Burano is one of the greater centers of the lagoon of Venice, with its 7.000 inhabitants around, a flourishing activity of fishing, laces and tourism. The isle as Filiasi remembers it: "This island, once called Buriano at the time of the already destroyed Altino, became Burano when the family "Buriana" settled down there (called Burianus by Latin people). Another theory tells that the inhabitants of Burano came from the destroyed Buranello, a small island situated 5 miles to the south. The historic rests of Buranello are still now present underwater." The name Burano (settled down by the people of Altino), remembers "the Boreana door" of Altino and remained a village even when Torcello and Mazzorbo overcame it in importance. Anyway, the peculiar position of Burano respect to winds and marshes, saved it from the decadence and from the destruction, that happened to other islands. Thanks to its position more detached from the mainland, Burano avoided the plague of malaria, quite normal in the lagoon islands and that counted hundreds victims; furthermore its position was a natural defense from invaders. The inhabitants, century after century, consolidated and raise again the ground, dug canals and raise bridges, transforming a swamp in a hospitable place. Today Burano is a marvelous island, a heaven that enchants the tourists, not only for the historical themes, but even for its charm, for the unreal silence of its mornings, for the happy bawling and for the peculiar local dialect, that has the characteristic to lengthen, almost to double, the consonants. A tourist that comes from Venice by water (with a "vaporetto"), with a trip of 40 minutes in the middle of the lagoon, passing close to islands in ruin that remember the ancient records of the Dominant Republic " Serenissima", here in Burano discovers a maze of narrow streets "calli" and banks "fondamente" on small canals. The characteristic of the motley houses attracts immediately the attention of the visitor, remembering him other forms of polychrome that can be find in other islands of Italy, for example in Pantelleria. The historic traces that the island still preserves (besides some Venetian-byzantine panels of the century XII - XIII that are part of the façade in a house at the end of the main road of the island) are almost all contained in the ample church devoted to S. Martin, a construction of the XVI century, with a Latin cross three aisles plan, with transept, major chapel and two side chapels and a arched ceiling supported by pillars. The most important work of art in the church is the "Crocifissione", a painting made by G.B.Tiepolo (1727). The big square in front of the church is dedicated to Baldassarre Galuppi (1706-85), who was the famous musician called "the Buranello", pride of Burano. Galuppi worked out a collaboration with Goldoni on the "opera comica" as librettist and he composed quartets, symphonies and concerts for cymbal, bringing a remarkable evolution in the instrumental chamber music of the XVIII century. It is worth tasting, in one of the many restaurants of the island, the typical local dishes, all made with fish, among which the most appreciated for its originality is the "risotto" with "nero di seppia", or the "schie," shrimps of the lagoon that, together with "polenta", represents a unique specialty. A few minutes far from Burano, is situated Torcello, pearl of the northern lagoon, known by everyone for its beautiful churches and for its millennial history. Its small museum contained the historical traces of the island. Another isle is that of "S. Francesco del Deserto" with its convent, that brings the visitor visions of the simple and poor life and gives to visitors the tranquility of spirit that only in this place can be felt so deeply.