Burano Shopping

What to buy: Around the town, you'll find many small shops selling hand made lace items. The delicate lace is made in the traditional way by some very dedicated women. Be sure to check when making your purchase, as some lesser quality factory made lace has found its way into some of the more touristy shops.

What to pay: Your price will depend on the size and quality of the item you purchase. Just remember that you will always pay for quality.

If you care about lace, I guess Burano is the place to go for shopping. And if you know someone who loves lace, there are large tablecloths, dresses, as well as small items available, such as bookmarks.

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During the morning (Mon-Fri) it is possible to see the lace-makers at work, making their traditional stitch invented many centuries ago on the island. They were working when we were there - perhaps they opened up specially for us cruisers.

There is a lace museum but it was not open during our visit. You have to be careful because there is counterfeit lace of Burano, made in China and there is also factory made lace.

Other shops are:

Creazioni Monica
Fondamenta dei Assassini, 686 - Burano
Open daily from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Phone: +039 041 730 668

Annelie
Calle Lunga San Barnaba, 2748 - Dorsoduro
Phone: +39 041 520 32 77
Opened from 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM and from 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Closed on Saturday afternoon and on Sundays

What to buy: There are the usual handkerchiefs which would have been nice for my mother. But who uses lace handkerchiefs in this era of Kleenex? There were table, tablecloths and towels, and entire array of goods devoted to the children, plus lace decorated brassieres and dresses

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While Murano is famous for its glassware, Burano is famous for lace-making and lace products. Therefore you will see many shops selling lace products especially souvenir shops at the town square area. The lace products are very beautiful but expensive because they are hand-made and famous, do be carefully to check whether they are really made in Burano before buying. My wife and I bought a female doll made locally with lace clothings which is very nice.

Other than lace products, you will also find road-side souvenir shops selling the usual souvenirs such as fridge magnets, gondola souvenir, face mask, T-shirts etc.

Yes, Burano is a touristy place but it still feels cheaper than in Venice itself when you look for things like carnival hats, local crafts and such. If it is lace you are after, make sure you have a decent chance of getting the real McCoy by shopping somewhere you can see it being made.

Carol is an artist. So is her mother and her grandmother and her daughter and most of her friends. When I first met Carol I didn't know all this. I just knew she had a LOT of artwork. What I now understand is that nearly all this art has a story and...a person associated with it. This inclination toward the personalization of art becomes particularly important when traveling. You see, what makes local art truly special are the local artists that create it.

I had bought masks in Venice previously and was ready again. I was looking for something really unique and affordable but had thus far been unimpressed. That is until we met Vitturi Angelo on the Island of Burano. Located on the Via San Martino, Vitturi's mask shop is a treasure trove. Created entirely by Vitturi, his masks carry his distinctive gold, bronze and leather-like tones. They each had a unique design yet shared the artist's distinctive style.

Vitturi is a real gentleman with obvious pride in his work. His masks are available only in his shop even though he has offers to expand to Venice. He explains that he can only personally make so much and to expand would mean it would not all be his work. Now we have another piece of art with a story and...a person associated with it.

There's no escaping the local lace shops but if you don't want to buy its worth having a look round and perhaps seeing the ladies making the lace articles - at least you will know these are genuinely hand-made and authentic of Buano!

Venetian lace is made here in Burano. You can visit the lace museum ( museo del merletto) in the centre of town, near the church. Lots of shops in the main street sell the typical lace. You can also find it in Venice, but be careful to buy the real thing. Lots of fake around!