Murano, Burano & Torcello Half-Day Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Discover Murano's glassmaking heritage
- Explore Burano's colorful fishermen's houses
- Visit Torcello's ancient cathedral
- Enjoy scenic boat ride through Venetian Lagoon
- Learn traditional crafts from local artisans
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Round-trip boat transportation from Venice
- Guided tours of Murano, Burano, and Torcello islands
- Demonstration of Murano glassblowing
- Meals and beverages
Itinerary
Pass by: Navigate through the Venetian Lagoon to reach the islands and enjoy the view!
The island of Murano is the first stop of this excursion: you will have a chance to enter a glass factory and see the masters working the glass as they have been doing for centuries and then visit the center of the island.
Second stop of this half day excursion is Burano, famous for the colorful fishermen's houses and for the traditional handmade laces.
Torcello is the third and last stop of this tour. The island is the first to be inhabited in the Venetian lagoon and still shows the traces of its origins.
Pass by: The church of Santa Fosca stands in the main square of Torcello and is a fine example of venetian-byzantine style.
In the middle of Torcello stands the ancient Attila's throne.
Cross the Devil's Bridge which still preserves the shape of the ancient Venetian bridges
Pass by: The boat leaves from St'Mark's Square, which you will have the chance to admire from a different perspective.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Confirm the departure time and location upon booking.
- Be aware that the tour operates rain or shine; cancellations are rare.
- Ensure you have a valid passport or ID for the tour.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes suitable for uneven surfaces.
- Bring a camera to capture the picturesque landscapes and architecture.
- Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly for the boat ride.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Stroller Accessible
- Easy Public Transport
- Infants Required On Laps
Good to know
- The time spent on each island is between 30 to 40 minutes
- If you're planning a day trip to Venice and staying outside the city, please note that an access fee will be required on certain dates.
Traveler reviews
Cheap and cheerful
Cheap and cheerful. Lower expectations and enjoy the time. Water bus drops you and picks you in 50 minutes at each island. Consider it an unguided trip.
The islands we visited...
The islands we visited was interesting to see, the time spend on each island was 50 minutes it could be longer to profit more , the guide explanation was on speakers inside the boat, the speakers sound was noisy and not clear, couldn't hear anything, the boat was nice and clean, and 2 different location of picking up was convenient.
Very fun, family...
Very fun, family experience, got to see three islands and glass blowing demonstration. Great value if you’re not interested in an all day boat tour.
Nice 1/2 day trip
Enjoyed our trip to the islands it was well organized and good for a 4 hour adventure. Not much time at any of the spots but that was expected
Hectic half day tour
Found the whole thing rushed, not enough time to fully explore the islands, very large group of people on our boat, noticed a lot of people didn't bother straying too far from the boat not sure if this was because they felt they might miss the boat if they ventured too far or if they wanted to keep their seats on the boat. Applaud the guide for delivering a commentary in 3 languages but we felt they did more of the commentary in Italian and German (even though there were no Germans in our group as we discovered when the Murano glass guide asked what languages we wanted the demo in) than English - the boat guide would spend several minutes talking in Italian then German then we would get one sentence in English then back to Italian. All the islands were absolutely beautiful, with incredible history and culture and we are glad we got to see Torcello as well as the other two, but we came away feeling like we hadn't learnt anything from the actual tour. There was no real interaction with the staff other than being helped on and off the boat. It was often hard to hear the commentary and thought it might have been better with an audioguide or headphones. There was one Italian tourist in our group who ruined the whole glass making demo in Murano as he kept talking over the guide asking questions - don't mind someone asking questions but it took over the entire demo almost like he thought the whole thing was put on just for him. He even got his phone out halfway through and facetimed his friend so he could tell them where he was and they could watch the demo too! Also just be aware that if you book the 2.30pm boat trip there are no toilets on board and the public toilets on Torcello close at 3pm.