Murano and Torcello

[PeterTowsley]

Anyone knows how it works Murano and Torcello trip from Venice port?

I heard about private boats going there but waht about guide etc?

Is is it possible to do it privately?

 

thanks

[Steamboatin]

You can take a water taxi to and from Venice to Murano. Do not know about the other island you mentioned. If it is in the greater Venice "harbor area" than you probably can go there by water taxi as well. We went over to Burano and walked that island. In the process of going to Burano we passed by Murano.

[KnoxvilleSam]

Unless you're made of money! Take a vaporetto, or "let" the stores on Murano pay your way (of course you have to take a tour of the glass factories and perhaps buy something). We got off at Torcello and had a lovely walk around. Burano was more interesting I think - lace instead of glass.

 

Sam

[I&MsMom]

Yes, definitely do not take a water taxi - very expensive. A vaparetto goes to the islands, stopping first at Murano, then Burano (very different from Venice and the other islands - very brightly colored houses, and as previously mentioned, lace. Some OK restaurants, too) and finally, Torcello, which is pastoral compared to the rest. We didn't do this on our recent visit, but as memory serves, your need to catch the vaparetto from the Fondamente Nuovo stop (you can't hop on it from the Grand Canal.)

 

I much preferred Burano and Torcello over Murano, but that's just MHO. Whatever you decide to do, enjoy!

[alcorjd]

We agree completely with Sam & Nancy. "Let" the glass factory pay your way on their "private" taxi. They are pushy, but the factory tour is interesting and the taxi ride is direct. We've taken the vaparetto, too; very crowded and lots of stops, but fine if you don't want or don't have time to tour. Burano was probably our favorite of the specialty islands; in the town square by the dock an elderly opera singer (male) was singing--with a whole group of people singing along....really wonderful. And so was the lace...

 

Joan & Bruce

[Debbierpof]

We actually did Murano and Burano via vaporetto. The best stop to catch it is at Fondamento Nuovo (no other stops on Venice). Once in Burano you can catch another vaporetto to Torcello. I would have liked to visit there, but we were in Venice during the Festa del Redentore when all water transporation comes to a halt in the late afternoon so we wanted to make sure we made it back to Venice. We enjoyed Burano more than Murano. Lunch was also pretty nice in Burano and the vaporetto ride is more like a tour of the lagoon. We opted for a vaporetto that also went by Lido before going back to Venice. It was a very relaxing ride.

[dbh62ark]

We agree completely with Sam & Nancy. "Let" the glass factory pay your way on their "private" taxi. They are pushy, but the factory tour is interesting and the taxi ride is direct. Joan & Bruce

No, no, no. This is a REALLY BAD IDEA in my opinion. If you want to purchase some glass, the boat drivers, which are also called "hawkers," get roughly 30% of what you pay. So the glass factories are not in a good position to negotiate with you, and that "free" ride that is convenient can end up costing you a bundle. Some of the best glass factories with the best stuff like Colonna do not work with hawkers, so you have to find them on your own. Also, read the boards for accounts such as BruinSteve's where they were practically held hostage to buy some glass. I've spent 42 days--and counting! because we leave to go there next week--in Venice and strongly recommend against letting a hawker or a member of your hotel staff talk you into one of these "free" rides.

 

Have a great trip,

Donna

[kenito799]

I also loved Burano and would choose it over Murano. We didnt make it to Torcello but I wish we had, the oldest church in Venice is there with Byzantine mosiacs inside.

 

Fondamenta Nuovo is in Cannaregio, the opposite side of Venice from San Marco. Another way to get to Burano is to take the LN vaporetto, which looks more like a large ferry (but the ACTV vaporetto passes work on it) from San Zaccharia, which is just east of the Doge's Palace (over a couple bridges). This ferry takes a scenic route, stopping at Lido and a couple other spots and then to Burano, skipping Murano. The trip was about 45 minutes and very pleasant.

 

Burano is peaceful and lovely and we had a fantastic seafood meal at Ai Pescatori there (get the canocie!).

 

If you want to buy glass the prices are probably better in Venice itself, as there are many competing stores (shop around!). There is a big range of glass, of course, and if you want souvenir glass (little animals, wine stoppers, etc) you can buy this at outdoor carts on Burano for 25% less than similar stuff in Murano. If you pay cash and buy several items, ask for a discount and they will happily give you one. We bought a bunch of stuff from a nice family on Burano and are quite happy with it. Most of the lace, by the way, is no longer made in Burano, especially the less expensive stuff.

 

If buying large items at a factory in Murano to be shipped home, be careful, there are often significant import duties that are paid on delivery. I have heard stories of different/lesser quality items shipped than what people thought they were buying.