18/06/2020

Murano is the small but very beautiful island just a mile north of the island of Venice. This world wide famous spot is easy to reach but you need a boat for that (water bus or private boat), as it is not linked by any bridge from the main island.

Murano is mostly renowned because of its glass making tradition, which dates back from 1291, when all the glassmakers in Venice were required to move to Murano. This happened because the glass making process requires a lot of high temperature ovens, which sometimes led to fires on the main island. This situation pushed the governors of the city to move the glassmakers to an isolated island in order to prevent big fires in the densely populated island of Venice. Murano quickly became the biggest producer of glass in Europe and from the 14th century it also began to export its stunning, glasses, mirrors and chandeliers. Glass making is still the main industry on the island to this day.

Attractions in Murano include the Church of Santa Maria e San Donato (known for its 12th century Byzantine mosaic pavement), the Church of San Pietro Martire garnished with the artworks by Giovanni Bellini, and Palazzo da Mula. Glass-related attractions also include the many glass factories, some are very ancient and most are open to the public. Don’t forget the Murano Glass Museum, which is located in the beautiful Palazzo Giustinian.

Another interesting fact about Murano is that this small island of 5 thousands inhabitants is actually formed by seven smaller islands linked to each other by a lot of bridges.

Remember to try one of the island’s best restaurants too, such as: Osteria al Duomo, Osteria la Perla ai Bisatei and Versus Meridianem.

If you want to visit Murano with a private boat don’t hesitate to contact us on Vidal Venice Tours, we’ll be happy to host you!