Almost certainly the most colourful town in Italy, Burano is a wonderful day trip from Venice - this guide has everything you need to know!

It is perfectly understandable that, having finally visited Venice, you may want to spend every last second you can in that masterpiece of a city.

However, if you have a few more days, we'd implore you to consider a change of pace and scenery with a day trip to a rainbow.

Burano, a small fishing island set within the Venetian lagoon, is a carnival of colour on a sunny day. Easily reachable via the pistachio and pea green seats of the regular public ferry, the tiny town with three canals to its name is increasingly conveyed via one or two famous photo scenes, meaning it would be easy to view this place solely as photogenic backdrop to tick off a list, spend an hour in, and leave swiftly.

That would be wrong: Burano deserves much more time and attention.

We spent a surprisingly wonderful morning and afternoon here doing nothing but our favourite things - drinking strong coffee, taking photos, wandering aimlessly around in the sunshine, watching the old guys and girls talk, and having an unforgettable long lunch canalside.

And yet, this small island is no secret. Its proximity to Venice (less than 7 miles), and increasing fame on Instagram and others, means that the beauty of Burano will always have to be shared with more people than you'd necessarily like.

In this guide, we've shared our personal tips on how to have the perfect day trip to Burano from Venice, with clear advice on transport connections, the best things to do in Burano, and personal recommendations on where to eat and how to avoid the worst of the crowds.

This is everything you need for a day trip to Burano from Venice.

The Best Things To Do in Burano, Italy

Enjoy The Most Colourful Houses in Italy

There are two theories for the houses of Burano.

One is that the rainbow palette lining the shores of this small island made it easier for fishermen to find their way home; the second is that it assisted them in distinguishing their own house from that of their neighbours

Both tend to suggest that Burano's grumble of fishermen had perhaps imbibed a few too many and were searching for excuses for either a) stumbling into, or out of, their neighbour's bedrooms of an evening, or b) couldn't find their own houses when pissed.

Whatever the reasons, the ends justified the means as every home on the small island of Burano pops in the sunshine. If you've been to Colombia, it may even remind you a little of Guatapé.

The colourful houses of Burano, with laundry hanging outside

Protected by law, home owners in Burano supposedly have to apply for permission to repaint their houses, with only a selected range of colours permitted. Given the biggest industry here is tourism, drawn from Venice by the kaleidoscopic facades, that's understandable. In fact, personally, we don't know why more towns or cities don't create colour schemes or colour palettes to reinvigorate tired streets or whole neighbourhoods - can you imagine how wonderful that would be?

We won't share any famous Insta-shots or locations as we are firm believers that the best way to look at somewhere new is with fresh eyes, rather than a few mandatory photos to take. Don't worry though, along the canals, on the bridges, and in the side streets, you'll find your own favourite Burano house to remember!

One place we will mention specifically is Casa di Bepi Suà (Bepi's House). Unknown to us prior to our visit, was it not for a chance encounter with a barman, an 11 am Spritz, and a cluster of socially distanced old boys in sharp suits dark shades (if the locals are drinking before midday, it’s only right we did too!), we quite possibly would have missed it.

Owned and painted by local man who used to hosted an outdoor cinema on its walls for local kids a few decades ago, it certainly is one of the most colourful in all of Burano. By all means pass by it too (Google Maps), but this wasn't our favourite on the island.

Lace & Artisans

When choosing whether to take a day trip from Venice, it's likely you will face the same choice as us. As we wanted to savour a single island over a day, rather than visit several islands within the Venetian lagoon in a morning or afternoon, we had to choose between Burano and Murano.

The principal distinction between these two usually comes down to their historically renowned trades: Murano for its glass, Burano for its lace. We weren't particularly drawn by either, and it was the opportunity to see the houses of the latter tipped the balance toward Burano for us.

However, as soon as you arrive here, you will appreciate that fine, white lace has played as big a role in the story of this island as its its fishnets.

The women of Burano have been making lace since the 1400s, but the fashions of the 17th century, and the ability of Venice's wealthy to determine them, saw lace collars, cuffs, and accessories gain popularity (just look at any number of portraits from the period). Burano, and Venetian lace, became a byword for quality across the who's who of Europe looking to acquire the best of the best for their finery. Competition from other nations, as well as changing fashions, saw a decline in the industry.

Things to Do in Burano | Discover Lace Artisans

The story of its revival is however more interesting: in 1872, with noble patronage, the trade was revived following a disastrous winter for the fishing industry. The story goes that an elderly resident remembered the techniques and taught the local women how to continue the traditions of Burano Lace; the island once again became synonymous with the delicate fabric and the intricate needlework techniques required to create it.

Alas, history is always doomed to repeat itself, with the rise of cheap textile imports China and India, as well as lace being viewed as something only your granny has, the industry came to a halt. The trade here is now largely based around selling lace to tourists and, within the gift shops here, you'll see many beautiful lace products but many will be machine-made and imitation. Handmade lace products are harder to find and expensive - if the price doesn't give it away, then the touch of your fingertips should. La Perla on Via Galuppi (Google Maps) had a few women showcasing the technique when we visited, which was lovely to watch, and is a good bet for genuine articles.

To find out more about techniques, traditions, and history, make a beeline to Museo Merletto in Piazza Galuppi. Set within the historic location of the Burano Lace School, where the revival of 1872 was led, this museum includes fine examples of Burano Lace and an overview of its influence. There are occasionally local women showcasing the techniques too, but a stop here is not mandatory however if you have no interest in the subject.

Opening hours | Tue-Sun 10am-5pm (summer hours extend to 6pm)

Tickets | €5 or €3.50 for concessions. Potentially included in the Museum Pass.

Travel Tip | There are several cute little artisan shops along the canals, including Violarancio 900°, so make a point of browsing and supporting them if you find something which would make an original souvenir or gift beyond lace.

Walk The Canals

Not about following the crowd and confining yourself to just one or two streets, but following your senses away from them, is the way to adapt to the rhythms of Burano.

Indeed, on a four-islet archipelago of this size (less than a kilometre across in any direction), you can be comfortable in the fact that getting lost is no concern; you can simply follow the canal or the sea back to someplace familiar.

Arriving early in the morning, with only a few other early risers from Venice, it was a privilege for us to see the village slowly arise from its own slumber. The newsagent set out the display of headlines, the scents of the bakery were carried in the air, and freshly coiffed women performed their daily constitutional whilst the walkways were at their emptiest. Burano only has around two thousand permanent residents, and we were struck that it felt like a blissful retirement community in the morning sunshine - even by Italian standards, the average age seemed high.

We'd like to imagine that it's a pretty nice environment and community to spend your autumn years...

Whilst Venice's mysterious narrow alleys and channels often cast you in darkness, the two-storey fisherman's houses of Burano let the light in and the blue skies shine though. Taking a side-street can lead to a dead end, the sea, a pretty unknown nook, trees plump with pomegranates, or a surly cat.

Most of your wanderings will occur along and between the three canals of Burano. Make sure not to miss Tre Ponti bridge and Corte Comare, Terrenova's bridge, and a stroll through Piazza Galuppi, home to a leaning tower and and men pushing trolleys and pulling carts under a high midday sun toward and over red brick bridges. Via Galuppi is the main street in Burano and does become a little too busy to be enjoyable at times, but is a reliable spot for a Spritz stop when the midday sun is too hard. The neighbouring island of Mazzorbo is also accessible by a footbridge next to the ferry terminals.

When arriving by ferry, you can go left toward the main plaza or straight and forward toward Fondamenta Cavanella for famous views - we say go left first. Always be mindful when wandering that this is a very small, tight-knit community and respect for their homes and life is essential. Also be mindful that you will see certain Instagrammer's in their natural habitat here - please don't feed or touch them.

Travel Tip | if you need the bathroom on your wanderings, then there is one bagni comunali (public toilet) open from 09:00 - 17:30 for €1.50 per person. Otherwise, follow the advice in our 23 Things To Know Before You Visit Venice.

Lunch Al Fresco By The Canal

A reason why it's better to linger for longer in Burano is to dine at the range of excellent restaurants dotted around the islands.

Famed for its fresh seafood, expect spaghetti al nero di seppia (squid ink spaghetti) sarde in saor (sweet and sour sardines), spaghetti vongole (clams), and the catch of the day. Freshly prepared in that quintessentially perfect Italian style, the only difficulty is choosing where to spend your single lunch or dinner in Burano.

After perusing various menus and stealing glances at what was on the plates of diners, we settled upon a little table outside at Osteria Al Fureghin (Google Maps). In the sunshine by the canal, we slowly savoured our first 'sarde in saor' followed by gnoccheti gamberoni with a couple of glasses of white Veneto wine, rounded off with a strong, dark espresso. Totalling out at €65, including the coperto, it proved to be one of our favourite meals and settings from this two month Italy trip.

(We should note that when by the sea we'll eat fish, but we should note that we also chose this place because it also had a good number of vegetarian dishes and was reasonably priced).

Two others we considered were Bar Ciccheteria Da Gigetto and Ristorante Da Forner. Both are in a peaceful canalside location away from lots of people, and had good affordable menus. The busy central Riva Rosa had great views looking onto the canal and the colourful houses. If you're on a budget, then you will find a few places around town with a simple plate of pasta for under €8, or can share a plate of seafood fritto misto.

Foodies amongst you - or if you have a looser budget - should also consider Trattoria al Gatto Nero, a family-run restaurant with a famous reputation offering traditional and locally-sourced Venetian lagoon cuisine. Note that it's closed on Mondays, and there's usually a queue so try to reserve ahead if possible. There is also a Michelin-starred restaurant, Venissa, on Mazzorbo Island. Part of the wine resort and vineyard of the same name, it's just across the footbridge from Burano.

Due to supply and demand, it's not uncommon to face a wait for a table, especially one outdoors at most half-decent places for lunch. Consider booking ahead or in the late morning when you arrive (this will not always be possible), or arriving to wait before you're totally ravenous.

Take The burano Biscuit

There are a couple of bakeries in Burano to make a beeline for in the morning or before you leave to pick up some traditional buttery biscuits you will struggle to find elsewhere in Italy. Packed with calories, they were the ideal sweet snacks for fisherman out on the blue for hours on end (but a little too dense for us).

The Essi and the Bussolai share the same dough of eggs, flour, sugar, and butter. The former is in the reverse-S shape of Venice's Grand Canal whilst the latter is in a circle. You can also find Peverini and the Dolci del Pescatore.

We bought our pick-n-mix bag of Burano biscuits from Panificio Pasticceria Garbo on Fondamenta degli Assassini 335 (Google Maps), partly because it was across the canal from our lunch choice, partly because of its aestethic appeal - a nice old man runs it. There's also Dolcezze on Via Galuppi 670 (Google Maps).

When Should You Visit Burano & Travel Tips

With so much tourism in Venice, Burano was never going to escape; weekends and the peak summer months here will always be very busy.

Visiting in the summer of 2020 and setting off very early in the morning, we were able to escape the worst of this but were still surprised by how crowded it became from about 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. (when most tours and tourists arrive). As ever with popular destinations - and like we suggest in our 23 Things To Know Before You Visit Venice article - if you want to enjoy your time here with fewer people, then it's all about getting up and out before 9 a.m., or arriving later in the day and lingering until the early evening. Personally, visiting on a grey or drizzly day will also impact the sense of stepping into a rainbow.

If making an early start, then we can recommend a quick stop for breakfast at the capuccino and cornetto at the little cafe by the dock in Burano.

How long do you need there? We spent the vast majority of the day in Burano, but we were taking an awful lot of photos. For most people arriving by public transport (as opposed to a tour), we’d recommend at least a full morning and time for lunch, or arriving for lunch and spending the rest of the afternoon exploring the island.

When to visit? It will always be busy in summer, so just be aware of this in advance. Visiting off-season on a sunny day in spring or autumn would be lovely. Note that Burano also suffers acqua alta flooding each winter (from around November - January)

What to bring? A daypack with the essentials of suncream, phone, and your camera. There are a couple of ATMs on the island, but we’d recommend bringing plenty over from Venice (just don’t use those Euronet ATMs to do it!) and your usual bank cards. Don’t contribute to single-use plastic waste and travel with a refillable water container or flask.

How To Get To Burano from Venice

Given it's €7.50 per person for a one-way journey (or 75-minute ticket) on Venice's vaporetto, we decided to purchase a 24-hour transport ticket for €20 on the day we visited Burano. As well as the return journey, this allowed us to add on a couple of additional vaporetto trips we had planned for the late afternoon back in Venice. We'd recommend doing the same for your own day trip to Burano.

However, some of you may be thinking about purchasing an extended Venice transport pass (i.e. 48 or 72 hours) anyway, so the good news is you just need to schedule Burano on a day where this is valid! You can find further details about negotiating Venice’s public transport network, vaporetto tickets and the transport passes in this guide.

Public Transport from Venice

You have two options for the boat from Venice to Burano

The first is with Line 12 from Fondamete Nove (find it here on Google Maps). This area is a bit of a walk from central areas like San Marco, and Google Maps tends to underestimate it, so please give yourself 10 or so minutes extra to cover it.

At Fondamente Nove (which you'll often see referred to as Fte Nove), you'll find ferry station A, B, and C, so pay attention to make sure you're waiting at the correct one for Burano. This usually departs from stop A, but there are a few deparatures from B each day too.

As well as ticket machines, there's ticket booth where the vendor will be able to help you and answer questions - you can buy the 24 hour card there too. Travel time to Burano is around 45 minutes, so grab yourself a seat and enjoy the relaxing journey; sit outdoors if the weather is fine and you want to enjoy the lagoon breeze and views. There are three stops before the island, but it's obvious once you're on the approach to it.

At time of writing, Line 12 has two departures every hour (at '10 and '40 past the hour) - check schedules before you travel here.

Line 14 also stops at Burano, but takes 65 minutes and has fewer departures. It’s also seasonal. The upside however is that it departs from San Marco - San Zaccaria, right by St Marks Square, so may be more convenient for a number of you to reach in the morning. The boat departs from station A, and Burano is the fourth and final stop on the route. Check current schedule for the Burano to Venice boats here.

For the return journey from Burano to Venice, things can become a little complicated due to the number of people, the limited schedule, and general confusion over which stop to wait at and which boat to take (even though there were only two options!).

In short, within the modern but compact waiting area for the ferry (find here on Google Maps), you'll find two stops: Burano 'B' (on the left) and Burano 'C' (on the right). For Venice, Line 14 stops at Burano 'B' and Line 12 stops at Burano 'C' . You will have to choose between Line 12 and Line 14, and your decision should be based upon where you're going next in Venice. For example, we took the Line 12 out and the slower Line 14 back as we wanted to hop straight on to the ferry from San Marco / San Zaccaria over to San Giorgio Maggiore (home to one of the Best Views of Venice).

San Marco / San Zaccaria is a very central stop on the Grand Canal, right next to the Doge's Palace and St Mark's Square.

Once you know this, and understand why there are two different queues to go back to Venice by boat, you'll be golden. There are also paper and digital timetables there showing next departures etc if you’re still unsure.

It will be busiest for returns in the afternoon, so we recommend you arrive 10-15 minutes before the boat is due to ensure your place, and hopefully grab a seat. Make a point of apprecaiting the special view of Venice you'll only get from the lagoon as you approach! At time of writing, departures and stops are:

Line 12 (Burano 'C' - Torcello - Mazzorbo - Murano Faro - Fondamente Nove Venzia / Venice). Departures at '15, '30, '45 past the hour until 17.30, when departures reduce to on the hour and the half hour.

Line 14 (Burano 'B' - Punta Sabbioni - Lido S.M.E - San Marco / San Zaccaria Venezia / Venice. It only appears to run from 09.30 - 17.30 (make certain that's the last departure though!)

Burano + Venice Island Tours

Alternatively, you can take a day tour to Burano which includes transport and a local guide. Tour options are also the best if you'd like to visit Murano and one or two other islands on the same day during your Venice day trip:

Boat Trip: Glimpse of Murano, Torcello & Burano Islands | Whilst you only get 45 minutes on each island with this tour, if you’ve got limited time in Venice and are keen to cover all the islands in a single morning or afternoon (without having negotiate public transport), this may be a good option.

Murano, Burano and Torcello Islands Full-Day Tour | At 6.5 hours, this is a much longer tour than the above and also includes a visit to a glass factory in Murano.

From Venice: Murano, Torcello & Burano Boat Trip with Guide | This tour costs a little more than the other two, but provides more time on the islands, an expert local guide for the duration and has smaller group sizes.

Where To Stay in Burano

Most of you reading this will almost certainly be visiting Burano as a day trip (it’s exactly what we did), using Venice as your base. However, if you don’t mind a more relaxed set of accommodation options - that is, apartment rentals or a small guest house - this small, colourful island does offer a few options for those that would like to spend the night.

After all, when the rest of us are gone, and it's only the locals around, we're certain it would be magical:

Guest Houses |The only guest house on the island of Burano, Casa Burano offers modern rooms with clean lines, light and thoughtful design-led touches. It also has exceptional reviews. Alternatively, if you’d prefer a more hotel-like experience, and don’t mind being on the island of Mazzorbo, Venissa is a wonderful choice.

Airbnbs | For traditional design and quirky details, our top two picks when it comes to Airbnbs in Burano are Ca' de Pilar and Casa Go' Burano. Alternatively, if you’d love a little outdoor space, definitely take a look at ‘The Fisherman’s House’.