Italian Blate: Colorful Burano

Remember that little Italian blate I went on like 7 months ago? Yeah. Shame on me for just now showing you all the beautiful photos from my 5 fabulous days there! My dear blog friend, fellow military wife and expat, Jessica, from Jessica Lynn Writes, and I had been trying to plan a blate for quite some time. After months of swapping dates, our schedules finally lined up and BOOM! I was on a flight to Italy one sunny October afternoon! Jess was such a gracious host, allowing me invade her sweet Italian life and playing tour guide for me during my visit. We ate tons of gelato & pizza, laughed for hours, and toured around some of the most beautiful towns in Italy during my short time there. One of those cute towns being the island of Burano, just a 30-minute boat ride from Venice! This vibrant canal-laden town was my absolute favorite stop on our day in the Venice area. I'd heard it was quaint and isolated, with no cars allowed on the island, but I had no idea how colorful and rich with character this floating town would be! Back in the day, families here used to paint their homes bright colors to designate where one family's quarters ended and another's began. The colors also helped fisherman find their homes late at night after a long day at sea. The painting tradition has since stuck and become one of the most defining characteristics of this charming sea town.

With all the colorful homes and laundry-filled alleyways, Burano is a true amateur photographers dream. Our cameras never left our hands the whole day! Burano was also a pretty fun place to shop. It's widely known for having some of the most beautiful and intricate handmade lace in the world, so of course, I had to snag myself a few lace souvenirs. One of them being a gorgeous lace Christening dress for my little niece, who was baptized in it a few short months later! Such a special keepsake for her, when she's old enough to know the significance. :)

If you ever find yourself planning a trip to Venice, make sure to spend at least half a day on the whimsical fisherman's island of Burano. It's a true Italian gem!