Our second trip to Venice: the Islands.

Visiting Venice should always be at least a two-day trip. The first part is all about the main island, where the real city resides. Then you should always save a second day for visiting the three main islands, Murano, Burano and Torcello. I’ve uploaded some pictures of our trip. We’re not good photographers, but we’re learning.

I suggest you to leave by 8am and experience a tour of all the islands, by going to Fondamente Nove boat stop and take the boat (Line 12) to Murano First. You’ll need the 24 hours ticket (remember to validate it each time you take a boat) for using all the boat services in Venezia, since you’ll take the boat multiple times. It costs €20 at the time, but it’s worth it since you can also use it to reach Fondamente Nove without walking all across the city. You’ll be walking most of the day, so wear your most comforting shoes.

If you take the boat line 12 at 8:10 you should be at Murano by 8:25. I’m not a fan of Murano, especially now that most of the local glass factory closed after chinese invaded the market with their cheap and low quality glass, but if you want REAL venetian glass, have a stop there, and walk around the shops and the factories that are still open. Most shops in Venice sells chinese low quality glass things as Made in Italy, but it seems most of shops in Murano still sells real ones. Be prepared to higher prices though. It’s hand made and it’s not cheap for a reason.

If you get the Line 12 again around 11:30 you should be at Torcello by Lunch time. Torcello is a quiet refuge in the surroundings of Venice and my perfec idea of ‘Locus Amoenus‘, the pleasant place for excellence. There’re few places to visit there and it’s basically just a road from the boat stop to the Locanda Cipriani (Hemingway loved that place) and the Cathedral of St. Maria Assunta. If you follow my schedule and arrive to Torcello by lunch, you can have ‘Fritto Misto’ of fish in one of those Locandas there (while usually cheap, always double check the prices before you sit and order, avoid all places where prices aren’t written outside). Americans, please avoid the tentation of a quick lunch and enjoy the hottest hours of the day under the shades of the locanda. In Italy there’s no concept of table rotation, nobody will ever ask you to leave after you’re done with your meal. Enjoy the view, the company and the chats. Maybe order another liter of fresh wine and drink it slowly with your friends and family.

The road to the church and Locanda Cipriani

Locanda Cipriani from the main road.

You can eat in many of the few building you’ll find in Torcello, but check prices!!

Locanda Cipriani

Another view of the road to Locanda Cipriani and the Curch

We got the boat (Line 12 again) at 15:10 to get to Burano around 15 minutes later. Burano is, well, pure color magic. It’s the island of home made laces and crochets, and most of them are still made in Italy. In contrast to Venice, locals here just sit out of their brightly colored houses and watch people passing by with kids playing on the streets. You won’t find any other place like this anywhere in the world, so take your time: sit somewhere (double check prices first, every time), enjoy an aperitif and blend with the evironment.

It’s common to see locals outside their doors watching tourists.. here it’s everything ready.

I love this view.

I like how the buildings reflects on water here.

Can you ever imagine how live might be there?

One of the perspectives of Burano.

Color magic made in Burano.

Campiello in Burano.

Walking off the beaten path.

Another famous perspective of Burano.

We left Burano at 17:44 to be in Venice at 18:15, just in time for dusk. If you’re staying in Venice just for the day, stay in the Cannaregio Sestriere and walk through it to the train station for the best pictures of venice at dusk you’ll ever take. We tried to take some good pictures but we didn’t have a tripod, so most of those with higher aperture were blurry.