If I told you there was a way to experience Venice without the tourists, would you believe me? The secret lies in travelling in the off-season when there are fewer crowds and getting off the mainland to explore the nearby islands. The city of Venice is the largest landmass in the Venetian Lagoon but it’s not the only one: there are dozens of smaller islands scattered across the water that is well worth exploring for a change of pace and scenery. Murano, renowned for its glass-making tradition, attracts the most visitors due to its proximity to Venice but if you head further north to Burano, Mazzorbo, and Torcello, you’ll be richly rewarded by the sights, sounds, and flavours of the so-called Venetian countryside.

Find out our guide here to exploring Murano & Burano (Set aside almost a full day to visit these)

HOW TO GET THERE

Ferry boats in Venice are like the subway in New York City. If you want to reach Venice islands by public transport, taking a ferry boat is the most efficient way to go.

All lines are active from 6:00 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. every day (with exceptions during the holidays). Tickets can get quite expensive, so if touring more islands, it’s best to get a 24h ticket for €24 or 12h ticket for €18.

Vaporetto (Water Bus!)

If you are looking to go to Murano or Burano you can hop on the “Vaporetto” (ferry) from Venice San Zaccaria stop which is near St. Mark’s. Here is a google maps link to the stop. The trip takes 40 to 50 mins.  Again, we recommend the day pass.

Here are the main ferry boat lines:

• Line 12 to reach Burano, Murano and San Michele from Fondamenta Nove

• Line 4 to reach Murano from the train station Santa Lucia

• Line 5 to reach Lido di Venezia from the bus station Piazzale Roma

• Line 14 to reach Murano from St. Mark’s Square

BURANO

This colorful island is probably the most photographed one in Venice. You’ll instantly recognize it from afar, thanks to its brightly colored houses. Of course, the island of Burano itself isn’t exactly a secret: it is well-known for its lace tradition, which dates back to the 17th century, and for its delightful candy-colored homes. From bright fuchsia and lemon yellow to brick red and evergreen, every single one of Burano’s houses is painted in vibrant shades that span every color of the rainbow.

Legend has it that the houses were painted in bright shades to help fishermen navigate through the thick winter fog though some say wives painted the homes specific colors so their husbands wouldn’t accidentally stumble into the home of another woman. Regardless of which theory is true, the rainbow hues make Burano one of the loveliest fishing towns in Italy, and walking around will make you feel like you’re in a fairytale come to life.

A proper town built on water, Burano only has 2,800 inhabitants so everyone knows each other; you’ll see parents walking their young children to school each morning and elderly citizens gathering in the main piazza before church each Sunday. It’s incredible to think that people can grow up in a place so beautiful and otherworldly but a walk around will reveal local artisan shops, pint-sized grocery stores, and plenty of traditional bakeries – their fixtures of daily life everywhere.

Its main economy is tourism with visitors flocking to see the brightly colored houses and to buy and view lacework that was the famous export of this region. You can still see lace being made here but very few still use the time-consuming traditional methods of times gone by. Burano has been well-known for its lace production for centuries. One of its best-known customers was Leonardo da Vinci himself, who bought a piece for the altar of the Duomo of Milan. There’s a small lace museum on the island, so if the craft interests you, consider adding a stop there to your trip to Burano.

The most noteworthy church to visit in Burano is San Martino which has a ‘drunken’ bell tower. Built-in the 1600’s it is located on subsiding land which gives it its famous lean (and you thought there was only one leaning tower in Italy!) Depending upon where you are in Burano will depend on how you see the tower – from certain angles, it looks relatively straight but from others, you feel like it may tumble to the ground at any moment!

If your visit to Venice gives you enough time, then a trip across the water to Burano is worthwhile. Spare aside a half-day to explore and enjoy this. A 40-minute Vaporetto trip across the lagoon will find you visiting the colorful set of islands 4 miles (7km) north-east of St. Mark’s Square. These 5 islands are linked to Mazzorbo by a large bridge and are also close to Torcello so fitting all three regions into a visit is possible.

MURANO

Internationally known for its talented glassmakers, Murano is the perfect Venice island to shop for unique souvenirs. Here you’ll find precious glass-blown artefacts and “Venetian murrine”, incredibly rare charms made of coloured patterns made in a glass cane.

Murano can be visited but will probably take at least half a day with travelling to and from the island and so isn’t possible in a single day unless you’ve visited Venice or have 3 days in Venice as we did. Read about it here. It lies 1 mile (1.5km) north of Venice and is made up of seven smaller islands with 8 water channels weaving their way through the land.

It is famous for its glassmaking and the term ‘Murano glass’ instantly brings to mind beautiful, colored glass and jewelry, famous the world over. Venetians have been making glass here since the Republic ordered the glassmakers to relocate from the city center in 1291 due to the fire risk that this industry created.

There are pretty churches to see here during your visit; San Pietro Martire and Santi Maria e Donato. As well as the glass-blowing district you will find the only museum on the island, which as you would imagine is dedicated to glass – Museo del Vetro (Glass Museum). Here you will be able to see some spectacular examples of mirrors and glassware from over the centuries and can learn about the techniques and complexities of glassmaking.

We ended up visiting the Murano Glassworking in which the visit includes a group or solo tour of how the famous Murano glass is made by the master craftsmen Or, become an honorary Venetian with a Mask-Making Workshop. The masquerade mask is the most iconic style of dress in this region of Italy, so creating your own seems like the perfect excuse to get a little messy.

Website: Arte al Sole | Email:  info@artealsole.com | Phone: +39 328-205-6574 

Price: 

Workshop: €365 for 1-3 participants, €65 for each additional participant. Mask-Making Workshop: €195 for 1-3 participants, €55 for each additional participant.

Some glass factories were originally located in the historic center of Venice but moved to Murano to keep fumes and risk of fire away from the population. We visited Glasbläserei Estevan Rossetto where we watched a short glassmaking demonstration by a master craftsman. we were in awe as he effortlessly formed a small vase and then a heart statue out of molten glass in 5 minutes flat.

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