On our first morning in Venice we decided to take a tour to see some of the surrounding islands. For 20 EURO (15 for students), we were ferried to Murano, Burrano, and Torcello and learned of their ways.
With a population of 5,000, Murano is best known for its glass-making. Our first stop was to visit one of these glass-making factories.
The glass is heated in a huge furnace. |
The glassmaker twirled the rod to stretch or twist the molten glass. |
This glassmaker blew into the end of the stick to inflate the glass. It might have become a bowl or vase. |
Murano glass vases. Photo found here. |
Murano glass pendants such as you would see for sale at street vendors. Photo credit: www.dhluxuries.com |
Our next stop was the neighboring island of Burano, known for its handmade lace, and...
...its brightly painted homes! (Inspiration for Murano glass?)
Let's Go tells me this is said to have begun when the island was primarily a fishing village, and the fisherman would paint their homes distinctive colors so they could tell which was theirs as they were sailing home.
I love it. You can't help but grin when you see all the ridiculous colors, especially when adjoined houses are painted in an atrociously bad combination! It reminded me a bit of Ireland, actually!
Our last stop on the tour was the far away island of Torcello. It was much quieter, and actually quite peaceful because not many tourists bothered to go out that far.
A pretty windowframe on Torcello. |
The cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. |
The other island we visited (on a different day) was Lido, which is only a short vapretto ride from San Marco.
Approaching Lido |
1 comment:
I love the shutters on that one house. Nice colors. The bright blue rowhouses..not so much!
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