If you are tired of gray everyday life, and life has lost its brightness, then a trip to a small Italian island, which can only be compared with a fairy-tale world, will help you forget about all the problems and make you look at the surrounding reality differently.
A rule that has been in effect for many centuries
We are talking about the colorful island of Burano in Venice - probably the brightest on our planet. On a small piece of land, there is a rule that local residents have strictly obeyed for many hundreds of years. The fact is that each house has its own color, and no one has the right to change it without obtaining permission from the administration.
Residents carefully monitor the condition of houses and the saturation of their shade, and, if necessary, refresh the paint that has faded under the rays of the sun. Its color is chosen by the townspeople in the approved catalogue. And those who neglect coloring can even be fined a decent amount.
Endangered Island
True wonder in Venetian style inhabited by approximately 2700mature residents. Young people leave their homes and leave for the mainland, unable to withstand the isolation and lack of any infrastructure. The beautiful island of Burano, which turned into a district of Venice in 1923, is gradually dying out, and sad predictions are being made that the multi-colored houses reflected in the water surface will be empty in a few decades. Until this happens, tourists who dream of getting a visual delight should hurry to get acquainted with an amazing place that is unlike any other corner on our planet.
What is the tradition of painting houses in different colors?
From generation to generation, a legend is passed down, explaining where the tradition of painting the facades of buildings in different colors came from. For many centuries, the inhabitants of the island fished, thereby earning a living. Men who liked to celebrate a glorious catch with a drink often dropped in on beautiful neighbors, complaining that they had mixed up the houses. Their jealous wives quickly figured out how to make sure that windy husbands did not confuse their homes, and painted the walls in different shades.
Some researchers are sure that the color used to symbolize some kind of family living here, while others are inclined to the version according to which boatmen painted their dwellings in bright colors to find their home even in heavy fog, often shrouding the unique island of Burano.
Beauty beyond words
Of course, it is difficult for tourists who got here to imagine that in toy houses that look like decorations for some kind of fairy tale, in factactually people live. This is a quiet and peaceful place, and you need to enjoy it just as relaxed and in no hurry. Looking at the bright houses located on the water is a very exciting experience, and time here runs unnoticed. Delighted tourists who visit Burano (an island in Italy) plunge into the realm of a riot of colors, and the impressions of the trip remain for a lifetime.
Some houses are painted in pastel shades, while the colors of others are very bright and striking, but no one gets the impression of disharmony of the surrounding space. The two parts of Burano, separated by a canal, are connected by bridges, and fishing boats are moored off the coast. Sitting on the pier, you can admire the indescribable beauty of the island at sunrise or sunset.
Falling Campanile
Of course, the list of the main architectural monuments here is small, but the locals are very proud of the bell tower of the Church of St. Martin - the so-called Leaning Tower of Pisa. At first glance, it is difficult to detect that the building is "falling", but if you look closely at the rest of the buildings, the difference is obvious: the 53-meter campanile is rather lopsided, but this can only be seen from some angles.
The pride of the island is local lace
Picturesque Burano, considered the island quarter of Venice, is famous not only for its colorful buildings, but also for its luxurious lace of very high quality. For a long time, the island of Burano was under the influence of Torcello, and only in the 16th century did it acquirespecial significance: it was at this time that women learned the secret technology of weaving thin lace on their hands, without using a warp. All this time, the craftsmen, isolated from the rest of the world, were under the constant supervision of the authorities, who were doing everything so that the secrets of craftsmanship borrowed from the island of Crete would not be recognized in other countries.
The needlewomen passed on their experience to young Italian women who came to study at educated lace-making schools. All the aristocrats of Italy, who decorated their costumes with openwork embroidery, were captivated by the amazing products of local craftswomen, whose handiwork caused genuine delight. Their masterpieces were worth their weight in gold, and now Burana lace is considered a symbol of Venice. It is woven from white threads with a sewing needle, and the contours of the future drawing are applied to parchment.
Those who are lucky enough to get into a magical corner, far from the bustle, should definitely visit the unique museum, which presents the best examples of lace and the tools they were created with. It operates on all days except Tuesday, and the ticket price is four euros.
The fabulous island of Burano in Venice: how to get there?
You can get to the island as part of an organized tour, but it's best to come here on your own and wander through the old streets, admire the water channels and colorful houses. Believe that reality will exceed all expectations, and pretty buildings do not look like fake decorations at all.
So, how to get to the islandBurano from Venice? From the pier of Fondamente Nove, the ship (vaporetto) at number 12 departs, connecting the majestic city on the water with the outlying islands. A round trip ticket will cost 10 euros. The first boat leaves at 7:40, and the interval between transport along the route is half an hour.
Vaporetto No. 12 stops at the islands of Torcello, Murano and Burano, which can be viewed for 20 euros. There is a schedule hanging on the pier, so tourists can find their bearings so as not to be late for the last flight.
The journey takes no more than an hour, and how much to spend on getting to know the most beautiful island, everyone decides for himself. As vacationers admit, half a day at the most beautiful sights of Venice flies by in an instant.
What should tourists do when visiting Burano?
Of course, you need to buy decorative napkins made of fine Buran lace. As experts say, it is rather difficult to find a real masterpiece made by the needlewomen of the island in souvenir shops. Unfortunately, they are littered with products from Taiwan, which are cheap and have no artistic value: there are many tourists, and thin lace is woven by hand for a very long time. Therefore, if you need expensive embroidery, it is best to ask the addresses of the craftswomen in the museum.
Have a bite to eat in one of two cozy restaurants located in the center of Burano island. As tourists say, the prices in them are not inferior to the Venetian ones, but the tables are almost always full, so you will have to reserve your place in advance.
An uplifting landscape
If vacationers go to Burano,to enjoy architectural monuments, they will be disappointed, because unpretentious and very simple houses stretch along the canals from a narrow embankment. However, they are so picturesque that the spirit stops with delight at the sight of buildings painted in the most incredible colors, reminiscent of bright children's cubes scattered by the water.
Perhaps every corner of the island of Burano, whose photos are admired, is a real subject for a colorful canvas. Such an iridescent urban landscape cheers up and gives a lot of positive emotions. An ideal location for those who are looking for new experiences, many see another Italy - quiet and very secluded.
