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There are several Islands that are located outside of the City Center of Venice. And after
doing some extensive research on Slow Travel, I learned of two Islands that I can visit for a day. I
think I'll visit the Islands of Burano (known for their handmade lace and linens) and Torcello (which is where
Hemmingway apparently wrote one of his novels). I hope than someday I will be able to return to so I may be
able to explore the other islands that I will miss seeing on this trip.
To get to Burano, I take the LN
(Lagoon North) boat at Fondamenta Nove in Venice or the Faro stop on Murano. From Faro, it's a 33-minute trip to Burano.
I didn’t start early enough
and so I found the Vaporettos very crowded and stood practically the whole time, which was fine because I was able to move
from one side of the Vaporetto to the other side in order to enjoy different views during the ride. I actually prefer being out in the open rather than inside the Vaporettos main compartment, mainly for
the fresh air and to prevent any onset of motion sickness which I am prone to having. It
worked!
I decided that to visit the island of Burano first. During the ride, I found it really interesting how the scenery changed the further
out I went from Venice.
In Venice, everything seem so close together and compact but the further out you go things seem to open up a bit. There was one section on the ride over that I saw a really large beautiful park.
I had to transfer once to a smaller boat to go the rest of the way to Murano, Burano and Torcello. The ride
was a good 30 minutes on open water. Along the way, I observed these posts (markings) jetting out
of the water, probably like lanes on a roadway. Other boats were also moving
quickly across this same empty patch of water between the islands and it was just sort of interesting to watch how organized
the boats seem to share the waterways. I actually enjoy the ride (and best of
all I didn’t get motion sickness).
Within minutes we approach an island but as it turns out it is the island of Murano. For a few seconds I was tempted to hop off and take a quick look around, but I really
wanted to spend most of my time in Burano and Torcello.
Our boat finally arrive
in Burano and a Vaporetto platform with the sign Burano welcomed us.
I hop off and start following the flow of people. Soon I can spot the colorful houses along a small canal. It is exactly like the photos I saw on Slow Travel. I mean
exactly. I remember a photo of the week selection (taken by Girasoli) of a bike
propped up against this colorful building. I actually think I saw that very same
bicycle leaning up against the same building. I took a photo of it so I could
compare it when I returned home. That was pretty cool. I walked down this less crowed street onto another canal and took a bunch of photos. It was nice how each building was a different color and a different style, but they were all “colorful
and bright.” I went to visit the big square in front of the church then
ate a quick snack at a café. After I was done with taking all the photographs
I wanted to take, I decided it was time to do some serious shopping. I went into several different shops and bought
several items. I purchased a beautiful lace table cloth cover for my sister (and
me) and a very lovely lace bookmark for my sister (and me). Notice a trend (of
and me) here! The lace are so well made. They are delicate and very
beautiful. Next I purchased a couple of postcards and then I was off to catch
the next boat to the Island of Torcello.
TO TORCELLO: From the ACTV pier on
Burano, take the T boat to Torcello. The large vaporetto-style boat runs twice an hour and takes only five minutes
to cross the narrow strip of water between the islands.
There were only four people (including me) catching
the Vaporetto to Torcello so lots of places to sit. The ride to Torcello from
Burano wasn’t too far (maybe a good 10 minutes).
From the Vaporetto stop, you have to walk along this long path next to this small canal, and then you are in the center
of town. It was probably a good 8-10 minute walk.
I see the famous Locanda hotel where Hemmingway himself stayed. And
who knows how many things may have inspired him while sleeping here. Pretty awesome
to even think about it.
After taking photos of the famous hotel, I walk over to the Church of Santa Fosca. I purchase a ticket to
climb up the Campanile (another thing I read from a Slow Travel Blogger, Girasoli). The entrance to the Bell Tower
is around the back. I climbed up and reached the top. There were these wires that were put up that sort of blocked me from taking photos of the view. Luckily, there are some sections where others before me pried open which was just enough for me to stick
my camera lens through and snap a few photos. Not sure why they had to block
the view with these wires. I think it sort of spoils the view, but I’m
sure they have their reasons. From this vantage point you can really see how
empty Torcello is and that is surprising considering that it was once the capital city of Venice.
I walked down the campanile and walked around a bit more and actually forgot to see the mosaics in the church. That
was a huge mistake on my part and didn’t learn about it until I actually came home and was preparing some notes about
my trip. This is why research and writing notes is so important when traveling. So you don’t forget to do the important things.
I walk back to the Vaporetto platform for the ride back to Venice. I take the T vaporetto back to the Actv
pier on Burano. Then I wait and take the LN back to Fondamenta Nove in Venice.
It was a very pleasant ride and I caught the start of a beautiful sunset
on the ride back. So awesome.
It was a really long day, so I grabbed a quick bite at the café and head back to the apartment for a little rest before
I head back out for my usual evening stroll. Gosh it’s so great to be on
vacation!
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