Located in the Venetian lagoon, the small fisherman island of Burano has all the charm of the city of Venice, just without the bucketloads of tourists. Swap the hustle and bustle for this sleepy village filled with boutiques, cafeterias run by generation after generation of families, and local villagers with stories to tell.

The canals weave through the brightly coloured cottages, and every now and then you will stumble upon a small shop brimming with intricately woven lace – what the villagers pride themselves on the most. The traditions of Burano are still very prominent, and the fact it holds the most talented lace makers in the world is just a small part of the culture of the island.  Despite the gossiping widowers sitting in the sunshine on their patios embroidering lace like it’s childplay, it’s the buildings that tend to captivate visitors.

Burano is a fairytale village, lit up with an equal amount of colour and enchantment. The cottages are painted such wonderful colours due to the fact that when this village was completely off the tourist map, it’s main income and way of life would be run by the fishermen. At night, they would return home after a long day out on a boat (often in sweltering conditions), exhausted, and be unable to identify which house was theirs. This eventually led to the villagers working together to paint their homes insane colours so that they could tell which was theirs, resulting in the beautiful postcard view either side of the canal.

If it’s easy to get lost in the city in Venice and all it’s rich history, Burano is a vibrantly painted maze. It’s always worth it to get completely lost in a new place you visit, but when you’re here, each turn makes you feel as if you’ve become a part of the stonework. It’s a place untouched by time, and it felt woefully unnatural to bring out a camera whenever I felt the need to photograph anything. Plant pots and laundry hang from balconies with pastel coloured windowsills, whilst small boats dock from the other side of the houses. Every now and then, a rogue swan will flitter past – which offered a stark contrast to the backgrounds where I see them in London.

Burano is easily accessible via boat (say, 40 minutes from the main city of Venice), and if you visit, why not try other nearby islands such as Murano, Torcello, and Lido? Whilst none of them quite beat Burano, they’re still well worth the visit. On the ride to and from these islands, you will also glimpse the Cemitero San Michele, the floating cemetery where Venice lay their dead. It’s quite a wild concept to imagine having to travel a few miles via boat to see late family members. A full day boat pass is 20€, resulting in limitless travel around these islands – and an opportunity to tick some beautiful places off your bucket list.

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