?

The island of Burano is located 9 km away from Venice, which is in the north east of the country of Italy.


How Do I Get to the Island of Burano?

The island of Burano cannot be accessed by roads, and in fact does not have any cars on it at all!


The only way to visit Burano island is by taking a boat there, which you can do from either Venice, or another nearby island called Murano.


⏳ How Long is the Boat from Venice to Burano?

The boat from Venice to Burano is about 40 minutes long, and leaves from the Fondamenta Ferry Terminal.

is Burano island worth it

Make sure to enjoy the scenic boat ride!

🔙 How Do I Get Back to Venice from Burano?

There are ferries that go directly back to Venice from Burano from the same pier the ferries drop everyone off at.


There are also ferries that go to Murano, so if you'd like to include Murano in your day trip, you can then go back from Murano to Venice.


Below you can see the schedule of ferries leaving Burano to both Murano and Venice:


🤔 Can You Visit Murano and Burano On the Same Day?

You can absolutely visit Murano and Burano on the same day! Both islands are pretty small, so you can spend a few hours at each of them (which is exactly what we did).


If you would like to spend more time at one of them, we'd recommend spending a night in either Burano or Murano, that way you can still save on ferry tickets, and have amble time to explore each of the islands at a slower pace.


🛶 Tours to Burano & Murano

If you're trying to experience it all without the hassle of figuring out the transportation and everything, then you can easily sign up for a tour that hits all of the highlights! 


Honestly, if we weren't on a photography mission, this is probably the route we would have taken.

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What to Experience on the Island of Burano, Italy

Now that you know how to get to the island of Burano, we're going to share what to expect on both Burano and Murano.


Don't have time to read the whole article and want to save it for later? Just pin it!

Island of Burano travel guide pin
Island of Burano travel guide pin
Island of Burano travel guide pin

What to Do in Burano

Burano is a small island, and most of the beauty is simply getting lost in the beautiful canals and admiring the bright colors of the different houses in the area.


🚶🏻‍♀️ Walk to the Canals

There are several canals that make up the island of Burano, and you can either walk up and down them, or hire a boat to take you around. We got to Burano entirely too early, so the boats weren't really an option for us, but we'd imagine it would be fun!


canals of the island of Burano, Venice
canals of the island of Burano, Venice
canals of the island of Burano, Venice
canals of the island of Burano, Venice
canals of the island of Burano, Venice


⛪️ Browse the Main Plaza

Piazza Galuppi is the only big plaza on the island of Burano, and is home to several restaurants, shops, a church, and all the main action of Burano.


island of Burano, Venice
island of Burano, Venice
island of Burano, Venice
island of Burano, Venice


⌘ Check Out the Lace

The island of Burano is known for its history of quality needle-lace, so make sure to check out the beautiful works of the locals, and purchase some to take home!


🛍 Go Shopping

The island of Burano isn't just lace. It's actually home to quite a few incredible shops that all are small mom and pop businesses. Our personal favorite is L'Orchidea. It was a bit pricey, but all of the articles are stunning and super high quality.

shop on the island of Burano, Venice

🍦 Grab Some Gelato

We witnessed one of the most incredible ice cream parlors while we were visiting Burano, so encourage you to try their handmade gelato creations!


gelato in Burano
Burano ice cream
gelato on the island of Burano


📸 Photograph the Colorful Houses

Colorful houses are everywhere! So bring your camera and enjoy photographing the bright facades.


colorful house on the island of Burano
colorful house on the island of Burano
colorful house on the island of Burano
colorful house on the island of Burano
colorful house on the island of Burano
colorful house on the island of Burano
colorful house on the island of Burano


🌈 Walk Down the Tiny Rainbow Street

Calle Dei Soueri may just be one of the cutest little alleys ever, with a row of rainbow houses lining it.


rainbow street on the island of Burano in Venice
rainbow street on the island of Burano in Venice


What to Expect in Murano

While the hot topic of Burano is the lace and the colors, Murano has a more traditional architecture, and are known for their glass blowing.

glass blowing in Murano, Venice

Honestly, the shopping in Murano is incredible, and you'll absolutely be blown away by all of the art you'll find. Enjoy the architecture of the buildings on the side streets, walk the canal, and save time to browse all of the glass shops!


light house of Murano
island of Murano
Murano
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