Day 8 Venice, glass blowing, mask painting, island of Burano (June 28)

Another sunny day in Italy.  A boat ride to the central part of Venice and a quick exhibition of Venetian glass blowing and a not so quick walk through their massive shop area.  Next a quick wander around St Marks Square and the ornate Basilica before a trip into a shop that makes Venetian masks – fabulous designs, clever painting and the younger ones on the trip got to paint their own masks.  

Venetian mask painting

More wandering around the crowded alleyways of Venice before a boat ride out to one of the 180 plus islands that make up greater Venice.  

Crowded Venetian alley ways

How the rich have dinner

In the Ferrari Shop

On the island of Burano we sat down to a fabulous Italian lunch, outside of course to soak up the ambience.  It was finished off with a glass of Amoretto. Here at Burano life is much less crowded and it’s a beautiful place to wander around with its multi coloured homes and shops.  Burano is famous the world over for extravagant and fine lace.  No cars on this island, everyone gets around in boats, even the ambulance and police etc – only two islands in the Venetian area allow motor vehicles.

The boat ride back was a bit bouncy as the driver showed us the outer edges of the Venice lagoon where it joins the Adriatic Sea.