Day Trip from Venice to Burano: Italy’s Most Colorful Town
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Updated January 2024
Italy is known for its beautiful landscapes, delicious food, and rich history and Burano Italy does not fall short of that! Burano Italy is a small island off the coast of Venice, known for its colorful houses and lace-making history. Because of its location, Burano makes for a great day trip, and getting from Venice to Burano is extremely easy. Burano, Italy has become widely popular over the last few years and you’ve probably seen the rows of colorful houses all over your Pinterest page. When researching things to do during my time in Venice, I kept seeing photographs of bright, colorful buildings lining the streets of a fisherman village and knew right away that I had to incorporate Burano into my itinerary!
Is Burano Worth Visiting?
The island of Burano is a small fishing village located in the Venetian Lagoon, near Torcello, and it packs a punch! With a population of less than 3,000 residents, Burano is not only known for its colorful houses but for intricate lace work that used to be exported around the globe. Visiting Burano is a fun day trip from Venice and a great place to relax and see a different side of Italy outside of the hustle and bustle of the top tourist destinations. If you've only got a limited amount of time in Venice, be sure to go to Burano and see the unique, colorful island that makes up one of Italy’s greatest hidden gems. Burano is just a short 45-minute boat ride from Venice Italy making it one of the preferred day trips from Venice. The weather was overcast on the day I visited, but even so, the brightly colored houses made me smile and I felt like I was in a completely different world.
The main attraction of Burano is its colorful painted houses--each one has a different pattern or design painted on its exterior, and it’s a photographer's dream! It's easy to get lost admiring all of their unique designs as you walk around town along the winding cobblestone streets. The island also has some great restaurants where you can eat fresh seafood and a wide variety of boutiques featuring locally handcrafted goods like lace, Venetian masks, and more!
How to Get from Venice to Burano
Burano Island is only a short 25-minute ferry ride from the island of Murano and about 45 minutes from Venice, so whether you’re staying in Venice or Murano, Bruano can easily be added to your itinerary. If you’re staying in Venice or on one of the surrounding islands and you want to use public transportation, you’ll need to study up on the Vaporetto system. This is the region's public water bus service and multiple lines run throughout Venice and out to the surrounding islands. It may look confusing at first, but trust me, you’ll get the hang of it in no time!
It’s also worth making the trip to both of these outer islands for the amazing food! Yes, Venice has fantastic food, but Murano and Burano have outstanding little cafes that serve up some of the freshest ingredients.
Public Water Taxi (Vaporetto)
To get from Venice to Burano, you’ll want to take the #12 Vaporetto line and you can hop on near St. Mark's Square. This line also makes a stop in Murano, which is where I stayed, and I highly recommend either spending a full day in Murano or even half of a day to see the exquisite Murano glass workshops. Boats from Venice to Burano run frequently, so there are plenty of opportunities to get back to Venice in time for dinner or any evening plans. Using the Vaporetto system is also cheap - especially if you buy a roundtrip multi-day travel card!
Venice Vaporetto Travel Cards
Single Day One Way: €7.50
24-Hour Unlimited Card: €20
48-Hour Unlimited Card: €30
72-Hour Unlimited Card: €40
7-Day Unlimited Card: €60
Private Water Taxi
Another option is via private water taxi. This is the more expensive route but it might be worth it if you’re traveling with a larger group and want to stick together. Private water taxis can be booked ahead of time and can cost anywhere from €70-€150 each way depending on how far the journey is. The vessels usually hold up to 10 passengers along with 10 pieces of luggage.
Group Tours
If public transportation is not your thing, don’t worry, there are plenty of tours you can book that will take you from Venice to Burano for either a half-day or full-day excursion. As with all-day tours, they have their pros and cons with the biggest con being time constraints. The options below are great if you want to get a taste of Burano and Murano but keep in mind that you may not have much time to explore on your own.
Venice: Murano and Burano Excursion
Duration: 5 hours
Cost: $38 per person
Highlights: Glass-blowing demonstration in Murano & the th-century Church of Santa Maria e San Donato
Murano and Burano Half-Day Island Tour by Boat
Duration: 4 hours
Cost: $43 per person
Highlights: Glass-blowing demonstration in Murano & learn about handmade lace in Burano.
Murano & Burano Guided Tour by Private Boat
Duration: 5 hours
Cost: $52
Highlights: Glass-blowing and lace-making demonstrations.
Burano, Torcello & Murano Boat Tour w/Glassblowing
Duration: 6 hours
Cost: $33
Highlights: Glass-blowing demonstration and free time in Torcello.
Things to do in Burano
Since Burano’s most well-known attraction is its colorful buildings, what better way to start your day in Burano than by exploring the colorful buildings that line the streets? The first thing you'll notice when walking along Burano's tiny streets is that they are very narrow. It's hard to get a picture of the whole street in one shot, but there are some pretty houses and bright colors along the way. One of the most famous, and colorful buildings on the island is Bepi’s House, located on Corte del Pistor. Next, head to the main square, Piazza Galluppi, where you can find local shops and cafes. Take your time and browse the shops on this street to find the perfect souvenirs to bring back home with you. I stumbled upon a shop called Vitturi Angelo during my visit and it was my favorite shop on the island. The owner was so kind and helpful, he even recommended a restaurant to us that ended up being my favorite meal of the entire trip! I was visiting during Carnival, so the main souvenir I wanted to bring home was a hand-painted Venetian mask, and there were tons of beautiful masks available at Vitturi Angelo, as well as lovely lace.
Not far from Piazza Galluppi is Burano’s Lace Museum. Here, you can learn the traditions and history of lacemaking on the island and how it used to be Burano’s biggest global export. Tickets are less than 10 euros and the museum is open from 10am - 4pm daily except Mondays. The Burano Lace Museum has over 100 lace pieces on display and evidence of lace production that dates back to the 16th century.
The next stop is Il Campanile Storto, the Burano bell tower, which was built in the 17th century and, like the Tower of Pisa, is leaning! Head over to Terranova Bridge for a great view of the leaning tower of Burano. There is a fantastic guided walking tour that lasts slightly over an hour and is led by a Burano native. During this tour, you’ll learn the traditions and customs of the island and see sites such as the Church of St. Martino and St. Barbara, and the bell tower.
Where to Stay Near Burano
Venissa Wine Resort on Burano - averages $150/night
MURANO Suites BOUTIQUE Apartments - averages $200/night
Casa Sulla Laguna in Murano - averages $200/night
NH Collection Murano Villa - averages $300/night (this is where I stayed when I visited Venice and it was absolutely amazing!)
The Best Lunch in Burano: Trattoria al Gatto Nero
Trattoria al Gatto Nero is a popular restaurant among locals and tourists alike. Located down a side street off the main road and across a footbridge, this Michelin-rated restaurant is the perfect place for a meal. It was recommended to me by the man who owns one of the Venetian mask stores on the island and to my luck, they happened to be open and I couldn’t have been more excited. They are closed on Mondays and only serve lunch on Wednesdays and Sundays, but every other day they are open for both lunch and dinner. I had the risotto de gò which is risotto Burano-style and it was absolutely amazing! Risotto de gò features a broth made from fresh, local fish from the lagoon nearby and is one of the most popular dishes on the island! This family-owned trattoria has been around since 1965 and you’ll understand why it’s a favorite after your first bite. If you’re looking for an authentic Italian meal and atmosphere - look no further than Trattoria al Gatto Nero!
If you love exploring new places, I highly recommend visiting Burano. It's a great place to spend a day and see something different from what you normally see on the rest of Venice's islands. If you have any questions about my experience on Burano or want more information or travel tips about traveling to Italy in general, feel free to leave me a comment below!
Happy travels!
-Tess
Tess Arnold
Hi! I’m Tess, founder of TravelingTessie.com, and not only do I love to travel, but I love immersing myself in new places and finding off the beaten path experiences wherever I go! I’ve lived in 4 different states & traveled to 13 countries and counting. I believe that tourism is meant to benefit both visitors and locals alike—and I want to bring that idea back into the travel industry by highlighting companies run by locals such as tours, hotels, restaurants, and more. On Traveling Tessie you can find hidden gems in top destinations around the world, travel tips, detailed city guides, and tons of inspiration for your next trip! If you love travel as much as I do, then please join me on this journey! I hope you enjoy my content as much as I enjoy providing it for you!
