Day Trip To Murano – Home Of The Exquisite Venetian Glass

Day Trip to Murano - The must visit island of the Venetian LagoonWhile visiting Venice, if you would like to head off-the-beaten-path and see the timeless Italian glass craftsmanship, then a day trip to Murano is a must. Located in the Venetian lagoon of northern Italy, Murano is comprised of seven small islands that are seamlessly linked by bridges across its eight channels.

Murano had initially developed as a fishing port and eventually became the home of the magnificent glass blown art of Murano. Today visitors and artisans from all over the world travel to this small island of the Venetian lagoon to marvel at the traditional and contemporary glass artwork of Murano.

After the hustle-bustle of Venice, strolling along the streets of Murano is a perfect way to experience a quieter slice of life in the Veneto region. Planning a day trip to Murano from Venice is convenient as there are frequent Vaporetto lines that shuttle passengers back and forth between the islands of the Venetian lagoon.

I am guessing that if you came across this post, you are probably planning a day trip to Murano and the nearby islands from Venice. So, here’s our travel guide on Murano that highlights the must-sees of this island along with travel tips that I hope will help make your visit memorable.

Planning a day trip to Murano: How to get there from Venice

There are several islands that are part of the Venetian lagoon including Venice, Murano, Burano, Torcello, Giudecca, Sant’Erasmo and San Michele to name a few. Murano is one of the most visited islands of the lagoon since it is located just 1.5kms from Venice.

View of Venice from the vaporetto en route to Murano

Frequent ACTV Vaporetto lines shuttle passengers back and forth between the islands along well-marked channels of the Venetian lagoon. Taking the Vaporetto is the budget-friendly way of getting to Murano but these do get quite crowded, especially in the peak summer season. Private taxis can also be booked as a more flexible and relaxed way to get to the island but these tend to be quite expensive. Look for a license number and a yellow stripe that should be present on all licensed taxis if you choose to hire one.

We decided to travel by Vaporetto around the lagoon as we had planned our day trip to Murano on a budget and found the service to be frequent and quite reliable. 

ACTV Vaporetto lines from Venice to Murano

From Piazzale Roma, line 3 brings visitors to the first stop of Murano in about 20 minutes. Line 3 stops at all the major stops of Murano including Colonna, Faro, Navagero, Venier, and Museo. The Colonna stop is located closest to the glass making workshops and the Museo is located closest to the famous Glass Museum of Murano.  

Day Trip to Murano - The must visit island of the Venetian Lagoon

If you happen to board the Vaporetto from Fondamente Nove, then lines 12 and 13 bring you to Murano Faro stop in just 9 minutes while line 4.1 brings visitors to the Murano Colonna stop in the same amount of time as well.  

Venezia City Pass and the ACTV travel card

Venezia Unica City PassWe purchased the Venezia City Pass since we had planned on visiting several of the museums of Venice and nearby islands while making the most of the public transportation via ACTV lines. The Venezia gold pass includes a 72 hours ACTV travel card that is valid on the Vaporetto lines along with entry to various museums, including the Glass Museum of Murano and Lace museum of Burano. Alternatively, 24h, 48h, 72h, and 7-day ACTV travel cards can also be purchased and can end up being an economical option if you plan to take the Vaporetti frequently during your visit.

Day trip to Murano: History of glass making in Murano

Murano mosaicDuring the 12th and 13th centuries, many of the homes in Venice were made of wood that could easily catch fire from the glassmaking furnaces. So a law was passed in 1291 that required all the glass furnaces to be relocated to the nearby island of Murano. Doing so prevented the spread of fire from these glass furnaces in Venice and it also helped preserve the secret of Venetian glassmaking to this small island.

Since then, the precise and ancient technique of glassmaking in Murano has remained unchanged and has been passed down from one generation to the next of the artisans of Murano. These artisans proudly carry on their centuries-old tradition of glassmaking in the factories and workshops of this island to this day. No wonder Murano has become synonymous with glass!

Glasswork and glassblowing techniques from Murano

Once the glass factories were established on the island, Murano quickly became famous for its exquisite glass and glassblowing techniques all over Europe and the rest of the world. Aventurine glass (glass with gold threads) was invented in Murano and as you stroll around the island, you can see fascinating examples of glasswork techniques including Cristallo (clear glass), Lattimo (milk or opaque glass) and the vibrant Millefiori.

Incredible Murano glasswork

The vibrant Millefiori glass art of Murano

We were fascinated by the vibrant Millefiori glasswork that we saw all across Murano’s glass boutiques and souvenir shops. The technique of millefiori, which literally means 1000 flowers, can be seen on plates, bowls and even jewelry made from Murano glass. The technique involves overlaying several thin glass layers inside a specially designed millefiori cane which is then cut into small pieces that are assembled in desired shapes and patterns by the application of heat.

Day Trip to Murano: The must-see sights of this Venetian island

Murano is a small island and is best explored on foot. Whether you arrive in Murano at the Colonna, Faro, Museo or any of the other Vaporetto stops, you will find that strolling along the canals of Murano and getting lost in its alleys is a fun experience in itself.

Having said so, there are definitely some must-see’s and must-have experiences when you visit Murano. So here’s our list of the best thing to see during your day trip to Murano.

Day trip to Murano - view from the bridge

1. Museo del Vetro – the Murano Glass Museum

Glass is to Murano as Murano is to glass. So it’s no surprise that there’s an entire museum dedicated to glass in Murano and it’s definitely a must-see. Founded in 1861, the Glass Museum of Murano – Museo del Vetro – documents the history of glass and Murano glass art.

Museo del Vetro is located in Palazzo Giustunian, close to the Museo stop. The palace that houses the museum now had once been the residence of the Torcello bishops. Several of the glass artworks housed in this museum have been donated to it by the artisans and owners of the glass factories of Murano.

The magnificent roof of the first floor of the royal residence gives a glimpse into the glory of the bygone days. The three large chandeliers, particularly the one with 60 branches made by Giovanni Fuga and Lorenzo Santi are sure to leave visitors awestruck.

The glass museum of murano

Glass artworks are displayed chronologically in the museum with some relics dating back to the ancient Roman times. The museum also houses the largest collection of Murano glass masterpieces designed by the likes of Carlo Scarpa, Venini and Barovier & Toso, to name a few.

Particularly striking is the miniature Italian garden glass centerpiece. The attention to detail in the beautiful glass art of this garden is amazing right down to the green markings made from crushed glass that has been used to depict grass in this stunning display.

Day Trip to Murano - Miniature Italian Garden centerpiece in Glass Museum of Murano

Tickets to the Museo del Vetro, costing € 12 for adults, can be purchased online to save time and avoid entry lines. Entry to the museum is also covered by the Museum Pass that is included with the Venezia City Pass. If you plan on visiting Burano’s Lace Museum as well, then purchasing the combo ticket for Murano glass museum and Burano Lace museum that costs € 12 can be a good budget option.

2. Torre dell’ Orologio ( Clock Tower of Murano) and the nearby glass artwork

If you arrive at Colonna stop and head straight down the alley next to the canal, you will come across the prominent red brick clock tower of Murano located in Campo Santo Stefano – the Torre dell’ Orologio. This clock tower is located close to the San Pietro Martire church. For a small fee, it is possible to take the elevator ride of the top of the clock tower for a bird’s eye view of the island of Murano and beyond.

Glass sculpture in Murano near Venice

There is a striking glass art display designed by the maestros of Murano near the base of the clock tower that has become one of the must-see attractions of Murano. Until recently, the artwork in this square had been the famous starburst sculpture (also called the comet glass star) designed with nearly 500 pieces of blown glass in six different shades of blue. It has since been replaced by a beautiful Christmas decorative tree also made of Murano glass.

3. Basilica dei Santa Maria e San Donato

Day Trip to Murano - Basilica dei Santa Maria e San Donato in MuranoThe splendid church of Santa Maria e San Donato is one of the most visited attractions on the island of Murano. It is located in Campo San Donato, close to the Museo del Vetro (Glass Museum).

This 12th-century church is one of the oldest churches in the Venetian lagoon and houses the relics of Saint Donatus of Arezzo and is famous for its Romanesque architecture. There is a bell tower located adjacent to the church and Byzantine arches adorn its red and white brick facade.

Located along a peaceful canal of Murano, this church is also well known for its ornate mosaic floor created by the Byzantine artists in 1141. Besides the mosaic floor, there is another striking mosaic above the altar of the Virgin Mary made with glass blown in Murano.

Mosaic floor of Basilica dei Santa Maria e San Donato

4. Indulging in gelato during a day trip to Murano

As we strolled around Murano on a rather warm day, we decided to indulge in some delicious gelato and stopped by Murano Gelateria Artigianale which was located close to Museo. This gelateria has an excellent selection of homemade artisan gelato flavors to choose from at a reasonable price. Their Amaretto and Limone flavors were absolutely divine.

Day trip to Murano : Gelato at Murano Gelateria Artigianale

5. Witness Venetian glass craftsmanship in a glassmaking demonstration

One of the most memorable things to do during your day trip to Murano is to attend a glass making demonstration by skilled artisans who have honed this craft over several generations of their family.

There are many glass factories (fabbriche) in Murano near the Colonna Vaporetto stop, along Fondamenta dei Vetrai and near the Faro district. At these glass factories, visitors can view the 15-20 minutes long glassmaking demonstrations for a small entry fee. The prominent glass factories require an appointment to be made in advance while in many others, you can simply walk in and watch the glassblowers and artists in action near the glass furnace (fornaci).

Day trip to Murano - Glass making demonstration in Murano

It is fascinating to see the artisans melt the glass in the blazing 3000-degree furnace, roll and sway the orange molten glass which is then tweaked deftly into the desired artform using prongs and special tools. One of the highlights of our day trip to Murano was definitely seeing these glassmaking demonstrations (even though we hadn’t booked any in advance).

Note that many of the glass factories are closed on Sundays – so plan your day trip to Murano ahead, especially if you would like to attend one of these demonstrations. Following the demonstration, it is recommended to tip the artisan and if you wish, you can always make some purchases from their glass shop as well.

Glasswork of Murano

Be sure to check with the staff before taking photographs or recording. If allowed to do so, it is recommended to not use the flash while taking photographs during an ongoing demonstration as it can be distracting to the maestros.

6. Shopping for Murano glass souvenirs

Glass Jewelry from MuranoThe venerable art form of fine Italian glassmaking can be seen on display in the boutiques, art galleries, souvenir shops and workshops of Murano. As you window shop around the alleys of Murano, you are likely to come across many kinds of glass products ranging from glass sculptures to chandeliers, contemporary glass art, jewelry, and mirrors.

In order to preserve and distinguish the glass art of Murano, the Vetro Artistico Murano trademark certifies glass products that have been crafted by the artisans of Murano. So when you make a purchase and would like to check its authenticity, look for this trademark.

The lead glassblower of the glass factories is called maestro and their finished glass products retail at the top prices as they are prized for their refinement. In general, prices of glass pieces vary depending on the time and technique used to craft them – ranging from a few euros to thousands of euros. If you are on a budget and are looking for some souvenirs, stop by the 1 Euro glass shop.

Day Trip to Murano - Chandeliers and glasswork of Murano

7. Wrap up your day trip to Murano with a leisurely stroll around the island

Finally, the best way to discover Murano is by simply strolling along its cobblestone alleys, over its bridges, and along its canals. In some ways, Murano feels like a miniature version of Venice. The colorful homes of Murano and its laid back feel reminded me of our memorable visit to Cinque Terre. Strolling along Murano we also came across a floating vegetable market that gave us a glimpse into the everyday life at the island.

As we planned on taking the Vaporetto to Burano after exploring Murano, we wandered towards the southeast end of Murano towards the Faro stop where we came across a beautiful, active lighthouse. While there are not as many colorful homes in Murano as there are in Burano, there is a relaxed, quiet feel to Murano which makes it hard to believe that you are so close to the hustle-bustle of Venice.

Day Trip to Murano - The must visit island of the Venetian Lagoon

Murano truly is a unique destination where visitors can experience the daily life in Veneto and makes for an excellent day trip from Venice. Refined, exquisite glassworks and products have been produced in the world-famous furnaces of Murano over several centuries and the industry continues to be the backbone of Murano to this date.

It’s a memorable experience to be able to witness the centuries-old art of glassblowing on this island of the Venetian lagoon. Taking a leisurely day trip to Murano allows visitors to see why Murano is also called the ‘glass island’. We thoroughly enjoyed witnessing this timeless Italian craftsmanship on our day trip to Murano and hope to return to explore the Venetian lagoon some more. Until then… Ciao, dear Murano!

Disclaimer: It’s a pleasure for us to share our travel experiences with all our readers and we sincerely hope to inspire your future travels. In order to help us maintain this blog and offset the costs of running landoftravels.com, we have sprinkled affiliate links throughout the site. If you choose to make a purchase via any of these affiliate links, we’ll earn a tiny commission at no additional cost to you. 

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Day Trip to Murano From Venice - the must visit island of the Venetian Lagoon

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