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Murano is a series of islands in Venice, with about 5,000 residents. The water taxi stops at about 5 locations on the islands of Murano. Initially it was a fishing community, then monks moved their appreciating the solitude. In 1291, all the glassmakers in Venice were required to move to Murano. In the 1300's, exports began, and the island became famous, initially for glass beads & mirrors. Aventurine glass was invented & Murano was the main producer of glass in Europe. The island later became known for chandeliers. The Church of Santa Maria e San Donato, famous for its 12th century Byzantine mosaic and is said to house bones of the dragon slain in the 4th century. The church of San Pietro Martire contains the chapel of the Ballarin family, built in 1506. Glass-related attractions include the many glassworks, some Medieval with most open to the public. Currently there are 260 glass companies in operation, employing about 1,100. The Murano Glass Museum, housed in the large Palazzo Giustinian. The glass shops weren't usual pieces of glass but very intricate designs; really art. Doors to the shops were open, we could watch the glass being blown.
I've been here twice, when visiting Venice this is a quick stop and a must in my book. You can take a water taxi or the water bus, this is a beautiful island with wonderful works of glass. The glass work is unparalleled in craftsmanship. Watching the masters blow, mold, and twist the glass is amazing. I got a nice large piece (whale tale) and my daughter got a glass heart necklace. We stayed and walked around, appreciating the colorful houses, purchased a few glass items and then of course we ate. #MANGIA You can fully appreciate this island in 2-4 hours, including a meal.
Folks coming to Venice must come to Burano and Murano Island. This is altogether different experience which you will never forget in your life. Those with a bit more time in Italy also fit in a visit to Murano, a nearby island. I should be more precise and say islands. Murano is actually a collection of 7 individual islands, all linked together by bridges. This is the place to go if you're interested in the famed Murano glass, where you can watch a glass making demonstration and maybe buy a Venetian glass souvenir or two. Getting to Murano is pretty straightforward. Vaporetto line 42 will take you there in about 40 minutes. You can get off at any stop of course, but Colonna is best for glassblowing demonstrations and Museum is better for the Glass Museum and the Basilica. Beware of the touts offering a "free" excursion to see the glass works at Murano or the lace-making in Burano. It's a common scam, because they get a kickback from the shop. You'll often get a grossly overpriced shop, high pressure, and a higher final price. Murano is best known worldwide for its exquisite, hand-crafted glass. If you're not in the market for glass and just want to look at it, it's still fun to visit a shop. Many glass factories have showrooms where they display their best products. many top brand jewelry shops like tiffany, they outsource here for glass items.
The first thing we did after checking into our hotel was to buy Water Taxi Passes, and head to Murano. We spent several hours wandering, shopping, and eating Gelato. Such a charming place... we even saw fish and jellyfish in the canal... probably because there was very little boat traffic. Would not have missed it for the world.
I found Murano Island to be a lovely place. This is the glass making center for Venezia and there were several factories that had people hawking their demonstrations (for a fee). After the demonstration of glass making, there was the chance to buy some items in the gift shops of each company. While I've read that much of the glass is now imported, there are authentic pieces to be gotten. I just don't need another dust catcher so I skipped buying any glass. After walking and enjoying the island for awhile, we stopped for a rest and some lunch. Then it was back to a different vaporetto stop where we got a non-stop back to St. Mark's Square. While not as eye catching as Burano with its colorful houses, Murano has a quaintness on some of the side areas that make it appealing.
Murano is...okay... Murano glass is legendary: for the longest time, only Murano knew how to make glass in the world, so Venetians held total monopoly on glass for a while before the secret was leaked. The Venetian government moved all glass factories to the isolated island of Murano so that no furnace could spark a massive fire, but in return, Murano gained essentially autonomy from the main island so the glass island has its own development. Still today, Murano is still the equivalent of top quality glass! Unfortunately, the island itself is not too scenic...Of course, most people are here to buy the legendary Murano glass but it's either too expensive and/or possibly fake because sadly there is still no true certification of an authentic Murano glass. If window shopping is your thing, then I say go for it! In fact, you can even buy a small glass object or two without breaking bank, but if you are not into shopping at all, I suggest skipping Murano and go straight to the more colorful Burano.
There is a three island tour thru a tour operator. It's roughly $20. Burano, Murano and Torcello. I like the glassblowing demonstration. I also thought it was interesting that you could only get to the islands my ferry from Venice. You can also take a water Metro for roughly $20 US and the Paso last you for 24 hours. I did a half afternoontouring all three islands. There's not a whole lot to say but it's great for Historical value. There's also a factory store for Murano glass or you can buy some pretty unique pieces that you may not be able to find other places. There's no pressure to purchase anything and the glassblowing demonstration is roughly 20 minutes it's a great outing and I think it's great for children and families as well.
nothing to see, without glass :-) July 2015 on sunday, we've arrived on the island via vaparetto, many offers to see the factories, but nowhere an open factory, so, we decided, to run through the channels, look for glass shops, there are perceived thousand stores to find. In one of them, we have seen the specific art to create the special type of colors in the glass or shape figures, great. But in the great shops, close to everything looked exactly the same. and without the glass, there is not so much more :-) After that, a small memento for each of us and then hurry up, to go to Burano ...
The origin of the name can be attributed to the refugees from Altino who took refuge on the island in the 5th century to escape the invasion from the Huns. Murano is actually a series of seven islands that are linked by bridges and separated by eight channels in the Venetian Lagoon. It's the largest island, which became an important port for trade in the Adriatic Sea and an active commercial center. In 1291, to avoid the danger of fires, numerous furnaces were moved here. In a short time, the island became the most important center of glass production. These glassmakers were the only craftsmen in the entirety of Europe who knew how to make mirrors made of glass, instead of the usual metal ones that were more common back then. On top of this, they were also able to create items from materials such as enameled glass, crystalline glass, milk glass, and glass with threads of gold. Not only does the island have countless glass establishments that my partner, our friends, family members, and I could browse, but just about every Murano glass factory has a showroom where they display their best products. One of them for 3 euros allowed walk-in visitors. Some of us watched his demonstrations and got a good look into the world of Murano glass. The most precious thing about travel is the opportunity it offers to expand your horizons, which we can recommend. read more
We took a vaporetto (water bus) to get to Murano from Venice. It's a 30-minute ride or so which is definitely doable for a day trip. Murano is known for stained glass. The artists here are the best in the world. Here's what I would recommend to maximize your time on the small island. Start out with a glass-blowing demonstration. The number one option on TripAdvisor is The Glass Cathedral. Here, you'll see a fascinating demonstration where an artist will show you his craft. You'll see the techniques he uses to create various works of art. It's a sight to behold. There are lots of places that do it but I love that this one takes place in a beautiful cathedral and there is also an option to enjoy an alcoholic beverage during the demonstration like an Aperol spritz. From there, walk along Murano's streets (there's basically one main road) and take some pictures. It will remind you of Venice's water-lined streets. You'll come across tons of shops selling various glass arts and products. You can't lave Murano without a keepsake. From there, enjoy some food at a restaurant and then make your way back to Venice on a vaporetto. They come often so it's a pretty easy trip logistically. Burano is another popular island (not as popular as Murano) which you can get to as well if you have the time. We didn't have the time but I'd like to visit this island in the future. They are known for their lace work. Enjoy! read more
The Murano island is boring, you can expect similar and even better experience in the main Venice island. Unless you're really interested in glass arts and products, I don't recommend this place for your trip. Their port is very confusing and easy to get lost, be very mindful to catch your boat on time. read more
A lovely diversion from Venice proper. We took the Vaporetto to Burano first, then backtracked to Murano. Famous for it's beautiful glass in every imaginable form, you can wander the streets to find your perfect piece. I purchased a small pendant as a token of my visit. 79 read more
Murano is a series of islands in Venice, with about 5,000 residents. The water taxi stops at about 5 locations on the islands of Murano. Initially it was a fishing community, then monks moved their appreciating the solitude. In 1291, all the glassmakers in Venice were required to move to Murano. In the 1300's, exports began, and the island became famous, initially for glass beads & mirrors. Aventurine glass was invented & Murano was the main producer of glass in Europe. The island later became known for chandeliers. The Church of Santa Maria e San Donato, famous for its 12th century Byzantine mosaic and is said to house bones of the dragon slain in the 4th century. The church of San Pietro Martire contains the chapel of the Ballarin family, built in 1506. Glass-related attractions include the many glassworks, some Medieval with most open to the public. Currently there are 260 glass companies in operation, employing about 1,100. The Murano Glass Museum, housed in the large Palazzo Giustinian. The glass shops weren't usual pieces of glass but very intricate designs; really art. Doors to the shops were open, we could watch the glass being blown. read more
I've been here twice, when visiting Venice this is a quick stop and a must in my book. You can take a water taxi or the water bus, this is a beautiful island with wonderful works of glass. The glass work is unparalleled in craftsmanship. Watching the masters blow, mold, and twist the glass is amazing. I got a nice large piece (whale tale) and my daughter got a glass heart necklace. We stayed and walked around, appreciating the colorful houses, purchased a few glass items and then of course we ate. #MANGIA You can fully appreciate this island in 2-4 hours, including a meal. read more
A beautiful island with wonderful works of glass. The glass work is supposed to be like no other. We had a wonderful opportunity to see a lady do her craft. What talent! We stayed and walked, purchased a few glass items and then of course we ate. read more
1 year ago
Folks coming to Venice must come to Burano and Murano Island. This is altogether different experience which you will never forget in your life. Those with a bit more time in Italy also fit in a visit to Murano, a nearby island. I should be more precise and say islands. Murano is actually a collection of 7 individual islands, all linked together by bridges. This is the place to go if you're interested in the famed Murano glass, where you can watch a glass making demonstration and maybe buy a Venetian glass souvenir or two. Getting to Murano is pretty straightforward. Vaporetto line 42 will take you there in about 40 minutes. You can get off at any stop of course, but Colonna is best for glassblowing demonstrations and Museum is better for the Glass Museum and the Basilica. Beware of the touts offering a "free" excursion to see the glass works at Murano or the lace-making in Burano. It's a common scam, because they get a kickback from the shop. You'll often get a grossly overpriced shop, high pressure, and a higher final price. Murano is best known worldwide for its exquisite, hand-crafted glass. If you're not in the market for glass and just want to look at it, it's still fun to visit a shop. Many glass factories have showrooms where they display their best products. many top brand jewelry shops like tiffany, they outsource here for glass items. read more
7 years ago
The first thing we did after checking into our hotel was to buy Water Taxi Passes, and head to Murano. We spent several hours wandering, shopping, and eating Gelato. Such a charming place... we even saw fish and jellyfish in the canal... probably because there was very little boat traffic. Would not have missed it for the world. read more
I found Murano Island to be a lovely place. This is the glass making center for Venezia and there were several factories that had people hawking their demonstrations (for a fee). After the demonstration of glass making, there was the chance to buy some items in the gift shops of each company. While I've read that much of the glass is now imported, there are authentic pieces to be gotten. I just don't need another dust catcher so I skipped buying any glass. After walking and enjoying the island for awhile, we stopped for a rest and some lunch. Then it was back to a different vaporetto stop where we got a non-stop back to St. Mark's Square. While not as eye catching as Burano with its colorful houses, Murano has a quaintness on some of the side areas that make it appealing. read more
Amazing masterpiece in the middle of this beautiful island. Each piece is blue glass & you can stare at it for hours! Impresionante pieza de arte en el medio de esta hermosa isla. Cada pieza es de vidrio azul y podes estar horas mirándola. read more
Murano is...okay... Murano glass is legendary: for the longest time, only Murano knew how to make glass in the world, so Venetians held total monopoly on glass for a while before the secret was leaked. The Venetian government moved all glass factories to the isolated island of Murano so that no furnace could spark a massive fire, but in return, Murano gained essentially autonomy from the main island so the glass island has its own development. Still today, Murano is still the equivalent of top quality glass! Unfortunately, the island itself is not too scenic...Of course, most people are here to buy the legendary Murano glass but it's either too expensive and/or possibly fake because sadly there is still no true certification of an authentic Murano glass. If window shopping is your thing, then I say go for it! In fact, you can even buy a small glass object or two without breaking bank, but if you are not into shopping at all, I suggest skipping Murano and go straight to the more colorful Burano. read more
There is a three island tour thru a tour operator. It's roughly $20. Burano, Murano and Torcello. I like the glassblowing demonstration. I also thought it was interesting that you could only get to the islands my ferry from Venice. You can also take a water Metro for roughly $20 US and the Paso last you for 24 hours. I did a half afternoontouring all three islands. There's not a whole lot to say but it's great for Historical value. There's also a factory store for Murano glass or you can buy some pretty unique pieces that you may not be able to find other places. There's no pressure to purchase anything and the glassblowing demonstration is roughly 20 minutes it's a great outing and I think it's great for children and families as well. read more
11 years ago
nothing to see, without glass :-) July 2015 on sunday, we've arrived on the island via vaparetto, many offers to see the factories, but nowhere an open factory, so, we decided, to run through the channels, look for glass shops, there are perceived thousand stores to find. In one of them, we have seen the specific art to create the special type of colors in the glass or shape figures, great. But in the great shops, close to everything looked exactly the same. and without the glass, there is not so much more :-) After that, a small memento for each of us and then hurry up, to go to Burano ... read more
Amazing seeing the masters sculpt glass like it was clay! The guides were very friendly and informative. There are rooms and rooms of different sculpted pieces by different masters for purchase. However, you better come with serious $$$$$. These pieces are not cheap. A necklace begins anywhere from $450 Euros and items such as glassware start at about $3,000 Euros and up. If in Venice, this is a definite stop. read more
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11 years ago
