The islands of Murano and Burano in Italy
For tourists, these islands are a joy to explore, because they are a classic combination of old and new structures
The Selim family loves travelling around the world. With their children Shahaar and Shama, Samiya and Ashique have travelled to more than 21 countries, and they do not plan on stopping!
These pictures are from their time on the colourful islands of Murano and Burano in Italy.
Murano became famous for moulding crystals to make beautiful pieces. It is still renowned for the Glass Museum and old furnaces where visitors can see how blown glass is crafted.
The small island of Burano, with its few thousand inhabitants, is an archipelago of five islands connected with bridges. In 16th century, laces made in Burano became the most famous in Europe. Murano, too, is made up of nine small islands.
For tourists, these islands are a joy to explore, because they are a classic combination of old and new structures. Brightly painted to mimic the cheerful vibe all across the islands, the tiny houses look straight out of fairy tales.
Some say that the houses were painted this way so that village fishermen could easily spot them and find their way back during thick foggy weather.
Seeing pretty houses, and visiting small souvenir shops, and having boat rides on canals would make a trip to Murano and Burano a memorable one.
The Selim family travel blogs are available at selimsraasta.com.