I would like to introduce the Murano glass manufacture, ancient glass blowing creations, born in the Venetian Lagoon.

Our story goes back thousands of years to the 13th century where Murano glass was first created. This process continues to take place in the Venetian lagoon in north-east Italy & Murano is a small island 5 minutes away from the heart of Venice. It’s here that the Glass blowing process commenced and continues through to this day. Glass is a unique & abstract material to work with. Creating different shapes by blowing glass into a long tube can be very tricky and comes with years of experience. Now, you may be wondering? Why am I telling you this? Why does this process mean so much to me & why am I so enthusiastic about this process. Well I have been born and raised in venice & am very proud to illustrate the art which is created in my hometown. These artists have been practising for years & today I want to take you through their best work. 

Born and living in Venice I am proud to show and spread this handmade tradition from my hometown, focusing on the artistic value of artisanal art in an era of industrial manufacture.

Murano glass is entirely handmade and goes through a beautiful journey before transforming into the glass you have in your homes. Like every other piece of art, each piece is unique and made by a glass artist with decades of experience. 

You may be thinking ‘what makes Venetian Glass so unique and special’, well Venetian Glass is made out of silicon, soda, lime and potassium, melted in a furnace at the temperature of 1500C. The Glass maker then attaches the solution to a long tube and commences the blowing process. The artists can use a variety of different tools, such as pliers to mold the glass into a particular design.

Probably the most famous design is the “murrina” design, a glass design composed by colorful circles obtained by slices of glass circular strips.

Blowing air into the tube expands the shape of the glass like a bubble gum. The glass artist must pay attention to rotate the melting glass maintaining the right balance otherwise the glass, once cold and solid, will break easily.

To obtain a stable and not too fragile object the piece of glass must have no tension points inside and no unbalanced points.

Glass is a tangible material that not everyone gets to work with in their lifetime. When adding colours to the glass, the artist uses a range of natural substances to create amazing shades. Some can choose to add copper for a azzure quartz, or silver and gold leaves are added to obtain vibrant and geometric designs.

This glass can be used to create a variety of different products such as: lamps, glasses, vases, lanterns and the “murrine”. There are many designs inspired by traditional objects such as the “murrine” which is a special and very colorful long circular strip that is cut in little slices and added to the melting glass to obtain some color effects. An object made with “murrina” technique is easily recognizable by the circular color shape and this design is the most famous (or probably the most common) Murano glass design.

All the traditional designs are inspired by the baroque art. If you are a lover of old fashion designs you will get in love with those old furnitures.

A short distance from Venice lies an elegant island that is world-famous for its art glass craftsmanship: the island of Murano. Murano is part of the must-see destinations during a visit to Venice in the same capacity as St. Mark's Square, the Grand Canal. Within the islands of the Venetian lagoon, Murano represents the second island after the capital and aesthetically resembles us very much: a kind of historic center in miniature, with its Grand Canal, luxurious palaces, ancient churches such as the church of San Pietro Martire, and the Glass Museum.

Murano is such a beautiful island that a visit to it is a must if you are passing through Venice. Visits to Murano and Burano are usually offered in combination. During the day, it is crowded and packed with tourists; as evening falls, it empties out and resumes the slow pace of the tides and island life. Discover with us the most original ways to visit this pearl of the lagoon, starting with its beauty and the master glassmakers and glass artists who best represent it. Here are a couple of tips to help you plan your visit.

Murano, our tips for enjoying it

Murano what to see that is authentic? Well, delving into the world of Murano glass is not to be missed! Rather than a fleeting visit to a tourist foundry, why not go meet a glass artisan? Better yet, how about getting your hands in the pesta to create a glass bead with your own hands?

How to recognize authentic Murano glass? Look for the Murano art glass brand.

What are the connections to get to Murano from the mainland? The most direct is from Fondamente Nuove, a line also leaves from San Marco but is much less regular. If you need more time, you can choose an organized Murano, Burano tour of half a day or 6 hours. Of course, you will have limited time on each island!

Which furnace to visit in Murano to see good masters at work? It depends on whether you want to visit the "tourist" furnace where you will see glassblowing at work or if you prefer to discover a hidden artisan workshop.

What to do in Murao that you absolutely must not miss? Well, a little creativity! Make your own Murano glass jewelry yourself with an artisan!

Why not choose Murano to sleep? It's super convenient for visiting Venice, and you'll be away from the crowds! It has a charm that will bewitch you!

Murano, what to see?

If you're wondering in Murano what to see, we have lots of ideas here to make your visit off the charts. First of all, Murano is beautiful to walk the length and breadth of the city, pausing to look at the shop windows overflowing with artistic glassware and perhaps purchasing a piece for a classy keepsake to take home! Murano is cut in half by a Grand Canal, and a single wooden bridge spans it.

At one time, the island of Murano was rich in churches, monasteries, palaces, and gardens. Then in the early 19th century, many of the buildings were demolished, but the splendid Basilica di Santi Maria e Donato, coeval with St. Mark's Basilica, still remains, as do the rich mosaics inside.

In addition, you can visit the Murano Glass Museum (in Fondamenta Marco Giustinian), which traces the history of this ancient and secret craft through the most beautiful creations and those that have come down to us. Exhibitions and displays are presented in the stately Palazzo da Mula; then there is the Church of San Pietro Martire with its canvases by Bellini, Tintoretto, and Veronese, the lighthouse still in operation and a myriad of small restaurants and taverns to try for traditional seafood dishes.

Murano is an authentic, living island with an artistic soul that we will reveal to you with the passion of those who love and work on this magical lagoon island.

Murano Venice: how are they connected?

To visit Murano from Venice, you have to take a boat or public Vaporetto from the Fondamenta Nuove stop. From here, it takes only a few minutes by ferry, and connections are frequent and always present even at night (even in case of strikes) because this island is inhabited (like the Lido of Venice) and the night public service in Venice works well (better than in so many European capitals!). What is more, it is a place of work for many people who travel here on a daily basis.

That's why it is very easy and fast to reach by line 4.1 or line 4.2, line 12 or line 13, and also by line 3 direct from Piazzale Roma, for those who want to reach Murano directly from the mainland in 20 minutes without passing through the center of Venice.

What's more, getting to Murano is a snap for those landing or departing from Marco Polo airport, thanks to Alilaguna connections. There is a direct public line to get to Murano at St. Mark's Square (San Zaccaria), and it is line 7.

On the other hand, if you want to take an island tour to then visit Murano, Burano, and Torcello, we recommend taking a boat tour with a guide on board! There are either 4 1/2 hour tours, which in our opinion is a bit of a tour de force, or 6 1/2 hour tours.

Murano glass between art and history

The island is especially famous for Murano glass. As early as the 13th century, Venice began to develop the art of Byzantine glass. This is not so strange.

A trading city in constant contact with the East, Serenissmia quickly became the world's reference point for glass. But then, how come Murano remained the "heart of glass" and not Venice?

To protect Venice from any danger of possible fire, it was decided to move the furnaces to the island of Murano in 1259. It was the Murano masters who invented the precious crystal, the most refined and valuable type of glass. On the island, you can see two types of glassmaking: the most famous is glassblowing in furnaces. The second one, less impressive to see but more intimate and engaging, is glassmaking using the lampworking technique.

Which furnace to visit in Murano?

For a well-rounded visit, come and find out how glass is worked. To find out which furnace to visit in Murano Venice, rely on our advice, as we will introduce you to talented master glassmakers who will explain the ancient techniques of glassblowing and show you how magically a mixture can be transformed into a work of art.

Did you know that the Republic of Venice protected the recipes for this paste from which blown glass and crystal took shape? Yes, indeed, in 1295, all the furnaces were moved to the island of Murano for safety reasons. As this activity became increasingly important and an economic engine for the entire city, Venice took measures to prevent espionage and to keep the glass cookbooks secret, handed down from father to son down to our glass masters!

True works of art in glass were created on the island of Murano, unique and luxurious pieces. Not only vases, chandeliers, mirrors, and jewelry were shaped, but also beads and murrine. Original, useful, and artistic creations are displayed in large numbers at the Glass Museum at Palazzo Giustinian, the former seat of the Bishops of Torcello. For a special and authentic visit, don't miss this unique opportunity to visit a furnace in the home of glassmaking!

You can do it on your own or neдl` an interesting Murano tour with a passionate guide, which takes to tell you about the architectonic beauties of the whole island! It's a real chance to discover its works of art and master glassmakers at work!

How is Murano Venezia's jewelry made?

If you're a creative person with an artistic soul, find out how to produce a Murano Venezia jewel! We'll take you to an artist's atelier to show you lampworking, a technique made since Austrian rule in the early 19th century, murrine, a delicate and elegant product, glass beads, enamel decorations...

Lots of ideas to study and then put into practice to make glass jewelry for an experience to be experienced as a protagonist in Murano as well! An unprecedented way to go back in time to the era of the improperly, the ladies who sat outside their front door in the calli and campielli (small squares) stringing pearls between one ciacola and another.

Glass paste beads were precisely a woman's prerogative, worked in factories, and were of great economic importance between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The poor variety of these beads was the Coterie, although we find very little that is poor today!

Come and discover this art and take a plunge into a local tradition for a creative and out-of-the-ordinary experience that very few can claim to have experienced!