By Alexandra Redisch in Burano

Italy will feature heavily here on Sophie’s World in the coming weeks and even months. And while the focus will be mainly on Umbria, we’ll have a few other little goodies here as well..

Last July, I spent a week in la bella Venezia with my fiancé. In Venice, the tiny, colourful island of Burano was one of our favourite places.

Burano lies just a stone’s throw from Venice’s Ponte Rialto. And while big brother Murano is certainly more prosperous, not to mention famous, Burano has a quirkiness to it that I have yet to see anywhere else. The island boasts exquisite lace making, fresh seafood and yummy lemon biscuits known as bussole, but is perhaps best known for its vibrant colours.

Houses generally have two or three storeys, with kitchen, breakfast nook and toilet on the ground floor and bedrooms further up. An ancient legend says the local fishermen painted their houses in bright colours to better see them from far out in the lagoon. Today, if you wish to paint your house, the government must first approve the colour.


Venice skyline on the horizon

The leaning tower of Burano

Burano has its very own leaning tower – the Campanile of the church of San Martino.


Trattoria al Gatto Nero da Ruggero…


…complete with a gorgeous real life gatto nero

Have you seen Burano? What’s your favourite spot in la bella Venezia?

unesco logo

Burano is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site Venice and its lagoon.

Here are more UNESCO World Heritage sites around the world.