We visited Venice and have a special recommendation for a private, informative and efficient tour. The Murano and Burano Tour.
If you’re choosing to spend some time in Venice, we highly recommend seeing the surrounding area as well. The Insular Venice area has lots to offer. And according to our experience, a private tour by boat to Murano and Burano can be one of the best ways to visit this area.
What’s on the Itinerary for the Murano & Burano guided tour by private boat?
This tour starts from Venice, specifically from the Vittorio Emanuele II monument close to S. Marco square. You will meet your local guide there, from where you will be led to the boat. When we did this tour, the group consisted of roughly 15 people. The guide spoke English and held the tour in English as well. The boat comfortably fit every tour participant while offering beautiful and relaxing views on the way to the first stop, Murano.
Glassblowers in Murano
Murano is a famous island near Venice, famous for its glass manufacturers. In 1291, all the glassmakers were forced to move from Venice to Murano for fear of fire. On the way to this first stop, your guide will offer entertaining and interesting information about the specifics of Venice and the surrounding islands. Upon arrival in Murano, you will be introduced to a glassmaking factory, where you will get to witness the live creation process.
In our case the manufacturers were working on a chandelier detailed with flowers made of gold-leaf infused glass. The process is a truly fascinating one, but be aware that it can be warm in the factory, as the glass is melted in an oven which burns at a constant temperature of 1200C°. Thereafter you will be shown to an atelier where diverse objects made of glass are shown and proposed for sale. Chandeliers, tableware, sculptures, or necklaces; this atelier offers a wide range of creations, which can all be bought and shipped worldwide.
In case the atelier shouldn’t be of your interest, you can use your time to roam around the island of Murano. We personally equally split our time between the atelier and walking around, since both options have a lot to offer. In our free time we visited the Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato. This stunning 7th century church is absolutely worth a visit. The floors are lined with unique mosaics and the walls are decorated with various glass objects that underline the prevalence of glass manufacturing on the island.
Lace in Burano
After enjoying some free time, you will meet your guide back at the boat, where you will get ready to go to the second stop; Burano. Burano is a very small but quite special island. As the guide will tell you, Burano is famous for lace production. In fact you will also get a chance to visit the lace factory museum if you wish. The guide gives you freedom to choose between joining the group at the lace museum or going your own way.
Walk in Burano
We chose to go our own path and explore the island’s colorful streets and houses instead. What makes the island of Burano unique is its colorful houses. You will also notice a different architectural style compared to Venice. The island is a bit more walkable and has less bridges than Venice. But it’s also way smaller of course. If you choose to get the morning tour, you will most likely spend lunchtime in Burano.
Dining in Burano
Our guide had a recommendation for a restaurant in which you could have different types of pasta such as lasagne, carbonara and other Italian dishes. But we had heard that there were fishermen on Burano. So we decided to walk a little further as most of the restaurants were very similar and touristy.
However, one restaurant stood out. We chose to have lunch at “Trattoria al Gatto Nero” and certainly didn’t regret it. This restaurant offers fresh seafood and a great selection of wines. The service was impeccable and the interior design enhanced the experience. Since our time was limited, we enjoyed an antipasto of mixed raw seafood. Everything was extremely fresh and well presented. This trattoria is absolutely worth a stop in Burano. If you should choose to dine here as well, we would strongly recommend calling ahead to reserve a table.
After your free time in Burano you will meet the guide back at the boat, where it will be time to head back to Venice. On the comfortable boat ride you will have a chance to learn more about Venice and the guide’s personal recommendations. In our experience the guide was very friendly and ready to answer any questions, so we can fully recommend this tour.
Is the Murano & Burano guided tour by private boat worth it?
Absolutely yes. In our opinion this tour offers the perfect opportunity to have a change of scenery from the busy and beautiful streets and canals of Venice. Murano and Burano are definitely worth visiting, and this tour offers a great opportunity to do so efficiently.
How long is the Murano & Burano guided tour by private boat?
The length of this tour is about 5 hours. This tour is a perfect half day activity which we can happily recommend for the first half of your day. You won’t feel tired or overwhelmed after the tour, so we are sure you will be able to seize your day with it.
How can I visit Murano and Burano without a tour?
If you prefer to visit the two islands at your own pace, you can take waterbus lines 3 and 4.1/4.2 to Murano and from there line 12 to Burano. Line 12 often has long lines and leaves every 20-30 minutes. To return to Venice, take line 14.