Burano is an island in the north of the Venice lagoon, known for its brightly painted houses and its needle lace. You get there by vaporetto: from the railway station or Piazzale Roma, take line 4.1, 4.2 or 5.2 to Fondamente Nove, then line 12 to the Burano stop. The Lace Museum is open from 10 am to 4 pm, closed on Mondays; admission is €7. This page gives the official access route, the museum’s hours and prices, a walking route around the island, the light month by month for photos and the most common mistakes.
Burano is best visited as a complement to the historic center: see our guide to visiting Venice, our page on the best time to visit Venice for the climate and acqua alta, and our comparison Rome or Venice.
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Burano: key facts
- Getting there: lines 4.1, 4.2 or 5.2 to Fondamente Nove, then line 12 to the Burano stop — checked on 24 October 2026 on museomerletto.visitmuve.it
- Lace Museum (Museo del Merletto): 10 am–4 pm, last entry 3:30 pm, closed on Mondays — checked on 24 October 2026 on museomerletto.visitmuve.it
- Museum admission: €7 full price, €3.50 reduced (ages 6–14, students aged 15 to 25, over 65s); free from ages 0 to 5; « Musei delle Isole » ticket €20 (Murano glass + Burano lace + Torcello museum)
- Museum address: Piazza Galuppi 187, Burano
- Combine with: Mazzorbo (linked by a bridge), Torcello and Murano
How to get to Burano from Venice
According to the Lace Museum’s access page, three official routes lead to Burano, all with a change at Fondamente Nove, on the north shore of Venice:
- From Piazzale Roma or Santa Lucia station: line 4.1, 4.2 or 5.2 to Fondamente Nove, then line 12 to Burano.
- From the Lido: line 5.1 to Fondamente Nove, then line 12.
- From the center (San Marco, Rialto): reach Fondamente Nove on foot or by vaporetto, then take line 12.
Vaporetto timetables and fares are published by the operator ACTV (actv.it). We could not read the official fare table on 24 October 2026: check on site or on the operator’s website whether a day ticket is better value than single tickets, especially if you are combining Murano, Burano and Torcello.
Vaporetto tickets and passes: official or reseller?
ACTV transport tickets are sold at the machines and ticket offices at the landing stages and on the official Venezia Unica website. Resellers also offer passes or « Murano, Burano and Torcello » excursions by private boat, with a glassblowing demonstration. Before you pay, check how much free time you get on Burano, which islands are actually served, and whether the museum ticket is included. For the historic center, also find out about Venice’s access fee (cda.veneziaunica.it), which applies on certain days of the year.
What to see in Burano
The colorful houses and canals
Burano is made up of four small islands separated by three canals: the rio Pontinello, the rio Zuecca and the rio Terranova. The painted facades line these canals and the neighboring lanes: this is the main walk, and it is done on foot. Burano is still a residential district: respect doorsteps, courtyards and drying laundry.
The Lace Museum
Opened in 1981, the museum occupies the premises of Burano’s former lace school. It displays more than two hundred rare pieces of Venetian lace, from the 16th to the 20th century, according to the official website of the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia. The site also mentions demonstrations by lacemakers at work. Needle lace, which appeared in the mid-16th century, brought prosperity to the island, according to Wikipedia’s article on Burano.
San Martino church and its leaning bell tower
San Martino is the only church on Burano. Its strongly tilted bell tower is visible as soon as you arrive by vaporetto. The interior holds a Crucifixion by Tiepolo, according to Wikipedia.
Mazzorbo, the neighboring island
Mazzorbo is linked to Burano by a pedestrian bridge: a short, quieter walk with gardens and vines before you catch the vaporetto again.
Best time to visit Burano: light month by month
The colorful facades photograph best in low light, in the morning or late afternoon. The table gives sunrise and sunset on the 15th of each month, calculated for Burano’s coordinates, to be read against the museum’s hours (10 am–4 pm).
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length (h:min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:46 | 16:52 | 9:06 |
| February | 07:12 | 17:36 | 10:24 |
| March | 06:23 | 18:15 | 11:52 |
| April | 06:25 | 19:56 | 13:30 |
| May | 05:40 | 20:33 | 14:54 |
| June | 05:21 | 21:00 | 15:40 |
| July | 05:35 | 20:56 | 15:20 |
| August | 06:10 | 20:18 | 14:08 |
| September | 06:48 | 19:22 | 12:34 |
| October | 07:26 | 18:25 | 10:59 |
| November | 07:08 | 16:40 | 9:32 |
| December | 07:43 | 16:27 | 8:44 |
In December the sun sets around 4:30 pm, roughly at the museum’s closing time: visit it in the early afternoon. In June there are nearly five hours of daylight left after the museum closes. For rain and acqua alta, see the best time to visit Venice.
Suggested route: half a day
- Line 12 from Fondamente Nove; get off at Burano.
- Walk along the canals to Piazza Galuppi.
- Lace Museum (last entry 3:30 pm, closed on Mondays).
- San Martino church and its bell tower.
- Bridge to Mazzorbo, then back by vaporetto, or on to Torcello or Murano.
Combining Murano, Burano and Torcello: the ticket math
Destination de Voyage calculation based on the official prices of 24 October 2026: an adult visiting the Glass Museum (€15) and the Lace Museum (€7) pays €22 with separate tickets, versus €20 for the « Musei delle Isole » ticket, which also adds the Torcello museum. The combined ticket therefore pays off from two museums, is valid for 3 months, and gives one entry per museum. At the reduced rate, €7.50 + €3.50 = €11 versus €10 for the combined ticket. The logical order from Fondamente Nove: Murano in the morning (museum open from 10 am), Burano in the early afternoon (last entry at the Lace Museum at 3:30 pm), and Torcello if time allows.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Coming on a Monday for the Lace Museum: it is closed.
- Arriving at 3:45 pm: the last entry is at 3:30 pm.
- Buying « Burano lace » without doing your homework: according to Wikipedia, a needle-lace tablecloth takes years of work, and many cheap pieces are imported. Ask where it comes from.
- Forgetting the change at Fondamente Nove: line 12 does not leave from the station.
What to see nearby
On the same lagoon route, the island of Murano is known for its glass. In the historic center, don’t miss the Doge’s Palace; in February, see our page on the Venice Carnival.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Burano from Venice?
By vaporetto: lines 4.1, 4.2 or 5.2 to Fondamente Nove, then line 12 to the Burano stop, according to the Lace Museum’s access page.
Is the Lace Museum open every day?
No: it is open from 10 am to 4 pm (last entry 3:30 pm) and closed on Mondays.
How much does the Lace Museum cost?
€7 full price, €3.50 reduced, free from ages 0 to 5; the €20 « Musei delle Isole » ticket also includes the Murano Glass Museum and the Torcello museum.
How long should you allow for Burano?
Half a day is enough to stroll around, visit the museum and stop by Mazzorbo.
Why are the houses in Burano colorful?
Several explanations circulate, with no established historical source. What matters is that the island is best known for its painted facades and its lace.
Can you combine Burano and Murano in one day?
Yes. The « Musei delle Isole » ticket covers the museums of both islands and the one on Torcello, with one entry per museum, valid for 3 months.
Our sources
- Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia (museomerletto.visitmuve.it, museovetro.visitmuve.it): hours, tickets, access, consulted on 24 October 2026
- Wikipedia article « Burano » (geography, lace, San Martino church), consulted on 24 October 2026
- Astronomical calculations: NOAA solar algorithm, applied by Destination de Voyage to Burano’s coordinates (Wikipedia) (15th of each month, year 2027, clear horizon)
- Our methodology
Updated November 2026. Prices and hours may change: check the official website before you go.