Visit Murano and Burano in a Half-Day Tour | Greca.co

At the appointed time, we will depart from the docks near Piazza San Marco towards the islands of Venice for a unique experience discovering the wonderful lagoon that surrounds the city, a magical place full of traditions.

The first stop on this tour is Murano, known as the "floating factory" for its millenary tradition of glass-blowing. The art of creating one of the most delicate and versatile objects in the world dates back to the eighth century. In the past, glassmakers were granted some advantages to compensate for the fact that they could not leave the island, to prevent any of them from revealing the secret of the art of glass.

Naturally, there we will visit one of Murano's most famous glass factories to participate in a glass-blowing demonstration, followed by free time to explore the island independently.

Our next destination will be the island of Burano, which is actually an archipelago of 5 small islands connected to each other by small bridges. Burano is known for the very old production of wonderful lace, just think that in the 16th century Burano lace became the most sought after in Europe. The island has a school dedicated to lace making founded in 1872, the school is called "Scuola dei Merletti".

We will have an hour of free time to explore Burano at your leisure and, if you are lucky, we may see local women weaving lace in front of their iconic bright and colorful houses. At the end of the tour, we will return to San Marco, the starting point.

Greca Tip: In Murano, you can visit the ancient Basilica of Saints Maria and Donato. Built in the 7th century, it is notable for its 12th century Byzantine Venetian-style mosaics (on the floor and walls, with gilded backgrounds).