It’s easy to spot the Venetian Island of Burano from the sea. The jewel-colored homes act like a beacon, which is what they were intended to be. According to , local fisherman started painting their homes in bright colors—hues of orange, red, yellow, and purple—so they could see them while out fishing in the fog and could follow their colors back home. Now, the practice has become law, and if you live on the island and want to paint your home, you must ask for permission from the government, who will assign your home a color. For visitors, the homes are just a welcome dose of cheerfulness. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe to Travel + Leisure! - null. T+L is the preeminent voice for the sophisticated, insatiable traveler, serving up expert intelligence and the most immersive, inspiring travel lifestyle content anywhere. We capture the pure joy of discovering the pleasures the world has to offer—from art and design to shopping and style to food and wine. Whether the experience is in print or digital, T+L offers compelling reasons to get up and go.