Burano is an archipelago of four islands connected by bridges located in the Venetian lagoon about 4.3 miles from Venice. It is believed that the island was originally settled by the Romans in the 6th century. It rose to prominence in the 16th century when women on the island began making lace with needles. Lace making continues to this day on Burano, but only on a small scale and mostly for the benefit of tourists.