 Burano and Murano are two colorful islands in the Venetian lagoon. They are easy to reach by vaporetto, and the pleasant trip takes less than one hour. You will leave exquisite Venice and enter two worlds of color and light and the salty smells of the sea. In typical fishing village fashion the houses are painted in the rich, cheery saturated colors one finds in Crayola colored pencils. You will see a cobalt blue house standing next to a vivid green, or a salmon pink next to a sunflower yellow house. The Saturday wash drapes over these walls in abstract patterns, and someone has left a yellow mop and mottled gray tin water bucket next to a bright red door, unintentionally making an abstract art statement. One might say that in or around Venice, art is simply in the air. When it's lunchtime on either of these islands, by-pass the pasta and opt for an Insalata di Frutti di Mare Veneziana, a savory fish stew, followd by an after lunch sweet.
The Island of Burano:
In the 16th century Burano gained importance when the fishermen's wives took needles to hand and started crafting lace of exceptional skill and pattern. Their deft and artful style came to them by way of Cypriot craftsmen during a time when Cyprus ruled Venetice. The high quality of the workmanship came to the attention of Leonardo da Vinci who in 1481 purchased some of this lace in a pattern called Potamos for the high altar of the Duomo di Milano. That particular pattern is now called the Leonardo Da Vinci design. One can still find it on the island today, but very little of the lace is being made by the Burano ladies using the method that was used by generations of ladies before them because it is too time consuming for today's marketplace.
The Island of Murano:
In 1291 it was decreed that all glassmakers must move from Venice to the island of Murano. The reason for this was that the roaring fires needed to mold the glass often sent sparks flying onto the surrounding wooden buildings that predominated the Venetian landscape, causing serious fire hazards. Glass from Murano soon became a worldwide commodity, and respected glassmakers moved up into the class of Murano's most prominent citizens. Skilled glassmakers had a reputation in the world for exceptional glassmaking using centuries old techniques, making crystalline glass, enameled glass, glass with threads of gold running through, multicolored glass, milk glass, and gemstones glass. Decorative glass is still Murano's chief export, and its oldest glass factory is still active today.
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