We had 2 days in Venice during our recent whirlwind trip through Italy. I had seen many pictures of the colourful nearby island of Burano and knew we had to visit!
We caught a water taxi from Venice and rode for 1/2 an hour to the nearby fishing village of Burano.
Within minutes of walking from the boat dock, the colourful houses came into view.
There are 2 stories about why the homes are painted in such vibrant hues.
The first is simple : Venetians love colour and often paint their fishing boats bright colours. Soon the "thing to do" was to paint your house to match your colourful fishing boat.
The second story has to do with drunk fishermen who "accidently" would end up in the wrong houses (and bedrooms!) after long nights of drinking in the local pub. When the houses were all neutrally stucco-coloured it was easy for the men to get "mixed-up." So their wives came up with a plan - paint your home a bright, eye-catching colour and then your husband has no excuse!!
See the fabric curtain on the door below? It's for privacy. No one has air-conditioning here so they leave their doors and windows wide often to allow the flow of air. So to avoid people staring in on them, a thin cotton drape is placed over the door.
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| I love this shade of purple! And the flowers match perfectly! |
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| I'm not sure I would use these slippery steps to get down into a boat! |
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| Every town in Italy has it's tower. And most of them lean for some reason. No exception here! |
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| This picture makes me laugh. It looks like Kevin is praying to the "herb gods" but really he's just sniffing a handful of sage. |
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| This being Venice, every shop had masks for sale that were just as colourful as the surrounding buildings! |
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| We tried to take a few "selfies" throughout the trip. I'm not really pleased with the quality of photo my cell-phone takes. We look "grainy" but-- it's proof we were there! |
So what do you think of that town?
Gorgeous, isn't it?
Gorgeous, isn't it?
Kevin and I both list this village as one of our favourite stops on our trip. I hope one day, you can visit there, too!
On our way to a friend's cottage this week. Looking forward to relaxing in a deck chair beside the lake.
Bliss!
Hugs to all,
Bronwyn
Oh wow, that is stunning! If we go back to Venice we will have to pay a visit.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to go to Venice next year and hadn't thought about Burano - I might include it in my plans now. It looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWow, beautiful pictures! I love all the bright colors. The second color reason is too funny but so true! The masks are gorgeous. You two look very happy :-) Enjoy your trip this week.
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful!!! Whatever the story behind the colours of the houses, it certainly makes for a very attractive place doesn't it! Hope that you enjoy your cottage time just as much! xx
ReplyDeleteLove these photos!! The color and vibrancy is amazing. I love the story behind the bright houses. ;) Thanks for sharing and it sure looked like a wonderful trip. xo
ReplyDeleteOh my word, what a beautiful place. All that colour, it is stunning. I did giggle at the stories of why the houses are painted so brightly, they both sound pretty convincing to me :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad you both had such a great trip, it all looks fantastic.
Love Gem x x
Gem'sCountryLifeDream