Murano and Burano

Ah what can one say about Venice! We have all seen pictures and heard or read about Venice but to actually be here and see it is wonderful. It truly is a wondrous place. We intended to visit the islands of Murano and Burano today. They are situated north of the main island in the Venice lagoon. Of course the only way to get there is by vaporetto. So we bought our tickets and set off. The vaporetti are the local bus service and everyone uses them. They are quick, efficient, comprehensively cover the area and are on time.

It took about 20 minutes to get to the island of Murano which is noted for its magnificent glass products and glass blowing factories.  We saw someone creating and shaping a horse and he did it with speed and skill. We were told that it takes 20 years to become proficient in this craft. Needless to say their products are beautiful but quite costly. While on the island we walked around and looked at the scenery and then had lunch. Every man and his dog were there and consequently the vaporetti were full to pussy's bow! We left  Murano on the sardine special.

Next stop was Burano a further 20 minutes out on the vaporetto. Burano is famous for its lace making skills and products. It is also quaint because the local houses are all brightly coloured. It is a pretty place to visit notwithstanding the fact that tourists were everywhere. It was very hot and so of course we had to have a gelati.  Tiramisu and Almond were my choice while Tony had strawberry and mango. Like all Italian ice cream it is absolutely delicious.
We caught the vaporetto and decided to take one back to our accommodation via a circuitous route around the main island.  We are so glad we did as it gave us another perspective of Venice and we saw things we hadn't seen previously such as the ship yard,  some more incredible churches and the docks where the superliners are berthed.

Venice is a unique and precious place and it has UNESCO Heritage protection. Everywhere you look there is something of interest. The history, characters, buildings, system of transportation and way of life as a result of its geography make it a place to treasure and put on your bucket list!
On our final night we went back to Tre Archi, a restaurant where we sat by the canal and enjoyed the scenery, the food, the waiters, the accordion player and watched the passing parade. A  very pleasant place to also watch the sunset on our last evening in Venice.

Arrivaderci Venice......

Click here for pictures of Murano and Burano.