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 due to the beautiful architecture and world-famous handicrafts. If you're travelling to Venice for three days or four, seriously consider dedicating a full day of your itinerary to wander the streets of these curious destinations.

But first, let's take a look at how to get to the islands 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 a guided group tour with transport to and from the islands. But there is also the option of a less expensive private tour.

Option I: Group excursion to Murano and Burano

Group excursions to Murano and Burano depart daily from Venice, as this is one of the most popular experiences among travellers. Although the itinerary may change slightly depending on the company you book with, most of them include the same repertoire of activities.

Generally, when you book this type of excursion you will be able to: travel by motorboat from Venice to the islands and back, visit the traditional lace shops on Burano, visit the glass and lace museums on each of the islands. In addition, the excursions include time on your own to explore the canals, walk the streets and take pictures.

• Price: from €30 per person per trip.
• Trip duration: 5 to 6 hours on average (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 tour

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, this option is ideal for you.

What all private excursions to Murano and Burano do include is the motor boat trip to and from Venice, an expert guide able to communicate in different languages, guided walking tour of the islands to see the most interesting sights including the glass demonstration workshops on Murano and the lace making women on Burano.

• Price: from 150€.
• Duration of tour: 5 hours in total (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 see 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 usually starts early in the morning with a visit through the main monuments in Venice, followed by a cruise along the Grand Canal and continuing in the afternoon with an excursion to the islands north of the lagoon.

Although the tour itinerary may vary from company to company, when booking this type of service you can expect to include several of the following experiences: a visit to 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, a guided visit to the Island of Murano and a guided visit to the Island of Burano.

• Price: from 150€ per person.
• Duration of the tour: 8 hours in total, including transport and visit.
• Recommended if... You are 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 by which Venice's public transport is known, and it is by far the cheapest way to get around the islands of Murano and Burano. When using this mode of transport it is good to have a map of Venice' s public transport lines before embarking on your adventure.

As you can deduce, it is the alternative means of transport used by the locals to get around Venice. While it has its good points, keep in mind that this option requires more planning and sticking to a strict itinerary to keep to time and see everything worth seeing.

To get from Venice to Murano you can:

• Take line 4,1: from "Ferroviaria C" station on the Grand Canal and disembark at Murano Colonna a port. The company operating this service is ACTV and it departs every 20 minutes approximately.
• Take line 3: from the railway station "Ferroviaria C" on the Grand Canal and disembark at the port Venier in Murano. The company operating this service is ACTV and it 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.

To go from Murano to Burano you can:

• 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.

To return from Burano to Venice

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

Useful information

• Price: approximately €7.50 each way. However, you have the option of purchasing a 72-hour ticket for the cost of €67.
• Travel time: at least 1 hour round trip between each island. My recommendation is to take a full day out of your travel itinerary so 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 are planning a more leisurely trip to explore interesting places you may have missed on your first visit.

Water taxis in Venice are a popular luxury transport alternative, especially as they eliminate much of the waiting time associated with public services such as the Vaporetto. They also include facilities such as the ability to transport 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 it an ideal option 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 amount 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 half-day trip 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, if you're travelling with a group of several people, so you can offset the cost a little.