The most fascinating islands of the Venetian Lagoon are surely Murano and Burano: the first famous the world over for its glass, the second for its lace, these two small communities enchant visitors with their colorful villages and brightly painted boats. Like Venice, Murano is a small archipelago in itself, made up of seven smaller islands linked by bridges and canals.
Murano's glassmaking began in 1291, when all the glassworks, until then located in Venice, were moved to the smaller island to prevent the many fires that had broken out in the furnaces and already spread to many of the Serenissima's wooden houses.
So it was that the master glassmakers and their workers found themselves confined to the island of Murano, forbidden to leave Venice without special permission, since their art had to stay where it was so that no one could copy it.
When glassware fell into crisis because of competition from Bohemian crystal (probably inspired by the techniques of master glassmakers who had managed to escape from Venice), the glassmakers overcame it by creating very distinctive chandeliers, today the signature product of Murano glass.
Not to be missed if you happen to be in Murano on December 6 is the feast of San Nicolò, patron saint of glassmakers: during the celebrations the glassworks are festively lit up, and there are engaging activities and a wide range of attractions and events.
Burano is a little island of bright colors: its lovely houses, three stories at most, are painted in vivid hues, a practice that in the past served to mark property lines more clearly. Some also say that the bold colors let fishermen recognize their own house even from far away, and so steer their boat the right way when coming home.
Burano is famous for its lace: this craft comes from an old tradition that began in the 1500s and is still handed down today. The finest pieces, the very ones once made at the Lace School, are kept in the Lace Museum, where you can admire the oldest examples of local craftsmanship.
Burano is also the birthplace of renowned musicians such as Baldassarre Galuppi, an 18th-century figure after whom the island's main square is named, and Pino Donaggio, an Italian singer-songwriter born in 1941 and composer of soundtracks for many Italian and international films: though they belong to completely different eras, the two artists share a life devoted to music and a body of successful work.
Murano's glassmaking began in 1291, when all the glassworks, until then located in Venice, were moved to the smaller island to prevent the many fires that had broken out in the furnaces and already spread to many of the Serenissima's wooden houses.
So it was that the master glassmakers and their workers found themselves confined to the island of Murano, forbidden to leave Venice without special permission, since their art had to stay where it was so that no one could copy it.
When glassware fell into crisis because of competition from Bohemian crystal (probably inspired by the techniques of master glassmakers who had managed to escape from Venice), the glassmakers overcame it by creating very distinctive chandeliers, today the signature product of Murano glass.
Not to be missed if you happen to be in Murano on December 6 is the feast of San Nicolò, patron saint of glassmakers: during the celebrations the glassworks are festively lit up, and there are engaging activities and a wide range of attractions and events.
Burano is a little island of bright colors: its lovely houses, three stories at most, are painted in vivid hues, a practice that in the past served to mark property lines more clearly. Some also say that the bold colors let fishermen recognize their own house even from far away, and so steer their boat the right way when coming home.
Burano is famous for its lace: this craft comes from an old tradition that began in the 1500s and is still handed down today. The finest pieces, the very ones once made at the Lace School, are kept in the Lace Museum, where you can admire the oldest examples of local craftsmanship.
Burano is also the birthplace of renowned musicians such as Baldassarre Galuppi, an 18th-century figure after whom the island's main square is named, and Pino Donaggio, an Italian singer-songwriter born in 1941 and composer of soundtracks for many Italian and international films: though they belong to completely different eras, the two artists share a life devoted to music and a body of successful work.
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Murano & Burano tours
What to see in Murano & Burano
What to see in Murano & Burano
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Also known as the church of Santi Maria e Donato, is a majestic religious building in the Romanesque style. It has outside lodges with arch and white columns that contrast with the red color of the bricks. The bell tower, with square…
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The building, which was once the palace of the bishops of Torcello, presents gothic elements like the windows of the facade in the courtyard and the column located in the lobby. The ancient splendor of the building is visible in the…
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The complex is from the Renaissance period and presents itself externally with red bricks that cover the whole building. Inside the church are preserved some very important works of Paolo Veronese, Jacopo and Domenico Tintoretto.
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The present structure completely made of marble and decorated with two reliefs depicting the Virgin Mary, dates back to the thirties. A first version, in fact, was built in 1912, when the need to indicate the coastal zone to the vessels…
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The entrance is on the side of the church because the building has no front entrance. In the vast atrium which you cross to enter the basilica there is a statue of the Virgin Mary, while inside the church, are kept the statues of…
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The building dates back to the seventeenth century and presents Renaissance and Neoclassical style shapes. Due to a collapse, the tower has taken on the characteristic slope that made him unique. The iron cross placed on the top of the…
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The venue is the one of the Burano Lace School founded by Countess Adriana Marcello in 1872, to make improvements to the island economy through the recovery of tradition. The space gives the visitor the opportunity to observe the products…
1Duomo di Murano
Also known as the church of Santi Maria e Donato, is a majestic religious building in the Romanesque style. It has outside lodges with arch and white columns that contrast with the red color of the bricks. The bell tower, with square plan, is characterized by a belfry with triple lancets. Inside, the basilica has a mosaic floor made from pieces of marble and polychrome glass paste.
Opening hours
From 9 to 12 and from 16 to 19.
From 9 to 12 and from 16 to 19.
Tickets and prices
Free entrance.
Free entrance.
Address
Campo San Donato, Murano (VE)
Campo San Donato, Murano (VE)
2Museo del Vetro
The building, which was once the palace of the bishops of Torcello, presents gothic elements like the windows of the facade in the courtyard and the column located in the lobby. The ancient splendor of the building is visible in the ceiling of the central hall: this lavish room, which overlooks the Canal Grande of Murano, in fact preserves an eighteenth-century fresco in which it is represented the first patriarch of Venice, ancestor of the family who took care of the rearrangement of the stable. The museum's collections include works ranging from the fifteenth to the twentieth century. On the inside, also holds exhibitions, events and activities such as guided tours and workshops. A very interesting initiative is one that includes, along with the visit, a demonstration of glass manufacturing during which it is screened a documentary on the history of glass.
Opening hours
Open every day from 10 to 17.
Open every day from 10 to 17.
Tickets and prices
€5.50
€5.50
Address
Fondamenta Gustinian 8, Murano (VE)
Fondamenta Gustinian 8, Murano (VE)
3Chiesa di San Pietro Martire
The complex is from the Renaissance period and presents itself externally with red bricks that cover the whole building. Inside the church are preserved some very important works of Paolo Veronese, Jacopo and Domenico Tintoretto.
Opening hours
Monday to Friday from 9 to 18, Saturday from 12 to 18.
Monday to Friday from 9 to 18, Saturday from 12 to 18.
Address
Campo Santo Stefano, Murano (VE)
Campo Santo Stefano, Murano (VE)
4Faro di Murano
The present structure completely made of marble and decorated with two reliefs depicting the Virgin Mary, dates back to the thirties. A first version, in fact, was built in 1912, when the need to indicate the coastal zone to the vessels result in the construction of an appropriate facility: on a high iron trellis, hoisted on stilts, was placed a lamp that each evening was lit by the keeper. Nearby, the view is particularly striking because embraces a large part of the lagoon. Near the lighthouse, you can access the boarding for the islands of Burano and Mazzorbo, as well as for Venice.
5Chiesa di San Martino Vescovo
The entrance is on the side of the church because the building has no front entrance. In the vast atrium which you cross to enter the basilica there is a statue of the Virgin Mary, while inside the church, are kept the statues of Sant’Albano and San Martino. Lombard Baroque-style interior includes neoclassical pillars with Corinthian capitals and the floor is made of red and white square stones.
Address
Piazza Baldassare Galuppi 20, Burano (VE)
Piazza Baldassare Galuppi 20, Burano (VE)
6Campanile Storto di Burano
The building dates back to the seventeenth century and presents Renaissance and Neoclassical style shapes. Due to a collapse, the tower has taken on the characteristic slope that made him unique. The iron cross placed on the top of the tower was replaced instead of an angel collapsed in 1867. The best position to watch the crooked bell tower is the bridge of Terranova.
7Museo del merletto
The venue is the one of the Burano Lace School founded by Countess Adriana Marcello in 1872, to make improvements to the island economy through the recovery of tradition. The space gives the visitor the opportunity to observe the products of an art with a long tradition of craftsmanship, but also the techniques of lacemaking thanks to the presence of lace makers who, in the morning, perform their work within the museum.
Opening hours
From April 1 to October 31, from 10 to 18 and from November 1 to March 31 from 10 to 17.
From April 1 to October 31, from 10 to 18 and from November 1 to March 31 from 10 to 17.
Tickets and prices
€5
€5
Address
Piazza Galuppi 187, Burano (VE)
Piazza Galuppi 187, Burano (VE)
How to get to Murano & Burano from Vicenza
By train
Venezia Santa Lucia station is in the historic center, which makes the train one of the best ways to reach the city. Once in Venice, getting to Murano and Burano is very easy: just head to one of the piers served by the boats.
Timetables and tickets
By car
You can drive as far as Venice, leave your car in one of the parking lots there and continue by vaporetto. To reach Venice: SS 11 from Padua–Turin; SS 13 from Treviso; SS 14 from Trieste; SS 309 from the Adriatic coast. Or: A 4 from Turin or Trieste; A 13 from Bologna and A 27 from Belluno.
After crossing the Ponte della Libertà, you can drive as far as Piazzale Roma, where parking is allowed. Alternatively, you can use the parking lots at Mestre station, from which buses and trains leave for Venice, or those at Marghera and Fusina, also served by public transportation (buses and vaporetti). Vaporetti for Murano leave directly from Piazzale Roma; otherwise, you need to get to Venice first and then continue to the island.
After crossing the Ponte della Libertà, you can drive as far as Piazzale Roma, where parking is allowed. Alternatively, you can use the parking lots at Mestre station, from which buses and trains leave for Venice, or those at Marghera and Fusina, also served by public transportation (buses and vaporetti). Vaporetti for Murano leave directly from Piazzale Roma; otherwise, you need to get to Venice first and then continue to the island.
By boat
To get to Murano from Piazzale Roma or from Venezia Santa Lucia station, you can take an Actv vaporetto on line 3 or 4.2. From San Marco, to get to Murano, head to the San Zaccaria-Monumento pier. For Burano: from Piazzale Roma or the station, get off at the Faro stop of Actv line 3 or 4.2 and change there to line 12; from Punta Sabbioni, take line 12.
Timetables and tickets
Where to eat in Murano & Burano
La Perla Ai Bisatei
Pleasant and characteristic Murano tavern frequented by the locals. Little choice but hearty meals and cooked properly as, for example, fish appetizers (hot and cold), the seared octopus, the stuffed small octopus and sea snails, fried calamari and shrimp, the cod. Finally the local biscuits in the shape of the letter S.
Campo San Bernardo 1, Murano (VE) · (+39) 041 739528
Trattoria Valmarana
The restaurant, located in front of the Cathedral of Murano, has a hall and a large covered patio in the inside garden. On the menu: bigoli pasta with shrimps, scallops and clams, rice with nephrops and chanterelles, fried fish, black cuttlefish with polenta. Furthermore a wide selection of wines.
Fondamenta Navagero 31, Murano (VE) · (+39) 041 739313
Agriturismo da Zangrando
Located on the small island of Vignole, can be reached by boat from Murano to find relax and enjoy a great lunch in the middle of nature. The menu offers tasty appetizers followed by first courses (homemade pasta, gnocchi, etc...), second courses of meat (rabbit, lamb, pork ribs, etc...). The vegetables, all locally produced, are delicious and fresh.
Isola Vignole 26, Murano (VE) · (+39) 041 5284020
Trattoria Al Gatto Nero Da Ruggero
In the west area of the island of Burano, on the edges of the channel, there is this small family-run trattoria. Inside it is cooked freshly caught fish and it is possible to taste seafood appetizers, raw fish, Buranella rice, homemade trenette with nephrops, pappardelle pasta with prawns and smoked cheese, grilled and fried fish, crustaceans. Excellent wine list.
Fondamenta della Giudecca 88, Burano (VE) · (+39) 041 730120
Laguna Bar
On the dock, just in front to the ferry terminal, the local allows you to make a quick meal while sitting or walking on the pier. You can order mixed bruschetta, salads, sandwiches, bags of fresh fish well fried with chips, cod fish, cuttlefish cooked in Venetian tecia and the famous Burano biscuits.
Via San Martino 378, Burano (VE) · (+39) 393 2399747
Ai Cesendeli
Located off the main street, this small pizza restaurant, managed and served by real Venetians, surprises by the culinary point of view and by the point of view of hospitality and friendliness of the staff. The menu includes pizza, pasta with cuttlefish, bigoli pasta in Venetian sauce, fried fish, scallops in a mushroom sauce and homemade tiramisu with strawberries.
Via San Martino sinistro 834, Burano (VE) · (+39) 041 730055
Tips
Since the stores and nearly all the cafés in Murano and Burano close at 7 p.m., it is best to start your visit in the morning so you have the whole day ahead of you.
To make the most of a trip out on the lagoon, choose a sunny day, or at least one with good weather.
Whatever you do, don't forget your camera: the scenery in front of you will make for spectacular photos!
To make the most of a trip out on the lagoon, choose a sunny day, or at least one with good weather.
Whatever you do, don't forget your camera: the scenery in front of you will make for spectacular photos!
Book ahead