Venice 2013 Day 5

Venice 2013 Day 5: Burano and Murano

We didn't get a chance to visit the nearby islands of Burano and Murano last time we were in Venice and I told myself, I have to visit them both the next time!  So I made sure we have a day trip to Burano and Murano this time! And we were very glad we went because both islands were amazingly beautiful!  

We woke up early in the morning so we could be at Burano early in the morning before it is packed with tourists.  It was pretty easy to get to Burano; we took the route 4.1 from Zaccaria (St Mark's Square stop) to F.TE NOVE "B" then walked over to F.TE NOVE "A" to switch water bus to route 12 to Burano. It took almost an hour and a half with wait time in between the two lines. It was a long boat trip but definitely worth it!  We arrived Burano around 9:30 am and the island was nearly empty; we felt like we have the whole island ourselves!

From the water bus stop, we walked straight to the end of the street where this very cute pink cafe is located. It looked like it came right out of a story book like a toy house don't you think?  If I can choose a house to be my childhood dream house, this will be definitely it!

That area was where most of the online photos I seen taken from, the pastel and bright colored houses on each side of the canal. I had this pictured in my mind but it turned out to be more colorful and beautiful. Just by looking at it, it already made me happy.  Doesn't this look like a dreamland? Please don't wake me up!

In fact, the color of the houses are regulated! No two houses next to each other have the same color! We walked by each house and whenever we saw a house we like, we'll stop and have few photos with it.  It was so much fun doing so! I love the reflection of the colorful houses as well....another reason to be here early!

I never thought orange, blue, and purple could match so well together! 

Ladies, if you were like me who spend a lot of time packing for the trip to make sure you pack the right clothes that will match the place, then there's no need to worry about it for Burano because no matter what color you picked, it will blend in! I am sure you'll be able to find a house that'll match your color :)

Another side of the same street...gorgeous!

I like light colors but this bright pink somehow caught my attention!

I told hubby to run over to the other side of the canal to take a photo of me, the houses, and reflections! This is one of my favorite photos!

How can I not have a photo with a pink boat!!!

After the main street, we walked through small streets and let me tell you, the whole island houses are colorful not just the main street houses! We stopped by this yellow house and placed my camera on the window of the house opposite of it to take a photo of us two LOL! It was the best photo of us together of our trip except the ones we used a tripod! Now I am looking at it.....it looked like a greeting card!!!

Then we saw this fuchsia colored house with color matching flowers, I just like it so much!!

The house next to it is baby blue, it really matched my hubby's outfit LOL so I made him stand there so I could take a photo :)

We had so much fun that time passed by quickly! It was already lunch time! I was planning to have lunch at Da Romano (address: Via S.Martino DX 221) after I read a lot of good reviews about it but unfortunately there was a death in the family so the restaurant was closed when we were there!!! We checked out menus from a few restaurants nearby and decided to have lunch at Restaurant Galuppi.  The interior decors were nice with a lot of paintings, the food was just okay...a little bit on the expensive side: two pastas and mussels as appetizer total 44.55 euros!!

The restaurant has wifi and this is what they gave me for password...the longest password I ever seen in my life lol....wondered who can remember that!!

Food was just okay!

After lunch, we headed to the other section of the island...still filled with colorful houses!

A house with a very leaning tower!!!  Oh, a local fishing right in front of his house woah!

Me..walking down the street of the colorful Burano island :)

I saw this pastel green-blue house with matching colored plant of course and this lady was doing her laundry!

Even the cat on this island is relaxing!

My favorite pink!!! What I really like about Burano is that locals really spend time on color matching their houses and well decorated with flowers and plants!  No one house is the same!!!

A very bright red house...reminded me of Memo!

Another fuchsia house but decorated with two green plants on the entrance!

Hubby likes this yellow house with the blue windows and the two barber-poles at the front door!

A blue house hanging a fuchsia shirt, the color contrast really stand out!

My favorite pastel pink with color matching curtains and two hanging plants!

Burano is really like a dreamland!  It is the most colorful island I ever seen in my life!  If you seen another other island more colorful than Burano please let me know!!

We left Burano at around 2 pm and headed back to stop by at Murano - island famous for its glass.  I pictured Murano as an island filled with glass souvenir shops and factories...I was wrong!  It was not the factory as I pictured factory to be...but instead, the island is similarly beautiful as Burano but bigger in size!

First, we walked pass a glass factory where they open their back door so tourists could see the factory...workers blowing glass.  We didn't get to see the actual blowing the glass though!

After we walked straight from the Murano stop (Murano island has many water bus stops....I forgot which one we got off though), we turned right and both side of the canal was filled with souvenir shops! Instead of shopping, we enjoyed the view of the island more!

The big huge blue colored Murano glass display right at the front of a bell tower!

I didn't realized hubby took this photo LOL!

Very nice but expensive Murano glass!

The Grand Canal of Murano!

We left Murano around 4 pm and rest a bit in the hotel before heading out for dinner.  Today, I insisted on having pizza!  I told hubby that if I didn't get a chance to have pizza in Italy this time, I'll regret it LOL! We took the water bus to Accademia since we purchased a 36 hours travel card to save us time and energy to walk all the way there from San Marco!  We went to the ATM machine to get some cash and then we were too lazy to find a restaurant so we had our dinner at Bar Foscarini, right next to Accademia Bridge.  The view was breathtaking of the Grand Canal!

We ordered two pizzas, prices were a little bit more expensive than what we seen but it was reasonable for its location!  Total for two pizzas and a bottle of water was 30 euros (the cheapest dinner we had in Venice!). 

Yummy!! We don't think it's possible to have a bad pizza in Italy!!!

As we were enjoying our pizzas, we saw 8 gondolas passed by, must be a tour group or something!

After dinner, we took the water bus back to St Mark's Square  on the way people were taking photos of the Grand Canal......with their iPads LOL!!

Reflection of San Giorgio Maggiore on one of St Mark's Square water bus stops' glass windows, I thought it looked like an advertisement banner!

It was still early when we got back to St Mark's Square  so we decided to take a little walk before heading back to our hotel! We passed by a bakery, wondered if those are pastries or candies....

Another church and bell tower on the back side of St Mark's Square....

Urggg..this building looked like it's going to fall!

Speaking of narrow roads in Venice, here's a very narrow house!  

After an half an hour lovely walk, we walked back to our hotel and rest.  We weren't tired at all so we had an idea....we took our tripods out to take some portraits of us in this glamorous hotel!  When we had our wedding photos taken in Venice, our first choice was at Hotel Danieli because of its grand staircase but due to room availability, we weren't able to stay at Danieli.  Then we found out no professional/commercial photography is allowed inside the hotel according to our photographer!  So this time since it's not for professional/commercial purposes, we were able to take photos of ourselves :)

This photo was taken after we got back from Murano:

The rest of the photos were taken late at night around 11 pm so not much people around the lobby and public areas hehe! Here are a few photos to share!

I like the angle of the staircase and the Murano glass chandelier on the top!

Photo of us with the famous Danieli grand staircase!

Looked like painting of a king and queen hahaha!

We walked out to St Mark's Square but there were no water puddles for reflections so we didn't stay for much photos and walked back to our hotel.  One photo though.....I like the mysterious and dreamy mood from this photo:

Can't love enough of Venice!  Another great day and great night!