Murano and Burano Islands: Half-Day Private Boat Tour Exploring Venetian Crafts and Traditions

Embark on a half-day private boat tour to Murano and Burano Islands, where you’ll discover the rich crafts and traditions of Venice. Explore the colorful houses of Burano and witness the art of glassblowing in Murano.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Venice - Meet our Guide near the S. Zaccaria Vaporetto Stop

Embarking on your adventure, you meet your small group at the heart of Venice, and from there, you commence a brief and pleasant boat journey to Murano. En route, there are numerous captivating sights to behold, and your guide will regale you with tales of these sites as you sail past them. In due time, you shall reach the exquisite Murano, a renowned petite island acclaimed worldwide for its exceptional glass.

  • Isola di Murano - Enjoy a Glass-Blowing Workshop
    In times of yore, the glassblowers of Murano Island held an exclusive mastery over mirror creation in all of Europe. Their expertise was so esteemed that they were forbidden from departing from Venice, under the threat of execution. Although the artisans are now free to travel, their craft has persevered, and you will witness its essence first-hand at our initial destination—an authentic glassblower’s workshop.

Observe a true craftsman in action, engrossed in his daily affairs, while simultaneously listening to an English narration describing the intricate process. What imparts the glass with its vibrant hues? How does silica sand transform into the delicate artistry of glass? Which aspect of his occupation poses the greatest challenge? This is an actual working studio, ensuring an unparalleled and genuine experience. Subsequently, you have the opportunity to peruse an extensive collection of glass art and leisurely explore on your own for a while.

  • Burano - Witness Lace Making in Burano
    Onwards to the nearby island of Burano. Nestled closely together along meandering streets and canals, each house adorns itself in a distinct hue, with laundry gracefully draping in the narrow streets. Legend whispers that this tradition originated from the fishermen, who painted their dwellings in bright colors, enabling them to spot their homes from afar.

However, Burano’s most notable distinction lies in its ancient heritage of lacemaking. Accompanied by your guide, you wander the enchanting streets of Burano until you arrive at a modest edifice, where skilled women diligently stitch lace, upholding a tradition passed down through generations. This demonstration is exclusively reserved for guided tours, granting you a precious opportunity to witness their craft in motion.

Take a moment to observe their meticulous work and discover how these traditional techniques remain highly sought-after in an era dominated by sewing machines.

  • Piazza San Marco - Travel Back to the Main Island (45 min)
    After your visit to Murano and Burano conclude, hop on our private boat alongside your expert guide and enjoy the panoramic views on the way back to Venice’s main island.
What's Included
  • Tour and Lacemaking Demonstration in Burano
  • English-Speaking Expert Guide
  • Some free time to Explore in Burano
  • Maximum group size of 22
  • Round-Trip Transportation from Venice by Private Boat
  • Tour and Glassblowing Demonstration in Murano
What's Not Included
  • Food & Beverages
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Searching for a comfortable and easy method to discover the captivating territories of Murano and Burano on your Venice trip? Bid farewell to the hassle of public ferries and instead, partake in our personalized group excursion that reveals the magic of these Venetian Islands, with the ease of your private return journey by water taxi.

Joined by an erudite local guide, you’ll experience the enthralling mosaic of vibrant houses and the age-old lacemaking customs of Burano. Subsequently, your expedition moves on to scenic Murano, where you’ll appreciate the Venetian art of glassblowing, diligently handed down over many generations.

  • Mandatory: Everyone is required to carry a copy of the identification page of their passports on all tours. A photo of the first page of your passport saved on your smartphone works as well.
  • On certain dates, most travelers staying outside of Venice who are planning to visit for the day will be required to pay a €5 access fee. For further details (including exemptions) and to learn what days this fee is applicable, please visit: https://cda.ve.it
  • We regret that we are unable to accommodate guests with wheelchairs or any walking impairments that require special assistance on our group tours. We are also unable to accommodate strollers or baby carriages.
  • This tour is not recommended for travellers prone to seasickness.
Location
P.za San Marco, 3
Piazza San Marco
Please Arrive 15 Minutes Early. Between the two big columns in St. Mark’s Square (columns of San Marco & San Teodoro) located on the south side of the square, near the canal. Your guide will be holding a "The Tour Guy" sign.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.5
(100 Ratings)
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Zoe_p
Aug 11, 2024
Must do your tour - This trip was amazing and our tour guide Ciscillia really made the trip! She was really helpful giving us lots of recommendations and was really informative! I liked that the boat tour consisted of some commentary but we were given lots of time to explore on our own which was really nice! Burano was our fave!!
Review provided by Viator
Tirso_b
Aug 11, 2024
Burano - Murano is very interesting with the glass creation and Burano is a very beautiful place, staff were great. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Mckenna_t
Aug 6, 2024
Beautiful glass blowing demonstration - Beautiful, calm, boat ride. Loved seeing the blown glass demonstration and the beautiful houses. For me I didn’t have a lot of time in Venice so this tour took alot of the afternoon but if you have the time it’s worth it.
Review provided by Viator
Kylie_m
Aug 5, 2024
Awesome!! - We had the guide Francesca, she was amazing, my only issues it that you couldn’t change the volume on the headphones so it could get kinda loud. Loved it other than that!
Review provided by Viator
Merin_d
Jul 31, 2024
Elena, guide and tour company were the best! - Elena, our guide was one of the highlights of our entire trip. We were so lucky to have her. She made the day interesting and memorable, knew everyone everywhere we went, shared so much information, and went above and beyond. She gave us tips for after our tour and even walked us to our next location. After we had departed, we noticed we had lost one of our bags. We reached out to the tour operator who immediately called Elena (who of course knew the taxi driver!) and they tracked down our bag. They arranged for us to meet another guide later in the day and we got all of our things back! We are so grateful! We loved visiting Murano and Burano and doing it with Elena saved us time and helped get us to the right places for the high quality purchases we intended to make.
Review provided by Viator
Paula_t
Jul 29, 2024
Great tour! - This tour was exceptional and well worth the money. Claudia was an excellent tour guide and we learned a lot from her. She had great energy and a beautiful smile. The glass blowing experience was great, as was the lace demonstration. I highly recommend this tour to all!
Review provided by Viator
Mark_g
Jul 27, 2024
Excellent Trip! - Excellent trip. Tour guide Alessia was so helpful & knowledgeable. We felt looked after for the entire time.
Review provided by Viator
Justin_l
Jul 17, 2024
Great experience, very chill - It was a great tour for a relaxing day; a lot of the tour is on a boat that takes you to and from the two islands and Venice. The glass making was very cool to watch and there was a decent discount for tour groups at the glass gift shop. Burano was beautiful too and im not sure i would have been able to visit the islands without thia tour. Overall very worth and would recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Julie_h
Jul 15, 2024
A great experience !! - Our tour guide Olympian was amazing. She was informative and funny and she gave us lots of extra tips about where to go. We really liked her. The meeting point was easy and we left on time. We rode in a really nice boat that was fast and efficient. Great to watch the glsss blowing and the lace making. It was a great excursion.
Review provided by Viator
Patricia_s
Jul 28, 2024
Waterway trip to Murano/Burano - Seeing how the process works especially as I had read a book on this before so I had a good understanding before taking the tour. The hardest part was locating the tour guides as they were to the side of the two columns rather that the description of where to find them. Giving the name of the store or restaurant of where to locate the tour guides would be helpful. For first time visitors to this site, be sure to give yourself plenty of travel time and time to locate the guides. As a whole, other tour guides provided directions that was helpful
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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