How to go from Venice to Murano and Burano

Among the things to see and do on a trip to Venice, visiting the islands of Murano and Burano is one of the most popular options. The beautiful architecture of both destinations and their world-renowned craftsmanship will captivate you. Find out how to get to Murano and Burano from Venice and which travel options are best.

The most popular option for tourists visiting the Venetian Lagoon for the first time is to book an excursion to Murano and Burano. However, there is also the option of choosing a private excursion to Murano and Burano, which is less economical.

Option I: Group excursion to Murano and Burano

Group excursions to Murano and Burano are one of the most popular experiences for travellers and depart daily from Venice. Although the itinerary may vary slightly depending on the company you book with, most of them tend to include the same range of activities. Here are some different options:

• Excursion to Murano and Burano, from €25
• Excursion to Murano, Burano and Torcello, from 25
• Half-day excursion to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, from €30
• Boat trip to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, from €38

Generally, when you book this type of excursion, you can: travel by boat from Venice to both destinations with a professional guide, visit the traditional glass shops in both destinations. In addition, the excursions set aside time for you to explore on your own, discover the canals, walk through the streets and take photographs.

• Price: around €25-30 per person per trip.
• Duration of the trip: approximately 4.5 hours (including transport and visit).
• Recommended if... you want to see the best of the famous Venetian islands but don't want to exceed your budget.

Option II: Private excursion to Murano and Burano

If you want to discover the islands north of Venice on a more personalised tour with an expert guide who will explain all the interesting details, book a private excursion to Murano and Burano.

All include a private motorboat tour, the services of an expert guide who can communicate in different languages, a guided walking tour of the islands to see the most interesting places, and the opportunity to visit glass-blowing demonstration workshops in Murano.

• Price: around £170.
• Duration of the trip: approximately 4 hours (including transport and visit).
• Recommended if... You are travelling to Venice with your family or a small group of friends and want to explore the islands on your own.

Option III: Combined excursions: Venice, Murano and Burano

Another interesting way to discover Murano and Burano is to combine a tour of the islands with a tour of Venice. This type of excursion begins early in the morning with a visit to the main monuments in Venice, followed by a boat tour of the Grand Canal of Venice and continuing in the afternoon with an excursion to the islands located to the north of the lagoon.

Although the itinerary may vary from one company to another, booking this type of service includes several of the following experiences: Seeing the famous St. Mark's Square; a visit to the luxurious interiors of the Doge's Palace; a visit to the iconic St. Mark's Basilica; a visit to the most important bridges on the Grand Canal, such as the Rialto Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs; and a guided tour of Murano Island and Burano Island.

• Price: from €150 per person.
• Duration of the trip: 8 hours in total, including transport and visit.
• Recommended if... You are travelling to Venice for two days and have little time to see the best of the city and the most famous islands north of the lagoon.

The vaporetto is the name given to Venice's public transport system and is the most economical option for visiting the islands of Murano and Burano. I recommend booking a travel pass in Venice and getting a map of Venice's public transport lines before setting off on your adventure.

As you can imagine, this is the transport option used by locals to get around Venice. Although it has its advantages, bear in mind that this option requires more planning and a strict itinerary in order to keep to the timetable and see everything that is worth seeing.

How to get from Venice to Murano

• Take line 4.1: from the "Ferroviaria C" station on the Grand Canal, disembark at the Murano Colonna A port. The company that operates this service is ACTV, and it departs approximately every 20 minutes.
• Take line 3: from the "Ferroviaria C" train station on the Grand Canal and disembark at the Venier port in Murano. The company that operates this service is ACTV and it departs approximately every 30 minutes.
• Take line A: at the Guglie port to disembark at the Murano Colonna A port. The company operating this service is ACTV and it departs approximately every 30 minutes.

How to get from Murano to Burano

• Take line 12: from the Murano Lighthouse port to the Burano C port for a journey of approximately 50 minutes. The company operating this service is ATCV and it departs approximately every 30 minutes.

How to return from Burano to Venice

There is no direct transport between the two points, so you will need to take line 12 back to Murano and then take one of the Venice-Murano alternatives explored above.

• Price: approximately €7.50 per trip. However, you have the option of purchasing a 72-hour ticket for €50.
• Journey time: at least 1 hour between each island, round trip. I recommend setting aside a full day of your itinerary to spend some time on each island.
• Recommended if... you have time and want to explore the islands at your own pace without any pressure, or if you have already visited Venice before and are planning a more relaxed trip to get to know the interesting corners that you may have missed on your first visit.

Water taxis in Venice are a popular luxury transport alternative, especially because they reduce much of the waiting time associated with public transport such as the vaporetto. They also offer advantages such as the possibility of transporting small groups and the option of pick-up and drop-off at your hotel anywhere in Venice.

Taxis in Venice usually have a capacity of up to 10 people, making them the ideal option if you are travelling to Venice with young children or in a large group.

Before agreeing on the final fare, be sure to inform the driver of the number of passengers, as some companies charge an additional fee when the group exceeds 5 people.

• Price: approximately €115 per trip.
• Duration of the trip: you can customise the trip to your liking, but I recommend at least a half-day excursion to explore the islands at your leisure and make the investment worthwhile.
• Recommended if... you don't like the idea of sharing transport with strangers or if you are travelling with a group of several people so that you can offset the cost a little.