Burano is a photographer’s paradise. It is an extremely photogenic island located 9 km from Venice. It is famous for its colorful houses, lace-making, and local fish cuisine. If you are visiting Venice, I would definitely take a short boat ride to the island.

Homes have been painted in vibrant colors since the 6th century to help fishermen find their way back home in the fog. Even today, property owners must request permission and select acceptable colors from the Italian government before painting a new coat of paint on their homes.

The famous lacework began In the 15th century.

The island was so renowned for lace that Leonardo da Vinci visited to shop for the Burano lace that covers the main altar of the Duomo in Milan

The best thing to do in Burano is stroll the colorful streets and alleyways.

Best time to visit Burano

If you want to avoid the crowds, go early in the morning. Burano has become a massively popular destination because of Instagram. So, I would recommend visiting in the shoulder seasons of April to June or September to November. You will also get milder weather during this time. You might also want to consider staying overnight so you can photograph Burano without the tourists.

It only takes about 1-2 hours to explore the entire Island, and the boat ride out on the Vaporetto is beautiful.

How About Murano?

I would definitely recommend visiting Murano as well. It is another beautiful island and is located much closer to Venice than Burano.

The island of Murano is famous for its long tradition of glass-making. There is even a Museum of Glass (Museo del Vetro). So, I recommend visiting both islands. I would first go to Burano and then stop in Murano on the way back.

Getting to Murano & Burano

The easiest way to get from Venice to Burano is to take the Vaporetto (water bus/taxi) from the Fondamenta Nova ferry terminal (F.te Nova) in Venice. From Piazza San Marco, walking to the Ferry Terminal will take about 20 minutes. Then, take the Route 12 water bus, which stops at Murano, Mazzorbo, Torcello, Burano, Treporti, and Punta Sabbioni.

Ferries leave every 20 – 30 minutes throughout the day, and it takes about 45 minutes to reach Burano. You can get the timetable for the ferry service from Venice to Burano here. The cost of a round-trip ticket is about 15 Euros and you can buy the tickets at the Ferry Terminal.

Another option is to go from Venice to Burano by private water taxi, but it will cost at least 130 to 140 euros each way.

What to do in Burano

Wander the streets

People come to Burano mainly to see the beautiful, bright houses. Because the island is so small and flat, you can easily walk around the entire island on foot. There are no cars here!

See the Terranova and Tre Ponti bridges. And don’t miss out on Casa di Bepi Suà, the most famous and colourful house on the island.

Doors

I would take your time to look at the details. I love to photograph doors.

Canals

Stroll along the canals, get a gelato, and take a lot of photos.

Colorful Houses

The houses are so vibrant in color. I also loved how many different colors are used to pain the houses.

Shop at the Galuppi Street

The main street of Burano is called Via Galuppi, and it is lined with shops and restaurants. The best shops for purchasing the hand made lace are La Perla and Dalla Lidia Merletti D’Arte.

If you love seafood, do not miss trying the local fish. After watching an episode of Anthony Bourdain, we wanted to try the Trattoria Al Gatto Nero. Make sure to make a reservation in advance. This restaurant is well known for its seafood and risotto.

I hope you have enjoyed this Travel & Photography Guide to Burano, Italy. If you enjoyed this guide, I have more than 50 Photography & Travel Guides at this link.