Murano & Burano Islands Small-Group Tour by Private Boat
Two and a half hours on each island, a boat chartered for your group of no more than 22, and a licensed guide who stays with you from the furnace on Murano to the painted fondamenta of Burano.
Why people book this one
Two and a half hours per island
The most unhurried island time of any shared departure across the lagoon.
A boat for your group alone
No vaporetto changes and no waiting for a public service that is already full.
Glassmaking and lace-making, both live
A maestro at the furnace on Murano and a lacemaker at work on Burano.
Capped at 22 travellers
Small enough to ask a question and be heard over the engine.
Headsets throughout
The commentary carries on open water, where most boat guides are lost.
Free cancellation to 24 hours
Full refund, and the operator refunds again if weather stops the boat.
Five hours, two islands, no changes
The boat is chartered for your group and goes straight out across the northern lagoon. No vaporetto platform, no change at Faro, no watching the clock for the last service back. Five hours from the moment you meet your guide on Riva degli Schiavoni.
What that buys, more than convenience, is time ashore. Two and a half hours are set aside at each island with the transfers already counted in, which is the most unhurried island time on any shared departure across the lagoon. Most half-day boats give you ninety minutes and a brisk walk.
The furnace on Murano
Murano has held Venice’s glass furnaces since 1291, when the Republic ordered them off the main islands. The demonstration is the reason the stop exists: a maestro gathers molten glass on a blowpipe and works a finished piece in front of the group, an arm’s length away.
Afterwards the time is yours. Two and a half hours is enough to walk the Fondamenta dei Vetrai, cross to the church of Santi Maria e Donato and stand on its 1141 mosaic pavement, and still browse a showroom without hurrying. The Murano glass page sets out what to look for before you buy.
Two and a half hours on Burano
Burano is the half of the day people photograph. The houses are painted by permission of the comune, one shade at a time, and the campanile of San Martino leans visibly out of true. Your guide covers the lace-making, then leaves you to wander.
Two and a half hours is enough to get off the main street. That is where the island stops performing and starts being a place where people live, and it is the difference between a photo stop and a visit. The Burano lace page covers punto in aria and how to tell island work from an import.
Who this suits, and who should book something else
You want the day organised, a guide who stays with the group, and the longest unhurried stop on each island of any shared boat. It is the best-reviewed murano and burano island tour running from Venice and it caps at 22 travellers.
You want Torcello as well — this route does not go there, and the third island needs its own departure. Travelling as a family who would rather have the boat to yourselves? A private charter runs the same water at your own pace.
What the fare covers
Included in the fare
- Expert local guide
- Glassmaking demonstration on Murano
- Lace-making demonstration on Burano
- Round-trip transport by boat chartered for the group
- Headset for clear commentary
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
Meeting at the horseman on Riva degli Schiavoni
Meet at the statue of a man on horseback — Vittorio Emanuele II — on Riva degli Schiavoni, on the waterfront by the San Zaccaria stop. Look for the monument facing the lagoon, not the streets or hotels behind it. Your guide carries a City Wonders flag.
The return lands you a few minutes further along the same waterfront, near Hotel Gabrielli, which puts you a short walk from St Mark’s Square at the end of the day.
Know before you go
- This boat is not wheelchair accessible. For a step-free crossing, the Colleoni glassworks tour describes its transport as wheelchair accessible.
- Infants travel on laps. There is no infant seating, so plan a carrier if you are bringing a baby.
- The order of islands can change. Demonstrations are hosted by working artisans, so the sequence flexes. The total time ashore does not.
- From November to March the lace demonstration may not run on a Monday. Pick another weekday in winter if the lace is what you are coming for.
- There is very little shade on either island. Bring a hat, sunscreen and water between May and September.
- The Venice access fee is separate. Check the date and register in advance at cda.ve.it if it applies to you.
What travellers say
★★★★★
The meeting point was easy to find and the timing at each stop was generous without ever feeling rushed. We finished exactly when they said we would. Even our nine-year-old was captivated by the furnace.
Katlin S., United States · Family · August 2026
★★★
The wine and cicchetti were a nice touch on the crossing. Murano felt short for the town and the shops, though, and the demonstration itself was over quickly. Worth booking a departure with longer island time if browsing matters to you.
Leonard B., United Kingdom · Couple · July 2025
★★★★★
A long day, and worth every minute of it. The palace and the basilica in the morning, then the gondola, a break for lunch, and out to the islands in the afternoon. Both guides knew the city inside out.
Corrinne P., United States · Family · June 2026
Questions about this tour
Do I get enough time on each island?
Is Torcello included?
Is this actually a private tour?
What language is the tour in?
Can I cancel?
More photographs from this departure
