Venice/Murano - series of islands in the Venitian Lagoon, Italy

Murano is an island town, about 1.5 km (1 mile) north of Venice, in northern Italy and is considered part of Venice. It can be considered a slightly cheaper base from which to explore Venice.

Understand

Murano, like Venice, is a series of islands linked by bridges in the Venetian Lagoon. Its population was just under 4,500 in 2014. The town is famous for its glass production. The climate of Murano is classified as Humid Subtropical climate with cool winters and very warm summers.

Get in

By vaporetto

ACTV, Venice's transit company, runs the water buses, "vaporetti", from Venice to Murano at frequent intervals and at many stops. If you are basing yourself in Murano to visit Venice the multi-day ACTV tourist tickets are a must: a single day tourist pass costs €15 which compares favourably with the single journey ACTV €7.50 ticket. If you use the vaporetti a few times per day the tourist pass works out as cheaper, and gets better value the longer duration of ticket that is purchased.

• Murano Colonna harbour, 45.4512°, 12.3489°. Murano's main vaporetti station - has a ticket counter. 2021-10-07

Get around

On foot

Walking along the many canals is part of the experience of Murano. The island is only about 1.5 km across, so it is small enough to explore by foot.

The Grand Canal (Canale Grande) splits the island into two. Walking around the island will help you discover the beautiful colors, little shops and restaurants.

See

• Basilica dei Santa Maria e San Donato, 45.45749°, 12.35712°. Known for its twelfth-century Byzantine mosaic pavement, which is a similar floor to Venice's Basilica di San Marco, and the mosaic dome in the apse of the Virgin Mary. It is said to house the bones of the dragon slain by Saint Donatus. The bell tower, like most bell towers, is separate from the Church.
• Chiesa di San Pietro Martire (Church of Saint Peter the Martyr), 45.45504°, 12.35257°. Built in the 15th century and then reconstructed some years later after a fire. Inside are some art works, such as two canvasses by Bellini.
• Campo Santo Stefano, 45.43309°, 12.33021°. Notable for its 19th-century clock tower. One of the most visited spots.
• Palazzo Da Mula, 45.455944°, 12.351722°. The summer residence of the Venetian patricians. The façade features large Gothic windows and Veneto-Byzantine patere and panels from the 12th and 13th centuries. It is one of the few palazzi which escaped the restructuring of the island in the 1800s.
• Glass Museum (Museo del Vetro), Fondamenta Giustinian 8 (Vaporetto line 5.2 to Murano Museo), 45.45658°, 12.35687°, +39 041 739586. Nov to Mar 10-17, Apr to Oct 10-18. closed Dec25, Jan1. May1. Housed in the large Palazzo Giustinian near the island's center. "Museo Vetrario" in Italian, offers a century-by-century tour of Venetian glass-making. Roman glass pieces dating to the 1st to 3rd cent AD. Largest collection of historical glass with pieces dating from the 15th to 20th centuries. A MUVE museum. Adults €8, reduced €5.50
• Other glass-related attractions include the many glassworks, some Mediaeval and most open to the public.
• Glass Factories (fornaci). The best glass blowing factories are not open to tourists, but there are some factories that give demonstrations. Interesting to see if you have never seen a glass furnace.

Do

Buy

Murano is known for its glass worldwide. Besides that, there is not much else to buy besides the normal tourist objects, such as postcards and other souvenirs.

Many souvenir shops try to pass off cheap Chinese counterfeit glass as real Murano glass. Murano Glass is very expensive to produce; don't expect to buy Original Murano Glass for a few euros. The Veneto Regional Government (Regione del Veneto) protects original Murano glassmaking. Always look for the Vetro Artistico Murano trademark decal on the objects and in the windows of shops and showrooms that sell authentic Murano glass in order to be sure that you are purchasing original Murano Glass.

Eat

If you are staying in Murano overnight, ask your hotel receptionist which of the island's restaurants is open in the evening. Most tourists are day-trippers, so Murano's restaurants take turns staying open for dinner.

Budget

Mid-range

• La Perla Ai Bisatei, Campo San Bernardo, 1, 45.457272°, 12.3535613°, +39 041 739 528. Not an easy osteria to find but it is truly worth the detour for the kind service and cuisine. 2022-08-01
• B - Alla Vecchia Pescheria, Campiello Pescheria 4 (at Colonna Murano), 45.4539496°, 12.3516427°, +39 0415274957. Nice and simple restaurant, also with al fresco dining in the small square. Friendly staff. Try the local specialties. 2022-08-01
• Trattoria Busa alla Torre Da Lele (Masiol Gabriele), Campo San Stefano 3 (opposite of San Pietro Martire), 45.45528°, 12.35338°, +39 041 739662. A typical trattoria, frequented by both tourists and locals. Excellent food. Two-course meal with wine: €30
• Trattoria Valmarana, Fondamenta Andrea Navagero, 31, 45.4564518°, 12.3572735°. 2022-08-01

Splurge

• Osteriva, Riva Longa 49, Murano Venice, Veneto, 30141 Italy (At Hyatt Centric Murano Venice, Murano Museo vaporetti stop), 45.45636°, 12.3554°, +39 0412731234. 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM Tuesday through Sunday. Closed on Mondays. Venetian cuisine with tasting menu. Mid-to-high priced. 2022-06-01

Sleep

• Al Soffiador, Viale Bressagio 10-11. Check-in: 10:30 and ends at 19:00 or needs to be informed that you will be arriving later, check-out: 11:00. On the hotel premises is a restaurant. There are two buildings connected by a garden terrace. Each room has its own bathroom. 2 rooms are equipped to host disabled guests. From €80 (tax and breakfast included)
• Hotel Locanda Conterie, Calle Conterie 21 (within metres of the Museo Vetrario and the Basilica dei Maria e Donato.). Check-in: 11:00, check-out: 10:00. All rooms have a private bathroom. from €64
• Hyatt Centric Murano Venice, Riva Longa, 49, 30141 Venezia VE, Italy (Murano Museo vaporetti stop), 45.45636°, 12.3554°, +39 0 41 273 1234, info.centricmurano@hyatt.com. Check-in: 1500, check-out: 1200. Mid-to-high priced hotel, although better deals can be found than the hotel's published rate. Rooms have a safe and mini-bar. Two restaurants: a more casual bar/restaurant, and a more formal sit down restaurant. A benefit is that the hotel (as of April 2022) has a complimentary transfer to and from Venice Marco Polo airport on request; whilst waiting for the transfer back the hotel will also store luggage. For travel to and from the main Venetian islands, the "Museo" vaporetto station is just outside the hotel: the passing routes will take travellers directly to all the main tourist sites of Venice including San Marco (do note that it takes c.40 mins for travel time). €280 2022-04-30
• Murano Palace, Fondamenta Vetrai 77 (Take DM ferry from Venice, walk 5 min), 45.4535319°, 12.3515958°, +39 041 739655. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Very nice place, very clean, friendly owner. Beautiful views from the balcony. 90-180 euro

Stay safe

Beware of the scams offering to take you on a free boat ride to see the glassworks at Murano or Burano. Prices are grossly (300%+) overinflated, and the terms you are told in English will not match the terms in the contract written in Italian only. Don't fall for this scam.

Go next

• Venice is your hub on the way out to the mainland. Just hop on the waterbus, "vaporetto", to get back to Venice.