Murano and Burano in a Half Day Boat Tour
Easily visit these colorful Venetian islands by boat and see traditional glassblowing and lacemaking
Navigating the ferries in Venice is confusing for any tourist. Skip the hassle with our small-group tour, which includes private round-trip transportation to Murano and Burano by water taxi. Enjoy time to explore Burano’s colorful streets, shop for lace, or relax by the canals before heading to Murano to witness master glassblowers at work. With a perfectly balanced itinerary, you’ll soak in the charm of both islands at a relaxed pace, without the hassle of navigating ferries.
- Meet your guide at St. Mark’s Square
- Murano Island
- Glass blowing demonstration
- Burano Island
- Colored houses of Burano
- Lacemaking demonstration
- Free Time
- Take Instagram-worthy pics
- Venice Return
- End near St. Mark's Square
Getting to Murano and Burano from Venice can be a little chaotic if you're using the public ferries and water taxis, so this small group tour makes things a lot simpler! You'll meet your friendly local guide in St. Mark's Square, and soon you'll be cruising to these picturesque islands on a private speedboat. First stop will be the famous glass making island of Murano, where you'll have a live glassblowing demonstration. Next, visit the colorful nearby island of Burano, where you'll see a centuries-old lacemaking demonstration not available to the public.
Murano and Burano Boat Tour Description
Your 4-hour tour includes:
Round trip transportation from Venice by private boat
Tour and glassblowing demonstration in Murano
Tour and lacemaking demonstration in Burano
Friendly, English-speaking guide
Maximum group size of 22
Murano
After meeting your small group in St. Mark's Square, your adventure begins with a short and comfortable boat ride to Murano. There’s a lot to see on the way, and your guide will keep you entertained with stories of the sites you sail past. Soon enough, you'll arrive in beautiful Murano, a small island world-famous for its glass.
Once upon a time Murano glassblowers were the only people in Europe who knew how to create a mirror, and their skills were so valued that they were banned from leaving the city of Venice under threat of execution. The artisans are allowed to leave the island now of course, but the craft has stayed the same and you'll witness it first-hand at our first stop—a glassblower’s workshop.
Witness a master craftsman in motion as he conducts his daily tasks, while receiving a detailed explanation of the process. What gives the glass its color? How does silica sand become glass? Which is the most difficult part of his job? All your questions will be answered throughout the demo, as this is a real, working studio and your experience here will be as authentic as it comes. Afterwards you'll have time to browse the huge collection of glass art in the show room or wander the island on your own for a while.
Being an island and subject to problems related to high water, the gondola or boat tour cannot be guaranteed due to force majeure.
Burano
Our next stop is the colorful island of Burano, you'll be struck immediately by its old-world charm. Huddled tightly together along streets and canals, each house is painted a different color, with laundry strung up across the narrow streets. Legend has it that fishermen started this trend, painting their houses in bright shades so that they could see home from a distance.
However, Burano’s major claim to fame is its ancient tradition of lacemaking. Your guide will take you through the streets of Burano to a small building where women sit and stitch lace like their mothers and grandmothers before them. They only demonstrate for tours, so this is your best bet to see them in action! Stay and watch their painstaking work, and hear how, in the age of sewing machines, these traditional methods are unique and highly sought-after.
When Michelangelo visited Burano he bought an altarpiece for the brand new Duomo in Milan, and there's no shortage of wonderful artisan shops to explore today either. You can spend your free time in the island winding your way along the kaleidoscopic streets and taking in the ambiance. We'd recommend trying the local cookies for one of the island's bakeries too—delicious!
What you get with this tour

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Sabra Dunham
Fun to visit.
Wonderful half day tour
Erica Atchison
This tour provided private boat transfer for our group, which was much quicker than the vaporetto water bus system allowing us to maximize our time. The ride to Murano took around 30 minutes. Our guide provided excellent history and local insights during the lagoon journey. The Murano factory demonstration was brief but informative about 5-10 minutes. We then toured the gallery, where we spent most of our time, thought we could have explored independently. The next 25-minute ride took us to Burano, a beautiful island. Our guide arranged a demonstration at a town shop of Burano lace making. With the rest of the hour, we freely wandered, enjoying the island’s charm.
Alan Cleary
Frequently Asked Questions
What to bring?
Wear some comfortable shoes, and bring water and a camera. In the summer, we recommend sunscreen too.
What to bring?
Wear some comfortable shoes, and bring water and a camera. In the summer, we recommend sunscreen too.
What if I'm concerned about my mobility?
This small group tour does require some walking and you'll need to get on and off the boat too. If you have concerns about your mobility, take a look at our Murano and Burano Private Tour which can be more easily tailored to your needs.
Does this tour use public transportation?
We book a private water taxi to take just our group out to Murano and Burano. You won't be on the main water bus with large crowds.