May 7, 2012 - Torcello, Burano, & Murano

Today, (after I held everyone up by sleeping in until 9:00!) we had a nice breakfast and used up all of the food we’d purchased, then took the vaporetti across the lagoon to Torcello.  It is a magical place, where one can hear birdsong as one strolls along the walkway between the canal and the fields. After viewing the churches and enjoying a wonderful meal, we went on the short vaporetti ride to Burano, which has a very different personality, as Alanna said, as the buildings are vividly coloured.  After this, we made it to Murano with not enough time to see the museum, but plenty of time to spend our last Euros on lovely glass and enjoy coffee and beer on the Murano canal.  Now we are off for our last gelato before we start our packing.  We are sad to be leaving Venice, but excited to think that we will see Stonehenge tomorrow.

There are two cathedrals on Torcello, Santa Maria Assunta and Santa Fosca.  Santa Maria is a beautiful Byzantine Church in the basilica style with amazing gold mosaics, while Santa Fosca is less decorated and built in the Byzantine cross style.  We each had a turn sitting on what tradition states is the throne of Atilla the Hun, who once brought his army to the coast across from the islands.  In fact, Torcello and Venice got their start in Roman times as a refuge in the swamps where people from the mainland went to avoid marauding hordes of barbarians that periodically moved through the area.  The body of Santa Fosca is displayed under the alter in that church, while Santa Maria Assunta holds San Heliodorus.  Torcello was the original seat of the Bishop and was much bigger than Venice for a long time, but you would never know it now.  Apart from the churches and a couple of restaurants the island is mostly farmland and most of the canals that would once have dissected the island have been filled in.

Waiting at the vaporetti for a "bus" transfer.

Torcello was alive with birdsong and flowers.  We were really glad to get a chance to see some "Italian countryside" right in the middle of the Venice lagoon.

After we had lunch on Torcello and had some very good pasta at the Ristorante al Trono di Attila (The Throne of Attila) we went to Burano, famous for its lace, and buildings painted in pastel colours.  Several small table cloths and one large were purchased.

Alanna sitting in the throne of Attila, which was really brought here to protect it from Attila, not because he actually used it here.

The 8th century cathedral of Santa Maria Assuente.  Inside there are amazing gold mosaics, and some relics.

Grandma Beverley enthroned a la Attila.

A beautiful home on Torcello

The Torcello Canal

A house on Burano, famous for its lacemaking.

Alanna says this is like walking in a cartoon!

 From Burano we returned to Murano, famous for its glass works and artists.  We walked from the vaporetti stop to the far canal and had coffee and beer.  I wanted the red glass tea set with 24 carrot gold leaf I saw in one studio, but my niece wouldn’t buy it for me.  I am sure it was well under 10,000 Euros.

A "flower garden" on Murano, made of huge blown glass flowers.

Coming back into Venice at dusk.

Slightly out of order -- coming into Burano.

Alanna on top of a bridge.

On Torcello I saw what will probably be my last lizard of the trip.  Tomorrow we head back to the airport and fly from Venice to Gatwick, rent a car, and drive to our cottage in Tetebury via Stonehenge.  With any luck we will have a better internet connection at our next stop and can post the pictures we wanted to post.