Private Murano & Burano Tour: Glassblowing & Lace Island Explore

Watch molten glass become a vase, then wander Burano's painted fishermen's houses

You board a private boat in Venice city center and spend five hours on Murano and Burano: watching glass being blown in a working factory, exploring a Byzantine basilica, and wandering a fisherman village painted in impossible colors. Transport, guide, wine, and a factory discount are all included. You return to Venice by late afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Duomo di Murano30m
2. Murano30m
3. Burano1h 30m · entry included

Venice lagoon tour with Murano and Burano

• Meet local guide in Venice center
• Board private boat
• Boat ride to Murano island
• Visit S. Maria and Donato Cathedral
• Tour old glass factory
• Free time for glass shopping
• Boat ride to Burano island
• Explore Burano fisherman village
• Boat ride back to Venice

The experience

You've just landed in Venice. The vaporetto queues are already forming, and you're thinking: there has to be a way to skip the crowds and actually see how things are made here. That's where this one starts. A local guide meets you in the city center, and within thirty minutes you're on a private boat cutting across the lagoon toward Murano, where the glass furnaces have been running since the 13th century. No tour bus, no packed public ferry. Just water, islands, and the people who live on them.

Murano hits different when you walk into an actual glass factory instead of a shop. You watch the blower work (the heat, the speed, the way the molten glass moves like it's alive), and then you have time to browse and buy if something catches you. Before you leave the island, there's the Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato, a seven-century church with a mosaic floor that's been there longer than most of Europe's capitals have existed. It's quiet in there, and the light comes through in a way that makes you understand why people built things to last.

Then the boat takes you north across the lagoon to Burano. This is the island where the houses are painted in colors that shouldn't work together but somehow do: hot pink next to electric blue next to mustard yellow. It's a working fisherman village, not a theme park, so you'll see actual nets drying and locals sitting outside their doors. The lace tradition is still alive here, though it's fading. You can watch it being made in small shops, or just wander the narrow streets and let the place settle into your head. You get a glass of wine included, and a 20% discount at the Colleoni glass factory if you want to take something home without the markup.

The return boat brings you back to Venice on the other side of the lagoon, so you see different water and different light on the way back. Total time out is around five hours, which is long enough to actually breathe on each island instead of rushing through. Wheelchair accessible, strollers work fine, and if you're staying outside Venice proper, check whether the €5 city access fee applies on your date.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel or city-center pickup by private boat, the thirty-minute ride to Murano, entry to a working glass factory with time to watch artisans and shop, a visit to the Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato, transport to Burano, free time to explore the lace village, one glass of wine, a 20% discount at Colleoni glass factory, and the return boat ride to Venice. A local guide accompanies you throughout.

Days and timesDaily · 09:30

AgesAges 18+ · 3 to 17 years · Under 3 — Free

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends where it startsMeeting point, per the operator: “Local guide will wait outside the Church which between locanda Vivaldi and Hotel Metropole. Close by boat station San Zaccaria From Santa Lucia train station a…”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Glass factory Colleoni Murano

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to see how Murano glass and Burano lace are actually made without fighting public ferry crowds. Plan for five hours out. That's what lets you spend real time on each island instead of rushing through.

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Top questions

Can children come?

3 to 17 years; under 3, free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

How long is the boat ride from Venice to Murano?

About thirty minutes.

Can I buy glass directly from the factory?

Yes. You have free time to shop, and the tour includes a 20% discount at Colleoni glass factory.

Is the Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato included in the tour?

Yes, you visit it as part of the Murano stop.

What if I'm traveling with a stroller or wheelchair?

The tour is wheelchair accessible and strollers work on both islands.

Do I need to pay the Venice city access fee?

Only if you're staying outside Venice proper and visiting on a date when the fee applies. Check the city's official site for exemptions and applicable dates.

Is lunch included?

No. A glass of wine is included, but food is not.

Can I bring my service animal?

Yes, service animals are allowed.