BURANO AND ITS FISHERMEN
Usually, Lagoon tours highlight well-known artistic activities. On the contrary, ‘Burano and its fishermen’ focuses on an outdoor excursion in company with local operators eager to share their knowledge, love, and respect for the environment.
Take the chance of a boat ride after a long period of confinement, and enjoy a peculiar scenery of long strips of land between green water and blue skies, brick bell towers in the far distance, and the smell of salt air surrounding you.
Your private expert meets you at the hotel in the morning, and takes you directly to Burano by private taxi, passing through Murano and natural salt marshes.
On the island, pedestrians look busy as they sneak off narrow streets, and all sorts of boats are moored along the canal shores: little children walk to school on their own, groups of elders gesture as they walk, women shop at the outdoor market.
The picturesque ‘bragozzo’ for our excursion is a solid wooden barge used in the old days for daily fishing, carefully restored and equipped with comfortable benches on each side, and a central mast supporting a red cover for sun protection.
Don’t hesitate to take pictures, it is the only historical craft left in Burano!
Once onboard, the friendly fishermen in charge need the valuable assistance of our escort for the translation from a Venetian into English.
There is no better way to experience Venice Lagoon, with its vast spaces, unique flora, and fauna. Sandbanks are overgrown with reeds, sea salt vegetation, that provide an ideal shelter for colorful ducks, diving birds, small rodents, and families of cormorants.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Excursion to Burano by private taxi
- Private boat ride with local Burano fishermen
- Support sustainable tourism
- Navigation through Northern Venice Lagoon
MORE ABOUT
THIS TOUR
Life in Burano is simple and quite different from Venice’s. Among the Lagoon early settlements, this island was never affected by catastrophic floods or sudden water level drops, which caused malaria and precarious living conditions. Fishing has always been the primary source of maintenance, along with salt, the first commodity exported throughout Europe by Venice.
Fishermen’s social status was regulated by the Government, which prevented them from selling and work as wholesale dealers.
They could make a decent living on fishing, then take the catch to Venice by boat, and deliver everything to a spot called pole -palo- at the Rialto market.
Every single day public administrators fixed the price, according to the season. Finally, only vendors could display fish on stalls and start their regular sales.
However, there was a chance of improvement: after 40 years career, fishermen could sell a limited quantity of fish at the “palo” and earn more money for the whole family.
DRESS CODE AND ADVICE
- No dress code required
- Comfortable shoes
COST
- This tour lasts approximately 6 hours and costs 1050 euros up to six people (not per person)
- Private taxi to Burano included
- Professional English speaking expert
- Lunch not included
- Only private parties
- For larger parties send us an email!