The city of Venice in Northern Italy is truly a spectacular place. It stuns you with its sheer beauty and old-world charm. The grand lagoon reflects centuries-old castles and medieval palace that gives the city its street cred as one of the most breathtaking and historic cities to visit ever.

Any serious traveler should definitely have Venice high on his must-see list.

But unbeknownst to many, even among avid travelers, there is an island less than an hour away from Venice, that is also worth exploring.

Seven kilometers and 40-minutes away from Venice by vaporetto or a small ferry,, the archipelago of Burano, is made up of small islands on the northern end of the Venetian Lagoon, near Torcello and Mazzorbo. This island is so quaint that less than 3,000 people live here.

What makes Burano Island a very interesting place to visit and a lovely destination to take photographs of, are its small, colorful houses.

All houses in Burano sport striking colors, and as far as I saw , no two neighboring houses sport the same color. The color system follows a specific pattern and anyone who wishes to paint his house must secure prior consent from the government in order to preserve the system.

Ordinarily, tourists and travelers who visit Venice, never get as far as Burano. If they have more extra time, they sometimes check our the nearby Murano Island, where the famous murano glass is manufactured. But very few people reach Burano, and fewer people still, get the chance to reach the end of the Venetian Lagoon, Torcello.

For its part, aside from the colorful houses, Burano island is famous for its lace work done by the island’s elderly women. Historical records show that Leonardo da Vinci even bought some lace from Burano when he was alive.

The small islets making up Burano is connected by simple wooden bridges that while, ordinary looking, work well for the benefit of the islands inhabitants.

The simplicity and the laidback ambiance within the island only adds to its natural charm and wonder. And it makes people want to explore it more, and come to back visit again and again.

How to Get to Burano

To get to Burano, visitors must first take the vaporetto to Murano Island, and then transfer by another boat to Burano. The entire journey takes abour 40-45 minutes and will cost $15 euro (one way).