Murano and Burano- Super Day Trip from Venice

Island Hopping!

We were still a little jet lagged having arrived in Venice the afternoon before.  The day we arrived was really grey and rainy, not the kind you'd like to imagine yourself wandering small confusing alleyways with your luggage trying to find your hotel.  After finally having success and finding our darling hotel, we'd freshened up and hit the canals to wander and see some sights.  

The next morning  the sun was up and blue sky and puffy clouds suggested that we ought to hit the islands, Murano and Burano, before more rain came our way.  
A map in hand, we wandered to the location shown to catch the #12 waterbus to the islands.  We had no idea where we were going but a general idea of the direction we needed to head.  The four of us were staying in the same hotel and were meeting two others staying at a different hotel.  We hadn't connected yet in the city, so it was very joyous to meet in the right place, at the right time and just in time to get tickets and board the boat for Murano, our first stop. It took about 25 minutes and a couple of stops at our islands before we saw our destination.

Above is the "Grand canal of Murano".  I have no idea if it's called that, but it was by far the biggest canal we saw on our visit.

All of us ladies had shopping on our mind for Murano. Glass?  Did someone say glass? Of course, we stopped at the first shop we saw, and then almost every other one after that. Much to the guys chagrin.  As you wander the streets and squares, you will eventually come across some more canals, just like the canals of the island of Venice "proper".  Murano is small, and quaint with all of the charm of Venice, on the more personal level. 

After the proper amount of time shopping, we all sat in the sun at a canal side cafe and had a refreshing beverage, or two.

Before you knew it, it was time to meander back to our water bus stop and figure out how to jump to the next island, Burano.

Burano is known for it's colorful houses and it's lace making industry. Only 1,800 people live on Burano and there are no hotels, so essentially this is a good place to visit for the day. They are also known for their Go fish risotto, but more on that in a bit.

Immediately we were smitten by the views of the gorgeous houses and small town vibe.
Okay, okay, there were a 100-200 other tourists milling about, but we are were enchanted by what we were seeing.

We ate in a little outdoor cafe, and below is the view of the courtyard behind us. 
LOL, I especially like the mop in this photo (which I never noticed until today).  

We had wonderful fresh seafood including Go fish risotto (a speciality) and Bussolà Biscotti (at left), which I will have to blog soon.  They were some of the best cookies I've had in a long time.
The waiter told us to dip into our prosecco.
OK, why not?  Like we needed a reason. Ha.

The houses were all different colors, but the shutters, doors, awnings and light fixtures were all colorful too.























I especially loved seeing the laundry and how it beautifully accented the houses.  Later, I wondered if it was strategically chosen to highlight their house...?
Nah, I don't want to believe it.

It was a beautiful day on the Islands.  Don't miss these gems when you visit Venice, it is completely a different vibe.  Very relaxed and quaint.

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