Burano - it's all about the colour

We've had a gorgeous time here in Venice.  Because we had no plans, no itinerary, for this holiday we've pretty much relaxed and walked around our favourite parts of this glorious city.

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.

The pink lamps of Venice

The last post on this blog was about the sounds of Venice. Today I thought I'd start tackling the colours of Venice.  But then I realised I didn't want to go through all the wonderful autumn and earthy colours of the palazzos, the glorious ultramarine blue of the gondola covers. I didn't want to think about the local campos and normal residences, bridges, the water reflections, the Murano glass and general art shops, the walkways, the canals... I only wanted to talk about one love, and that is the pink lamps of Venice.

I fell in love with them when I first visited Venice as a 21 year-old backpacker. Each visit since, I still photograph the gorgeous lamps. I try for different lighting behind them. Different colours in the sky. Different buildings...

I think my favourite collection of pink lamps are in St Mark's Square near the Basilica and next to the Doge's Palace. But then there's the walk along the Riva degli Schiavoni or along the Zattere. Over across at Giudecca, single lamps light the walkway. I think I prefer the three lamp configuration. Yes, I do. I love the three.

I don't know about the history of them or why the colour pink was chosen. (If anyone knows, do drop me a line).

It's funny. I don't actually like the colour pink. Shades of pink are okay. But the soft pink lamps of Venice. Now they are gorgeous. And I love them to bits.

Light and reflections

One of the most beautiful things about Venice and the surrounding islands is the way the light works - across the squares, the canals, the buildings.  Different times of day produce amazing results. There's beauty in every corner.

Yesterday we looked at some of the palazzos on the Grand Canal in the afternoon light.  It had been raining all day but glancing down the Canal you could see such beautiful reflections off the buildings as the sun after the rain touched them ever so gently before the light faded and the evening was upon us.

The canals reflect such beautiful light, off the buildings and walls, that when you come across something special, you know it. You can't help but take the camera out and attempt to capture it. I caught many beautiful moments today. Too many to load on Facebook, Flickr and this blog. Here's just one favourite:



And then there are the times you don't have a camera on you or the light is too poor. Last night we went around to Campo San Giacomo dell Orio, very close to where we are staying. Puddles were everywhere but what was magical was the way the lights from the buildings and the lamps reflected on them. Red, orange, yellow. The Campo was pretty much deserted - a handful of people in the local Osteria and Trattoria - and a few people travelling along the walkways at night getting from A to B, but generally it was very quiet.

Even though it was a cool evening, we picked up some gelato after dinner and strolled slowly back to the apartment. I would have given anything to have had the tripod with me. The colours across the square and the church there were beautiful.

We still have three weeks here and rain is forecast for the next week at least. I will have to make sure I stroll around one night to try and capture the magic. So beautiful. And such a delight.

A day trip to Burano

Yesterday was a lovely day in Venice.  We knew rain was forecast for this week but that Sunday should have been fine.  And it was.  So we headed off to Burano.  It was somewhere we had never been to (ok I lie, on our last trip in 2008 we got off at the Burano ferry stop and caught another ferry to Torcello, which was absolutely amazing, so technically we have been there)  Anyway, we made up for it yesterday.

We had a longer than expected ride from Riva de Biasio (our vaporetto stop on the Grand Canal) as the vaporetto we could take to Fondamenta Nuove wasn't in service.  So we hopped on the number 1 vaporetto, packed with tourists, and squeezed in for a few stops, getting off at Ca'D'oro and weaving through the back streets and campos of Cannaregio to FN.  We then got on the LN ferry that stops at Murano first and then heads to Burano.  It's about a 40 minute trip, slow (20kms an hour the maximum speed).  I love going past San Michele - the cemetery island - particularly when it's misty.

We arrived at Burano close to lunch and had already been tipped off to TRATTORIA AL GATTO NERO on one of the canals.

It was a bit cool so we decided to try our luck at a table inside.  Did we have a reservation?  No, but they cleared a table for us and we knew we got lucky!  We decided to splurge.  For antipasti we chose the degustazione option and three plates of seafood came out, some cooked, some not.  There were prawns, mussels, vongole, a scallop (with tomato and olive oil on top -- delicious!), smoked salmon, baby octopus, razor clams and langoustine.  Plenty to share for E26.00.   We then shared the homemade taglioni with spider crab.  Add on wine (the house wine was superb), a bottle of san pellegrino, and an espresso, well let's just say it was a bit of a splurge!  But worth every second of it.

We then strolled around and of course I took dozens and dozens of photos.  Burano is a photographer's heaven.  So much colour and light.  And you look for the light in the water.  You wait for the reflections.  And they are beautiful.  I would love to see it on a really sunny blue sky day.  That must make the place sparkle!

We shopped - and yes I bought a scarf (yes surprise surprise however bit disturbing in that it was my second shiny shiny glitzy one this trip, but it was lovely - and colourful!).  I also bought a print from the local artist.  Just a cheap momento of the place.  A handful of postcards later and another walk around the square and a few of the canals, and we were back on the ferry for the long but relaxing trip back to Venice.

On the way back the sun shone directly on my face - and it was beautiful.