While we were in Venice, I knew I wanted to see Burano. The colorful island that fills up Instagram feeds and Pinterest boards, I knew I couldn’t be in Venice and not make a trip out to see it. Having said that, Murano was unfortunately put on the back burner. I have to be honest, I’m not huge on glass. Don’t get me wrong, the glass-work on Murano is stunning and the best in the world, but if I had to choose between the two islands, I would pick Burano every time. But lucky for us, we had enough time for both!

From Venice, we took the water bus (vaporetto) out to Burano. I wanted to spend as much time there as possible, plus I’m pretty OCD about efficiency and since Burano is quite a bit farther than Murano, I didn’t want to go “backwards” on our way back to Venice. Murano seems to be the more popular island. Back in Venice, tour guides would approach us asking if we wanted to go to Murano. Very rarely would they mention Burano. Murano is definitely closer to Venice and I think a lot of tourist like the whole glass thing. On the way to Burano, our bus stopped at Murano and over half of the bus got off at that stop. It was nice to know that Burano wasn’t going to be as crowded and by the afternoon, most of the crowds would be gone in Murano.

After a wonderful morning and lunch in Burano, we took the water bus back to Murano and just like I predicted, most of the crowds were gone. If you are not a fan of crowds, this is the way to go but if you want to see any glass blowing demonstrations or attend any workshops, you will need to get there in the morning.

Murano, like Venice, is a series of islands linked by bridges. It sits in the Venetian Lagoon about a mile north of Venice. While it’s not as colorful as Burano, it still has that Venetian charm. It reminds me a lot of Venice, but obviously on a smaller scale and the canals are wider so Murano feels more open. We didn’t spend much time on the island but enough time to buy Murano Glass gifts for both our families and a Christmas ornament for ourselves. The detailing in the glass is quite exquisite. We did happen to walk into a shop where a lady was making some glass jewelry so we didn’t quite miss all the action.

If you’re interested in glass making or just need a break from Venice for a day, Murano is the island for you. Burano and Murano are both doable in one day so don’t feel like you need to pick just one. I saw plenty of guided tours to Burano and Murano (and I think they add Torcello on some tours) but they’re usually half day tours which means your time on each island limited. But if you don’t want to spend an entire day away from Venice, tours like this half-day semi-private Murano/Burano boat tour would be the perfect option.

If you’re heading to Venice soon, definitely add an extra day to your itinerary to visit some beautiful islands in the Venetian Lagoon. I promise, it’s worth the trip! 

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