Murano & Burano Islands: Private Boat Tour with Craft Workshops, Traditional Artisans

Embark on a private boat tour of Murano and Burano Islands in the Venetian Lagoon. Witness traditional glassblowing on Murano and lacemaking on Burano, while enjoying discounts on souvenirs. Explore these vibrant islands and immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Venice.

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Isola di Murano - The enchanting islands of Murano and Burano are the perfect change of pace from Venice’s crowded streets and waterways. And the perfect way to reach them is by private water taxi. Faster and sturdier than a gondola, nimbler and less crowded than a waterbus, water taxis are the premier way to travel in Venice. Few visitors get to…
What's Included
  • Glassmaking demonstration in Murano
  • Round-trip transportation by private boat just for your group
  • Small groups of up to 20 people for a more personalized experience
  • Lacemaking demonstration in Burano
  • Expert local English speaking Guide
  • Discount at the glass gallery and lacemaking shop where the demonstrations are given
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Embark on a private water taxi journey through the Venetian Lagoon and get familiarized with the craftsmen preserving Venice’s age-old arts. Witness firsthand the ancient art of glassblowing at Murano Island and the traditional craft of lacemaking at Burano Island. Avail discounts on memorabilia from both these demonstrating workshops. Discover plenty…

Location
Monument to Victor Emmanuel II
Riva degli Schiavoni
At the statue of a man (Vittorio Emanuele II) on a horse in Riva degli Schiavoni (San Zaccaria vaporetto stop), in front of the lagoon. GPS Coordinates: 45.433846, 12.343526
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.6
(5669 Ratings)
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Deborah_w
Oct 8, 2024
Murano’s Fabulous Glassworks - The glass blowers and museum were fabulous! Unfortunately the noise from the engine on the boat prevented us from hearing the guide. He was very good otherwise and very helpful in giving us instructions and recommendations for activities that evening.
Review provided by Viator
Sujit_a
Oct 8, 2024
Outstanding tour! - Elly was really good, provided with great information and recommendations. It was a beautiful day to be out at the islands.
Review provided by Viator
Hope_f
Sep 15, 2024
Great guide - Loved the glass making demonstration and the glass on display. Amazing! Such talent by the glass makers.
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Susan_f
Sep 12, 2024
Five stars - It was a great tour, Stella was a fantastic guide and very knowledgeable I highly recommend this tour while your in Venice
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Nancy_f
Oct 8, 2024
Enjoy the ride - The islands were great to visit. The making of Murano glass is fascinating. The island is small. Burano had more to offer as fsr as shops and restaurants. We didn't realize how far the boat trip is from Burano back to Venezia, about 45 mins. Good thing the weather was perfect and our tour guide Silvia was great. Very knowledgeable and spoke perfect English.
Review provided by Viator
Ldbrooks
Sep 30, 2024
Nice way to spend the day! - Selina was a wonderful host and she was able to point out a lot of interesting facts about the area on the boat ride to the islands. The demonstrations were brief but good. We did have free time to explore and walk around which was nice. My only concern was the old gentleman on our tour who was obviously very sick and should have been turned away as he was coughing and sneezing the whole time and we were in an enclosed boat.
Review provided by Viator
Tjl36
Sep 19, 2024
Enjoyable half day trip - Really good directions sent through where to find the meeting point. We walked the route a couple of days earlier and glad we did. It wasn’t straightforward even using Google maps as many of the little alleys had flooded due to high tide, so were prepared for our early morning tour. Our tour guide for the day was Francesca Gin, very informative and helpful. Our trip to Murano was rather underwhelming, having wanted to visit for a very long time. We saw a brief 15 minute demonstration and talk on making glass tumblers, then ushered into the gallery to view the amazing glassware. This lasted for over an hour and basically was a high end sales opportunity. So we had to hang around. You are able to venture out of the factory, but apparently there isn’t much to see. We joined our boat with Francesca and had a 30 minute journey to Burano; this was a gorgeous island. We had a lace making demonstration and a really interesting talk on this sadly dying art/skill. We then had 40 minutes to wander around the shops and have a quick drink. The brightly painted houses of Burano are absolutely gorgeous and the history/story behind why they are painted is interesting. Our trip back to Venice from Burano took around an hour. During this time Francesca shared the history of Venice and surrounding islands. As we left she gave us all some good tips as the where the better value for money cafes and restaurants were (away from the tourist hotspots).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ormond_j
Sep 9, 2024
A great tour after a confusing start - We followed the map link provided with the booking which took us to the wrong location for our tour. As soon as we located the correct location our tour had gone. We spoke with Anna from City Tours who was leading another identical tour. She made a call and was able to add us to her group. Anna was a wonderful, informative guide. She is very passionate about Venice and turned a bad start into a great day.
Review provided by Viator
Vivian_h
Sep 18, 2024
Go on public ferry instead - This trip felt like a deal was struck between tour company and one specific glass factory. Disappointing.
Review provided by Viator
Bob_c
Sep 19, 2024
Disappointment - Though I had confirmation that I had a ticket for 4 . and had the ticket and paid for the tour. City wonders did not have them on their list. I contacted viator straight away they confirmed that we were registered on the tour and emailed city wonders,. However the tour guide was not notified and we were stranded at the pier. I asked for a refund and the following response was received by Viator. Hi Bob, Thank you for contacting us about your Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour by Private Boat booking. A total of AUD 39.24 has been refunded to the original form of payment. Please note; depending on your form of payment, some refunds may take 3-7 business days to appear. Regards, Diana Rose Viator Customer Service My response Hi Diane, this refund is not acceptable. Our tour was confirmed by Viator however when the city wonders guide arrived, we were not listed on the city wonders tour list and were not allowed to go on the tour. This was not my mistake but a miscommunication between Viator and city wonders your service provider . The total amount of the tour was $425.28. Please confirm that this will be fully refunded. Regards Bob Crotty I then received the following email from Renayln Hi Bob, Thank you for your response regarding the outcome of your recent refund request. In light of your continued concern, we have done a secondary review. As part of this review, we investigated all materials and pertinent information including (but not limited to) the product details on the tour page, your ticket, and any communications regarding this booking. Based on all available information, we regret to inform you that we are unable to issue a refund for this booking. We understand that this may not be a favorable resolution; however, we feel that all avenues have been thoroughly investigated. As such, we are unable to revisit this final decision. Regards, Renalyn Viator Customer Service I have since emailed the following Dear Renalyn , please explain to me what was the outcome of your investigation. Viator sent me confirmation of the tour . My party and I arrived at the designated tour location before the specified time and were told we were not on their list . My messages to your support office indicated we should have been on the list and contacted city wonders by email and called them that we needed to be added . ( I have a copy of our transcript) so please tell me what your investigation found . Regards Bob Crotty I still had no reply. In the meantime I have previously booked 3 Italian tours with Viator and another 13 italian between 19th and 13th October. Can someone please call me a explain what was the outcome of your investigation, PS I can provide you with emails through the transaction process. Regards Bob
Review provided by Viator
From $53
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).