On the 27th we went out to Burano again. It was one of the things we wanted to do but it was dependent on the weather. And what stunning winter weather we've had. Days and days of sunshine. It's been wonderful. So we woke up on a beautiful day and walked the back streets from San Marco down to Fondamenta Nuove. Since our visit to Burano last year, the vaporetto number had changed - it's no longer the LN, it's the 12. There are also several vaporetto points at Fondamenta Nuove to get out to Murano, Burano, various islands, the airport, the cemetery etc so check the boards carefully and make your way to the right departure point. There is 100 metres between them so if you have bags, leave enough time as there are bridges (and steps) between them.
The trip to Burano still takes around 40 minutes. This time we got off at Mazzorbo and walked around the island. One of the canals was undergoing major work so we just walked around it. There was a detour in place as once we got to the other end near the church (Santa Caterina) it was a dead end. We found the church relatively small and plain, so it was a quick visit. I had read about a byzantine church on the island so I was a little disappointed, having equated byzantine with golden mosaics! Or more to the point, my love of the church at Torcello - a highlight on any trip to Venice.
We then strolled alongside the path to the cemetery. It was an incredibly beautiful blue sky day - not a cloud to be seen. We had Burano to our right and it was lovely.
We then walked across the bridge to Burano. Burano is one of the most colourful places you can visit. Make sure your camera is charged and you have plenty of space on your memory cards! Every corner is a delight. The colours are vivid and the reflections they produce in the canals are absolutely stunning. It really is a photographer's paradise. Whether you are a professional or a hobbyist, you can't take a bad photo in Burano.
Here are just some of my favourites from the day however you can also view my Flickr album here.
This year we didn't treat ourselves to a fabulous seafood meal at Trattoria al Gatto Nero, but went to Trattoria Al Raspo de Ua near the piazza. We took the recommendation from our Lonely Planet guide and I must say I was a bit surprised it was there. Bit touristy - not helped by a few tourist groups in the restaurant - and food average. Nevertheless it did the job and there was a clean toilet there (even though we purchase our weekly vaporetto tickets with the public toilet passes, it's always good to have back-up plans!)
Once we had lunch, done some shopping, and looked at the church - Chiesa di San Martino - the one with the lopsided bell-tower/steeple - we stopped for a hot chocolate and a pastry. I wouldn't recommend the former, it was one of the worst hot chocolates we'd ever had, but the pastry was fine. We then caught the vaporetto back to Venice and spent hours in our apartment checking out the photos we took while in Burano. Just gorgeous. It's not about the food or the drink, it's all about the colours.
