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If you’re looking for things to do on your trip to Venice, then why not explore more of the Venetian Lagoon with a bit of island-hopping? From the rainbow streets of Burano to the sleepy orchards of Torcello, this easy day trip could make the perfect addition to your Venice itinerary.
In this post, I’ll share how we visited the islands of Burano, Torcello and Murano from the historical center of Venice using the vaporettos (public transport, Venice style!). Of course, if you prefer, you can also visit these islands as part of a guided tour.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan what has to be a completely unforgettable day trip from Venice.
Island Hopping Day Trip From Venice Overview
Stop 1: Burano | Famous for it’s very colourful streets (seriously) and delicate lace.
Stop 2: Mazzorbo | A peaceful island with a top rated restaurant.
Stop 3: Torcello | Ancient churches, Byzantine mosaics and rolling greenery.
Stop 4: Murano | A charming island famous for it’s glass making.
How to Get to Burano, Murano & Torcello From Venice
You can visit Burano, Murano and Torcello from Venice by using the vaporetto or booking a guided tour.
Catching the Vaporetto to Burano/Murano
We started by catching the vaporetto out to Burano. The vaporetto, which is basically a water bus, is a convenient and budget-friendly way to visit the nearby islands.
To reach Burano, we caught the vaporetto from Fondamente Nove, Stand A. Here is the vaporetto stop in Google Maps.
Although the journey took around 45 minutes, it was very pleasant. As we boarded the vaporetto before 9 o’clock, there was plenty of seating available, although we chose to stand along the edge and take in the views across the water. Some boats even have a few open-air seats at the front or back, which we would recommend snagging if they’re available! Sitting at the back of the vaporetto, enjoying the breeze and the views, was honestly all part of the experience!
If you prefer to start your island hopping day with Murano, you can still catch a vaporetto from Fondamente Nove, Stand B or Stand A. As you can see, you can use Google Maps to check what Vaporetto line to catch, when and from what stand.
General Information For Using the Vaporetto:
Guided Tours From Venice
As mentioned you could visit the islands as part of a guided tour. Here is a varied selection of the best reviewed tours I found:
- Murano and Burano Half-Day Island Tour by Boat (rated 4.5/5 from over 500 reviews) // A 4-hour small group tour that includes a lacemaking demonstration in Burano and a glassblowing demonstration in Murano. This one was the cheapest I found due to a special offer, although of course this may expire: Check tour details, availability and prices.
- Murano & Burano Guided Tour (rated 4.7 from almost 2,000 reviews) // A small group tour that includes lacemaking and glassblowing demonstrations. This tour is a little longer than the previous tour at 5-hours. I would compare prices between the two at the time of booking. Check tour details, availability and prices.
- Murano & Burano Islands Guided Small-Group Tour (rated 4.5/5 from almost 4,000 reviews) // Another 5-hour small group tour similar to the previous two, so again I would read through the tour details and check which is the best priced at the time of booking. Check tour details, availability and prices here.
- Private Excursion by Typical Venetian Motorboat to Murano, Burano and Torcello (rated 4.5/5 from over 300 reviews) // Unlike some of the tours, this half-day trip includes Torcello. Hotel pick up is included. The tour is also private and itinerary customisable, so tailor the trip to suit you. Check tour details, availability and prices here.
- Luxury Tour of Murano & Burano Boat (rated 5/5 from over 50 reviews) // Another completely private tour if you’re looking to treat yourself. They don’t have as many reviews as they others, but the feedback is so positive that I wanted to include this one. Check tour details, availability and prices here.
- St Marks, Doges Palace, with Murano and Burano & Gondola Ride (rated 4.5 from over 200 reviews) // If you’re short on time, this full-day tour packs in a a couple of the most popular activities in Venice, along with a visit to Murano and Burano. This looks like a busy but fun-packed itinerary! Check tour details, availability and prices here.
Stop One: Burano
Exploring Burano
Here is how you could spend your morning exploring Burano, which was hands down our favourite of the islands we visited that day (sorry, Murano!).
Fawn over The Rainbow houses
Burano is a small island renowned for its spectacular colourful houses. From vibrant pinks to calming blues, lush greens, and sunny yellows, strolling through its rainbow streets instantly lifts your spirits.
Legend has it that these cheerful houses were painted in such bright colours to help the fisherman navigate their way back home in the thick fog.
The most famous house of all is Bepi’s house. Unlike the other houses, which are painted in single colours, Bepi’s is covered in striking, multicoloured geometric shapes!
Admire The Venetian Lace
Burano is also famous for its coveted Venetian lace. For a closer look, you can pop into the small Lace Museum. Or, simply wander around the island and check out the tiny shops selling intricate lace.
Check Lace Museum opening times here.
A tip we have is to visit a store named Dalla Lidia Merletti D’Arte. They have a small but fascinating free exhibition tucked away at the back of the shop, showcasing lace pieces that are centuries old! I’m not sure if it’s not very well advertised and people just don’t know it’s there because when we visited, we were the only ones looking around the exhibition.
Visit the Main Square
At some point you’re bound to come across the main square. Once you are here there are a couple of things you should look out for:
- A 6th-century Istrian well.
- A statue of the famous local composer, Garuppi.
- Burano’s very own leaning tower.
Burano is only a small island so you will probably only spend a couple of hours walking around. As we arrived at around 9.30am the island was initially very quiet. By lunch time parts of Burano felt quite busy, although you don’t need to try very hard to find quieter, but still equally beautiful, spots on the island.
If you want to learn more about the history of Burano then you could go on a ‘Secret Corners of Burano’ walking tour with a guide who was born and raised in Burano (rated 5/5 from 40 reviews).
Mazzorbo
While you are on Burano, if you have time you may want to take the very easy trip over to Mazzorbo, which is accessible from Burano by long footbridge.
On Mazzorbo we strolled through a sleepy vineyard to Trattoria alla Maddalena, a seafood restaurant we were eager to try for lunch. Unfortunately, despite arriving as it opened, the restaurant was fully booked. I mention it because the restaurant comes highly recommended for its reasonably priced, high-quality, locally sourced seafood dishes. If you’re looking for a spot for some almost-definitely excellent food, this could be one to consider. Just be sure to make a reservation in advance to secure your spot!
Stop Two: Torcello
From Burano, we took the vaporetto for a short journey to the tranquil island of Torcello.
Once you’re there, take a leisurely stroll along the canal for about 10 minutes until you hit a charming square.
That’s where you’ll find the beautiful Byzantine church of Santa Fosca and Torcello Cathedral, the oldest building in the Venetian Lagoon.
For 5 euros, you can step inside the incredible 7th-century cathedral and feast your eyes on the stunning Byzantine mosaics. Alternatively, you could just grab a ticket to climb the bell tower.
Unlike the one at St. Mark’s Basilica, there’s no lift here, but don’t worry—it’s mostly a ramp, not stairs, so the climb actually isn’t that bad. And even if it is a bit of a slog, you are rewarded by serene views overlooking the lush farmland and shimmering water. Quietly looking out over Torcello was so calming, I thought climb was totally worth it.
Stop Three: Murano
After Torcello we caught the now very busy vaporetto to Murano, an island known for its centuries-old tradition of glassmaking.
Here you could visit a glass factory and experience the process of live glass blowing firsthand. We instead spent our time strolling the canal, stopping by a few of the shops to admire the colourful glass, before catching the Vaporetto back to the city.
