Home > Venice > Murano Glass and Burano Lace Tour from Venice
USD $40.00
Murano Glass and Burano Lace Tour from Venice
Venice, Italy
Discover the Venetian islands of Murano and Burano on a half-day trip from Venice! With your expert guide, you'll learn about the age-old handcrafts that brought these little islands fame, and you’ll see quality Murano glass and Burano lace being made first-hand. It’s the perfect afternoon trip from Venice for those seeking a combination of history and behind-the-scenes action!
After meeting in central Venice, your full-day tour starts with a short ride to Murano by boat. Famed for its stunning Murano glass products, the cluster of little islands that comprise Murano are as popular for their glassmaking heritage as they are for their attractiveness.
With your friendly guide, head straight to a glassblower's workshop for an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at a Murano glassmaker in action. As the craftsman goes about his daily business, you'll learn how finished glass is carefully prepared and made. Watch the silica sand turn to glass, discover how the bright colors (typical of Murano glass) are achieved and hear all the highs and lows of working as a glassblower in Murano!
You'll have time to spend at leisure on Murano – a great opportunity to browse the workshop's impressive glass art collection or simply explore on your own.
Next, head to the neighboring island of Burano, where you'll be greeted by its vibrantly colored fishermen's houses that line the streets. Just as Murano is famous for its glassmaking, Burano is famous for its lacemaking. Visit a local workplace to see the island's craftswomen at work. Almost exclusively made by women, Burano lace is the finished product of a painstakingly precise textile craft. As you watch, your guide will talk about the history of this exquisite Venetian lace and explain how the handcrafted finery is sadly becoming a dying art.
Before your half-day trip comes to an end, you can independently visit the fascinating Burano Lace Museum (Museo del Muretto), a modern museum that showcases this age-old craft, or spend time exploring the island. Stroll through the colorful little streets, take photos or browse the shops for a lace keepsake to take home!
Book this tour for my mom and her husband, late 70's, they liked it but did not love it. The staff was late at meeting point, hence had very little time at the first stop, to top it, they got lost which made them missed the other half, not viator's fault. They did say they recommend people to do it on their own and spend a full day or whatever time.
Review by: hania.abdelhadi, May 2018
Lovely day tour to Murano and Burano. There is not much to do on these two islands, but its nice to see their way of life and learn about their history. It was more of a relaxing tour and highly recommend it if you want to just get away from all the tourists in Venice.
Review by: Stephen E, May 2018
Good way to get away from the bustle of Venice for several hours. We even bought 2 lace centerpieces when my wife and I coudn't decide. You can negotiate on the glass and lace. Also get shipped home tax free.
Review by: Charmaine, May 2018
It's really good to do this tour but check the weather before booking. It was a miserable experience for me and the tour guide wasn't too compassionate either. It was rainy and cloudy. I'm pretty sure that if the weather was nice I would have enjoyed myself which is why I give it 4 stars for potential.
Review by: Nicholas G, May 2018
This was a great way to see Murano and Burano. Alessandra, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable and shared a lot of information as we traveled between islands. The glass blowing demonstration on Murano was excellent and we had a good amount of time to look through the shop and/or explore the island. We enjoyed the lace making demonstration on Burano and it was nice to know we were buying lace that was made there and not from China like other shops sell. We had plenty of time to explore Burano before heading back on the boat and Alessandra had directions for anyone wanting to get back to Venice on their own. It was great to have a guide with so much knowledge of the area and we appreciated her recommendations about Venice as well. We would recommend this tour to anyone wanting a taste of both islands during their stay in Venice.
Review by: thomas c, April 2018
Frankly this was disappointing. Maybe I was expecting too much going in. _br/_ Started with a nice boat ride. Out guide was very nice and informative._br/_ The Murano tour was a let down. 10 minutes of a glass blowing demonstration and then the rest of the time was spent trying to get us to buy glass. Glass that was only available during the duration of this event. Seemed like a selling session wrapped inside of a tour._br/_ Burano was similar. 10 minutes of lace demonstration followed by a selling session. Less pressure than Murano, but certainly a sales pitch. We actually did buy some nice lace from them._br/_ Our guide made this tolerable.
Review by: Don, April 2018
A great tour of both the glass works and lace making. Excellent opportunity for shopping.
Review by: Harminder S, April 2018
This tour beat my expectations handily. Our guide Dee was not only well versed in the history of all the sites along the waterway, but also a delightful company. Very well conducted tour.
Review by: svbeek, April 2018
Excellent tour. Afternoon well spent. Christina with City Wonders was very informative and a pleasure to travel with.
Review by: ajrscience, April 2018
Lovely guide. Enjoyable afternoon with comfortable private boat. Glass very expensive probably only for the rich or dreamers! Burano very pretty.
Review by: Megan D, April 2018
This tour was very nice, if not a little bit rushed. If you’d like time to explore on your own without watching the clock, I’d suggest a full day tour or going out to the islands via public transport. Our voucher said the tour was 1:45-7:30, but we were dropped off by 6:15pm. A sort but sweet tour.
Review by: Carrie S, April 2018
Our family is 3, one son who is 8. We have to say the boat ride to and from was loaded with historical information but felt like it was overload...just too much we couldn't really concentrate on it and what we were seeing. I think it would have been better to point out a few things rather than speak the whole time. Also, when we arrived in Murano, it would have been cool to see more than just 1 example of glass making. Then there was some pressure to buy the glass. We did not have a lot of time on the Island to do anything else and then we were on our way to Burano. Burano, the lace making is well, pretty boring. You watch a person stitch. We did not do this long but then we had a long time to shop on the Island, which I liked but my husband and son were bored. We wished we had more time on Murano. It was a long trip, 5-6 hours I think. What I did not know is that it is pretty easy to go to these places yourself, you would not need a tour guide.
Review by: Kal P, April 2018
Great Tour if your are in Venice want to see something special.
Review by: Shirley, March 2018
Nice tour, but limited time to walk through towns.
Review by: Valerie, January 2018
Loved this excursion! Our guide was great!!! Would do this again in a heartbeat!
Review by: annette l, January 2018
What a surprisingly amazing tour! We were a bit apprehensive about booking a tour from someone we had never heard about and from 3,000 miles away, but we figured it was an inexpensive tour and if it didn't work out, we weren't out too much. However, we were in for the surprise of a lifetime! We toured Murano and Burano and were wowed by everything we saw. The boat was clean and very nice our tour guide spoke excellent English and the places we were directed to represented the best of both islands. We will not hesitate to utilize this service again!
Review by: Elise P, December 2017
Not that interesting area as I expected.
Review by: Michael B, December 2017
Murano was okay. Burano for the photos was the highlight, Would not recommend if it is a first trip to Venice or limited time. it's more a day 4 or 5 thing to do.
Review by: deb, December 2017
Loved this our guide was so helpful, warm and friendly you could see she loved her job and went over and beyond to help us when we asked her about public transport. Loved the visit to the islands and was fascinated about how other people do life on a day to day basis.
Review by: Lenny F, November 2017
Very enjoyable. We got a great tour on both islands as well as during the ride over and back on the boat. The two islands are charming, and it was fun to see the artists at work in both places.
Review by: Greg F, November 2017
Fantastic time and our guide Claire was amazing!
Review by: Natalie C, November 2017
The tour guide was funny, easy to understand, friendly and very knowledgeable. Benedetta was extremely helpful and a great tour guide. The islands themselves were beautiful and we had the right amount of time on each. This tour was the highlight of our trip.
Review by: Jim H, November 2017
The stop at Murano was very interesting, but we needed more time to look at other glass shops. The other island was just plain fun!
Review by: gary s, November 2017
Our tour guide, Christina I think was great. She was knowledgeable about the islands we visited and helpful with all questions that we had. But the tour was basically shopping trips to other islands. I also realized that once you see one glass blowing example you have seen them all. As excited as I was to go on this tour, is as diappointed as I am about the tour. I really believe that a visit to Venice would be complete without taking this tour.
Review by: Peter O, November 2017
This was a well organised and fun afternoon on the Venice lagoon visiting Murano and Burano, enjoyed by all of us in the family. Weather was good which made the trip even better!
Review by: Ian G, November 2017
A fantastic trip. I would recommend this trip to anyone visiting Venice.
Review by: Cheryl W, November 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: debster28, October 2017
This was a group tour and we loved the Murano glass company. A member of my party purchased an extremely nice glass bowl/vase at the glass factory we went to. The lace factory in Burano was also interesting but no so much to the kids that were travelling with us. The guide was knowledgeable. The weather was extremely hot so the boat ride to and from was a little uncomfortable but the tour company had no control over the weather. Overall this was a nice way to see 2 of the islands around Venice and learn a little about glass making and lace making. We would recommend this tour.
Review by: shazza5763, October 2017
Really interesting tour of the islands._br/_ The glass blowing on Murano was very informative, fascinating to watch and the glass on display was amazing very out of mine and most peoples budget _br/_ Burano was so pretty and the lace products beautiful and also more affordable.
Review by: Melanie G, October 2017
Great trip Burbank and Murano are definite places to go
Review by: Tbharris146, October 2017
Murano was interesting because everyone knows the name and certainly there were many beautiful art pieces for purchase in the large shop attached to the working area. Blown glass is not confined to Murano and we've seen this kind of exposition elsewhere. Would have loved see them working on one of the enormous bowls or vases on display in the shop._br/_ Burano is a cute and inviting place for strolling, and the brightly painted houses are true to the visuals advertising the island. The lace part of the tour is ho hum.
Review by: Linda K, October 2017
Our guide was energetic and very knowledgeable. A totally enjoyable tour.
Review by: Randall P, October 2017
Great tour! Murano is excellent for buying glass, and Burano is a fascinating island community, even without the lace production.
Review by: Amanda B, October 2017
Great tour and good value for pieces of Murano compared ti the city. Our guide Pamela was fantastic and full of information during the great boat tour. We left at 1.45 so came back at sunset.. stayed a little too long in Burano but otherwise a great trip.
Review by: Nicola P, October 2017
Our afternoon with Christina from City Wonders visiting the glass factories of Murano and the lace makers of Burano was thoroughly enjoyable with plenty of time for us to wander off and explore both islands on our own should we wish. She was very knowledgeable with perfect English but was careful not to bore us with the information which was a huge plus as we had our two teenage daughters on the trip with us. She was very clear with the instructions for timings and locations for meeting which made the tour very to time exactly and we weren't left hanging around for latecomers. We were blessed with amazing weather which I'm sure added to the enjoyment but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Christina. Thank you for a great afternoon.
Review by: gwen g, October 2017
The tour was nice and I’m glad I did it. Interesting to see the process. The gift shop where the glass is blown was extremely expensive . The lace was the same but since there’s a little town there you can buy glass, lace or snacks from the venders and it’s authentic enough for most!
Review by: Julie V, October 2017
Murano was just okay, we visited one glassmaker and they showed us the technique for a few minutes, then the rest was a giant sales pitch. They had a guy with a calculator following me around as I looked at the displays, I finally just went outside. Burano was kind of the same thing, but with lace goods. However, we did have time to stroll around and check out the islands, which was really fun. Our guide was also amazing she told us stories about being a true Venetian, and showed us tons of extra things. I loved spending time with her, and the boat rides were really fun!
Review by: Mary B, October 2017
This was an excellent tour led by our guide Elise. She offered a lot of information on our way to the islands. The visit to the glass factory on Murano was very interesting including a demonstration. Unfortunately the items were out of our price range but amazing nevertheless! The island of Burano was a real gem and following the lace demonstration there was plenty of free time to explore. The journey back was again enlightenedy Elise who also offered tourist advice as we left the boat. A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and highly recommended.
Review by: Mary B, October 2017
This was an excellent trip led by our guide Elise. She provided lots of general information on our way to the islands. In Murano the tour of the glass factory and demonstration was fascinating - unfortunately the items were a little out of our price bracket but amazing nonetheless. Burano was a real treasure with lots of spare time to experience the island before the return journey with yet more detail and the offer of tourist advice as we left the boat. A fascinating afternoon and highly recommended.
Review by: Catherine H, October 2017
Murano is wonderful, the history, the glass, and the glassblowing display, but Burano is equally as good. Beautiful coloured houses, quiet with quaint shops, thoroughly enjoyed this tour.
Review by: Rosalie B, October 2017
Great tour, amazing to watch the masters of glass at work at Murano and the beautiful lace work at Burano. The colorful houses in Burano made for some beautiful photos. Loved the tour, highly recommend it to anyone. Nice way to spend an afternoon in Venice
Review by: Robert B, October 2017
Quite enjoyable tour, lots of beautiful glass and lace to be seen.
Review by: wbenshoof, October 2017
A disappointment. Not much more than just an expensive trip to Murano and Burano islands in the Venice Lagoon. Very little useful information imparted by our guide. Probably could have learned more from any tour book.
Review by: Charles S, October 2017
The glass factory was ok but the shop was overpriced and there wasnt much else to do on the island of Murano. Butano was pretty but again a quick walk and a glassof Prosecco was about it.
Review by: Lindsey G, October 2017
Go! Murano glass tour was great. The Burano lace was what it is. It's cool to walk around and see all the shops
Review by: Claudia L, April 2017
We had missed our morning tour so we were really looking forward to the tour and it proved to be outstanding. As I stated in previous review we missed the tour because of the train. We cut this tour short and took a water taxi back to the train station because we were afraid of missing the train home. It was the beginning of the holiday and there were a lot of people.
Review by: cynthia A, April 2017
Me and my clients really liked the tour guide, but we really thought there should be more time to explore both islands especially Murano. The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly, but when we got to Murano the whole tour was mostly pushing people to purchase glass and some of my clients felt a little harassed and because of the short time we really did not get to see any other parts of this wonderful place. We all love Burano but again needed more time there.
Review by: Thuong Quan L, April 2017
Jennifer was extremely helpful and gave us so many tips for us to enjoy the city
Review by: vballantine, April 2017
Guide was good. We enjoyed the island of Burano more than Murano.
Review by: Franny G., April 2017
After being on the go constantly for a week, this was a relaxing but beautiful 1/2 day tour. Our tour guide, Francesca, was wonderful. She gave us information that one just wouldn't know by taking a tour on your own. We definitely liked Burano better but Murano was pretty and going to the glass making factory and the gallery was pretty amazing as well. It was sad to learn that the youngest lace maker in Burano is 55 years old and that the young girls have no interest in lace making. It is slowly dying and we just had to buy our daughters a lace handkerchief for their future wedding day!
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