A colorful day trip (vaporetto - 40') from VENICE took me to B U R A N O. A small island in the northern part of the Venetian lagoon (current population about 4,000) Famous for its lace-making past and for its small brightly-painted fishermen's houses,popular with artists,Burano island is a photographer's paradise! (The designer Philippe Starck owns three houses) Other attractions include the Church of San Martino with an atilt (1.83m) campanile,(1703-1714) high 53 m,the Oratorio Santa Barbara and the Museum and School of Lacemaking.The colours of the houses follow a specific system originating from the golden age of its development;if someone wishes to paint their home, one must send a request to the government, who will respond by making notice of the certain colours permitted for that lot. This practice has resulted in the myriad of warm, pastelly colours that characterises the island today. Burano certainly seems to an outsider like a cheerful place to live. Open doors and laundry drying outside in the lanes adds to the impression of a friendly and tight-knit community. Visitors don't need to spend much time in Burano to see and photograph its main attraction: the colourful houses. But if you have longer to spend, it is also a nice place to enjoy lunch or wander around the quieter lanes. Although it is composed of the same components as Venice (houses, canals, bridges), Burano is very different in appearance and atmosphere and adds some variety to a Venetian holiday.