Why go
Burano is the most colourful place in the lagoon. Its rows of small houses, painted in strong reds, blues, yellows and greens, line narrow canals with fishing boats tied up outside, and the island has a village feel quite unlike central Venice. Local tradition says the colours helped fishermen find their homes in the fog; whatever the reason, residents still repaint them in approved shades. Burano was also famous across Europe for its needle lace, made by the island’s women from the 16th century and revived in the 19th by a school that ran until 1970.
Today only a handful of women still make lace by hand, and much of what is sold in the shops is machine-made or imported, so the museum is the best place to see the real thing. The island is small enough to walk round in an hour, which leaves time for lunch, often fish from the lagoon, in one of its trattorias.
What to see
Start on the main street, Via Baldassare Galuppi, named after the island’s 18th-century composer, which leads to Piazza Galuppi and the church of San Martino with its strongly leaning bell tower. The Lace Museum, in the former palace of the Podestà of Torcello on the square, tells the story of Burano lace through pieces from the 16th to the 20th century and was the seat of the Burano Lace School from 1872 to 1970.
Beyond the main square, wander the side canals and courtyards, which are quieter and just as colourful; the much-photographed Casa Bepi Suà is a short walk from the square. Cross the wooden footbridge to Mazzorbo, the neighbouring island, for vineyards, a small walled garden and views back across the water. Bakeries sell the island’s butter biscuits, the buranelli and the ring-shaped bussolà.
Plan your visit
Waterbus line 12 leaves from Fondamente Nove, calls at Murano Faro and Mazzorbo, and reaches Burano in about 40 minutes. Under the timetable in force from 2 November 2026 it runs about every 30 minutes through the day. Line 9 shuttles from Burano to Torcello in about five minutes. An ordinary ACTV ticket or pass covers both lines, and a 24-hour pass makes sense for a full lagoon day.
The island itself is free. The Lace Museum opens from 10am to 4pm, with last admission at 3.30pm, and is closed on Mondays, though it opens on Monday 7 December 2026 and every day from 25 December 2026 to 6 January 2027. Tickets cost €7, or €3.50 reduced, and the €20 Island Museums ticket also covers the Glass and Torcello museums. Arrive in the morning or stay into the late afternoon to avoid the busiest hours, when tour groups fill the main street.
Nearby
Torcello, the first settlement in the lagoon, is five minutes away by line 9, with its cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and its Byzantine mosaics. Murano is on the way back on line 12, so the three islands fit comfortably into one day. Check the time of the last boats before you set out, especially in winter, when the light fades early and the lagoon can be misty.
