How to go from Venice to Murano and Burano

Among the things to see and do on a trip to Venice, a visit to the islands of Murano and Burano is one of the most popular alternatives. The beautiful architecture of both destinations and their world-renowned craftsmanship will captivate you. If you're travelling three or four times to the city of canals, seriously consider dedicating a full day of your itinerary to this excursion.

But first, find out how to get to Murano and Burano from Venice and which travel options are the most convenient.

The most popular option for tourists visiting the Venice lagoon for the first time is to book an excursion to Murano and Burano. But there is also the option of opting for a less expensive private excursion to Murano and Burano.

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 change slightly depending on the company you book with, most of them include the same repertoire of activities. Here are a few options:

• Excursion to Murano and Burano, from RM175.
• Excursion to Murano, Burano and Torcello, from RM97.
• Full day excursion to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, from RM156
• Boat trip to the islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello, from RM149

Generally, when booking this type of excursion you will be able to: travel by boat from Venice to both destinations with a professional guide, visit the traditional glass shops of both destinations. In addition, the tours set aside time for you to explore on your own, explore the canals, walk the streets and take pictures.

• Price: around €30-35 per person per trip.
• Duration of the trip: approximately 4:30 hours (including transport and tour).
• 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 are looking to discover the islands north of Venice in a more personalised tour with an expert guide to explain all the interesting details, book a private excursion to Murano and Burano.

All include a private motorboat tour, the accompaniment of an expert guide able to communicate in different languages, a guided walking tour of the islands to see the most interesting sights and the possibility to visit the glassblowing demonstration workshops on Murano.

• Price: around €198.
• Duration of the trip: about 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 see the islands on your own.

Option III: Combined excursions: Venice, Murano and Burano

Another interesting way to get to know Murano and Burano is to combine the experience of a tour of the islands with the experience of a tour of Venice. This type of excursion starts early in the morning with a visit through the main monuments in Venice, followed by a boat tour on the Grand Canal of Venice and continues in the afternoon with an excursion to the islands north of the lagoon.

Although the travel itinerary may vary from company to company, 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 of the Grand Canal, such as the Rialto Bridge and the Bridge of Sighs; and a guided visit to the Island of Murano and the Island of Burano.

• Price: from 150 € per person.
• Duration of the tour: 8 hours in total, including transport and visit.
• Recommended if... You're on a two-day trip to Venice 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 and isthe cheapest way to get around the islands of Murano and Burano. I recommend you book a Venice transport pass and have a map of Venice' s public transport lines before you set off on your adventure.

As you can deduce, this is the transport option used by locals to get around Venice. Although it has its good points, bear in mind that this option requires more planning and a strict itinerary to keep to time and see all that's worth seeing.

How to get from Venice to Murano

• Take line 4.1: from "Ferroviaria C" station on the Grand Canal, disembark at Murano Colonna A port. The company operating this service is ACTV and departs approximately every 20 minutes.
• Take line 3: from the railway station "Ferroviaria C" on the Grand Canal and disembark at the port Venier de Murano. The company operating this service is ACTV and departs every 30 minutes approximately.
• Take line A: at the port of Guglie to disembark at the Murano Colonna A port. This service is operated by ACTV and departs approximately every 30 minutes.

How to get from Murano to Burano

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

How to return from Burano to Venice

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

• Price: approximately €7.50 each way. However, you have the option of purchasing a 72-hour ticket for the cost of €50.
• Travel time: at least 1 hour's travel time between each island and return. My recommendation is to set aside a full day of your travel itinerary so that you can spend some time on each island.
• Recommended if... You have time and want to explore the islands at your own pace and without pressure or if you have visited Venice before and plan a more leisurely trip to explore interesting places you may have missed on your first visit.

The water taxi in Venice is a popular luxury transport alternative, especially as it reduces much of the waiting time associated with public services such as the vaporetto. It also includes advantages such as the possibility of transporting small groups and the option to pick you up and drop you off at your hotel anywhere in Venice.

Taxis in Venice can usually accommodate up to 9 people, making them ideal if you are travelling with small children in Venice or if you are travelling in a large group.

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

• Price: approximately €115 per trip.
• Trip length: You can customise your trip as you wish, but I recommend at least a midday excursion to explore the islands at your leisure and make it worth the investment.
• Recommended if... You don't like the idea of sharing transport with strangers or if you're travelling with a group of several people so that you can offset the cost a little.