Just a short boat ride from Venice, Burano and Murano are two beautiful islands. Burano has beautiful houses, and Murano is famous for glass-making. Here are 4 reasons to visit them!
What to expect in this article:
About Burano & Murano
How much I loved my trip to Venice, Burano, and Murano! I can’t wait to share everything in this article. Especially Burano, which is a photographer’s dream ♥
If you’re visiting Venice, Italy, don’t miss the nearby islands of Burano and Murano. These are just a boat ride away and just as unique as Venice.
Burano is famous for its colorful houses and lace-making tradition.
At the same time, Murano is well-known for its beautiful glass art (I actually did not know this beforehand, but you do now!). Together, they make a perfect day trip from Venice.
Here are four reasons why you should visit Burano and Murano—and, not forget, how to get there!
1. Burano’s beautiful, colorful houses
Did you know that Burano is one of the most colorful places in the world?
It is a whole island filled with colorful houses, how amazing is that?! Pink doors, green houses and a white boat. A flower here and there. You might understand it was difficult to stop taking pictures here. I am happy I took a friend with me that felt just the same. We did make some new screensavers here 😉
The houses are painted in bright shades that make the island look like a real-life painting. I made so many pictures, I could make this article a photobook.
Local legend says that fishermen began this colorful tradition so they could find their homes in the fog. Quite cool no?
Also, when you stroll around Burano, you can see so many cute details. See the pictures below.
2. Murano’s famous glass art
The other island, Murano is famous for its glass-making. There are some colorful houses, but not as many as in Burano.
Here, you can see artisans create beautiful vases, jewelry, and art using ancient techniques. Watching glassblowers at work is a unique experience you can only get here!
As soon as we entered the island, we already saw a place where we could see a demonstration. This cost 5 euros but was worth every penny. After that, we could go to his shop and see his unique creations.
3. A perfect day trip from Venice
When you are visiting Venice for a weekend, you should take a day to visit Burano and Murano. It’s not that far to visit the islands, by boat it takes less than an hour. The islands have become more famous over the years, but it is still less crowded than Venice. Let’s hope that stays that way. Below I will share more about how to reach the islands and which one you should visit first.
Both islands have a relaxed vibe, perfect for wandering and enjoying the beauty around you.
4. Instagram-worthy pictures
Like I said before, Burano is super photogenic. I could literally stop every few meters and take another picture. Whether it is the colorful houses or all the details I showed before. If you are a vivid Instagrammer (or TikTokker), this island is a must-visit.
Both islands are quite different and also different than Venice for example. And yes, Burano can be crowded, but if you go off the main streets, there is sometimes no one.
Unique I would say. As you can see in my pictures, I did not capture other people, as we walked in a different direction.
Find your activity with GetYourGuide
Can I visit both islands in 1 day?
You can definitely visit both Burano and Murano in one day! We also did that and I am happy we did. Make sure you start your day early, have lunch on one of the islands and don’t forget to keep track of the boat timings to return to Venice.
We first went to Murano, attended a glass-blow workshop, walked around the island and after 2 to 3 hours we left for the boat to Burano. Here we had lunch, walked around, and then had to take the boat around 5, so we could have dinner and gelato in Venice.
Should I first visit Burano or Murano?
What did we do? We first visited Murano, all because the boat close to our hotel was closest to Murano. We did not read beforehand which island to visit first. I don’t regret our decision though. It was okay.
But regarding the question: There are 2 options (obviously) and I will explain my thoughts.
What you can do is either visit Murano first. This island is less pretty. Although, we were already impressed with the colored houses. This way you can also attend a glass-blow workshop without a big crowd.
But, you can also visit Burano first. We went there in the afternoon, and it was pretty crowded. But like I said before, only on the main streets. This is the same for Venice. If you visit Burano in the morning, the chances are higher that it is not that crowded yet. I can reassure you that you will spend more time on Burano. Unless you are sick of colored houses after a while 😉
So do whatever feels best for you!
Read one more article
Best accommodation in Sigiriya (Sri Lanka): The Otunna Guest House
Where to stay in Venice?
We stayed at Casa Favoretto Guest House (Link to Booking.com) for 3 nights and paid around 430 euros. Accommodation in Venice is expensive and luckily we did book in advance, so we did not pay more.
Below you can find the review I wrote about the hotel on Booking.com.
The location is excellent. It is close to the San Marco square (10 min walk) and the boat point (Arsenale) is only 3 minutes away. Next to that, on the next street, there are many fun restaurants. The gelateria next to the door has nice ice cream 🙂 We had a great view of the water from our window. Next to that we had some cute buns and Oreos that we got for breakfast, but don’t expect a real breakfast.
You need earplugs when you stay here, it’s pretty noisy inside and outside the house. The shower gets hot and cold pretty fast.
How to reach Burano & Murano from Venice?
from arsenale venice it takes 45 min to murano
Getting to Burano and Murano from Venice is easy and fun. You can take the Vaporetto (water bus) from Venice’s main station, Fondamente Nove, which has frequent boats to both islands. A one-day ticket for the Vaporetto lets you hop on and off as you explore the islands.
From Arsenale in Venice, it takes 45 minutes to reach Murano. That’s the one that we took, as it is closest to our hotel.
From both islands, many boats go to the other island, so make sure to check the time schedules for the latest update.
And that’s that. I hope you are convinced now to visit both islands!
I hope you liked reading the article and I can’t wait to hear about your experience at both islands!
Would you like to read more?
