Choose Murano For a Unique Venetian Experience
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The laid-back island of Murano is the perfect getaway if you’re pining for a relaxing day or two away from the seething masses clogging the narrow streets of Venice.
I’ve stayed in Venice several times over the years and with every trip, the crowds and the prices increase. It’s all becoming just a bit much.
So, if you’re visiting Venice for several days, consider spending at least one or two nights on Murano. Or, if you’ve visited Venice before, why not bypass its expensive hotels and rip-off restaurants altogether and stay only on Murano?
You can easily zip into Venice for a stroll and a visit to some of the major sites.
Day Trip Instead?
Yes, you can go to Murano a day trip, but you’ll find the center of Murano crowded during the day with people browsing the numerous glass shops. When you stay the night, you’ll have the streets all to yourself in the evening and morning.
What I Did
On my latest trip to Venice, I stayed for two nights and one full day on Murano. I took the vaporetto into Venice for the afternoon and evening of the first night.
I highly recommend the experience!
Getting to Murano from the Airport
Murano is one of the easiest Venetian islands to reach directly from Venice Marco Polo Airport. After deplaning, take what feels like an endless number of moving sidewalks to the dock (just follow the signs).
From there, buy a ticket from one of the machines and then hop on the Alilaguna Blue Line waterbus. In about 30–35 minutes, you’ll be stepping off at Colosseo, one of the waterbus stops on Murano.
Where to Stay
I stayed at the Hyatt Centric Murano Venice, and it was an excellent choice. Located on the waterfront at the Museo vaporetto stop, the Hyatt Centric combines modern comfort with easy access to the rest of the island.
Another plus? The hotel offers a shuttle boat to and from Marco Polo Airport for a reasonable price (much cheaper than a water taxi). Contact the hotel a few days before your stay to reserve your spot on one of their scheduled runs.
My Experience: Because our flight into Venice was to arrive three hours before the first available shuttle time, we took the Alilaguna Blue Line water bus to the Colosseo stop on Murano. The Murano Hyatt Centric is located opposite the Museo stop, a good twenty minutes walk along cobbled streets (not great for dragging suitcases!).
On the way back to the airport, we wisely took the shuttle, which picked us up at the dock in front of the hotel and zoomed us across the lagoon, spray flying. An exhilarating experience!
Here are some other options for staying on Murano:
Evening in Venice
After settling into your hotel on Murano, hop on Vaporetto Line 4.1 or 4.2, and in about 15 minutes you’ll be at Fondamente Nove, ready to wander the city in the golden twilight.
Evenings in Venice are magical. The streets are much less crowded with all the day-trippers gone back to their cruise ships. Stroll through quiet campos, linger over cicchetti (Venetian tapas) in a bacaro, and then enjoy a romantic dinner alongside a canal.
Here are some pictures I snapped of our early evening stroll through Venice.
Returning to Murano from Venice
Catch Vaporetto Line 4.1 or 4.2 from Fondamente Nove for the return trip. You’ll pass by Isola di San Michele that contains Venice’s principal cemetery glowing eerily in the setting sun. Several famous people are buried there, including composer Igor Stravinsky and poet Ezra Pound.
Full Day on Murano
We opted to spend the entire day on Murano rather than going back into Venice. Good choice! I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to soak up Murano’s more tranquil, small-town rhythm, and explore some out-of-the-way areas where the only sounds were the wind in the trees and the sound of the cicadas.
Morning: Glass-Blowing Demonstration
I suggest attending a glass-blowing demonstration as soon as one of the many furnaces offering them opens. You’ll beat the crowds and get a great view of a master glassmaker work his magic with molten globs of glass.
Here are some options with GetYourGuide.
At the end of the short demo, you’ll be directed into the shop where you can admire some incredible pieces that would cost a fortune to ship home, and probably purchase some items that you can take with you. I picked up two necklaces!
More Shopping for Glass
Murano is full of glass shops—both those attached to furnaces offering demos and the many shops lining the two principal canals. You can’t miss them!
Avoid the “five-for-€10” trinket stands that sell imported, not genuine Murano glass.
Good choices are Venini for contemporary art glass, Wave Murano Glass for bold and colorful designs, and NasonMoretti for sleek tableware. Even if you’re not in the market for a chandelier, you’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship.
Lunch Next to the Canal
Stop for lunch at Osteria al Duomo, tucked just behind Murano’s main street. Their seafood pasta is fresh and flavorful, and the garden seating is a leafy oasis in warm weather.
Afternoon: Explore the Island
Spend the afternoon wandering Murano’s quieter backstreets. Peek into the Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato, famous for its Byzantine mosaics and the curious row of dragon bones hanging behind the altar.
Visit Murano Glass Museum
Make sure you allow time to visit the Murano Glass Museum (Museo del Vetro) to learn more about the island’s glass-making history and see exquisite historical pieces.
After entering the museum (a former palace), check out the tranquil gardens and then watch a film about glass making. A wide variety of techniques are described and demonstrated. I was riveted!
After the film, check out the archaeological section on the ground floor that contains Roman works dating from the 1st to the 3rd century AD. Then, mount the stairs to the first floor to view the largest historical collection of Murano glass in the world.
Take a Walk
Murano is small—you can walk across it in about 20 minutes. Take your time and veer off the main canals to explore areas where only locals go.
I walked to the far end of the island to find quiet canals, abundant greenery and a handful of local people working on their boats.
Evening: Dinner on Murano
For dinner, try B Restaurant alla Vecchia Pescheria, a cozy spot right on the canal with excellent Venetian classics and a good wine list.
Afterward, stroll alongside the lagoon to enjoy a spectacular sunset (weather permitting).
An Art Opening on Murano
One of the reasons I stayed on Murano during my most recent trip to Venice was that I was attending an art opening that featured Gregg Simpson’s work. (Gregg’s my husband and a visual artist; we often travel to his exhibitions).
The opening was at the municipal museum which featured Gregg’s work in addition to displays about the history of Murano. Housed in the Palazzo da Mula, entrance is free and well worth a quick look both to view whatever art exhibitions are on and to see the history displays.
Murano: Two Nights & One Full Day – At a Glance
Arrival & Evening in Venice
- From the airport: Take the Alilaguna Blue Line waterbus (30–35 min) straight to Murano.
- Check in: Hyatt Centric Murano Venice – spacious rooms, canal views, and airport shuttles.
- Evening: Vaporetto to Venice for cicchetti, a relaxed dinner, and post-sunset strolling. Return to Murano under the stars.
Full Day on Murano
- Morning: Glass-blowing demo at a local furnace – arrive early before tour groups.
- Shopping: Skip the cheap imports; head for Venini, Wave Murano Glass, or NasonMoretti for authentic art glass.
- Lunch: Osteria al Duomo – seafood pasta in a shady garden.
- Afternoon:
- Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato – Byzantine mosaics & “dragon bones”
- Murano Glass Museum – centuries of glass history
- Stroll the Fondamenta dei Vetrai and back alleys.
- Evening: Dinner at B Restaurant alla Vecchia Pescheria, canal-side with Venetian classics.
Departure
- Enjoy a peaceful early-morning walk along the canals before catching your vaporetto or water taxi back to Venice or the airport.
Top Tips for Visiting Murano
- Buy wisely: Look for the “Vetro Artistico® Murano” certification sticker to ensure authenticity.
- Ship it: If buying a larger piece, most reputable shops will pack and ship it securely—worth the cost to avoid heartbreak in your suitcase.
- Timing is everything: Stay overnight to enjoy Murano’s peaceful mornings and evenings, when the day-trippers are gone.
- Hydrate & shade: Glass furnaces get hot—visit in the morning and bring water.
- Ask questions: Artisans love to explain their techniques; showing interest can lead to extra demos or discounts.
Conclusion
By staying overnight, you experience Murano at its best—quiet mornings when you’re the only person strolling along the canals, evenings when the water reflects only the soft glow of lamplight, and a sense of living within a working Venetian island rather than visiting a stage set. You still get easy access to Venice, but you also enjoy space, calm, and the unique character of Murano itself.
A couple of nights here is a tonic after the chaos of Venice—and who knows, you might even leave with a carefully wrapped piece of glass art that will forever remind you of your time on the island.
Have you stayed on Murano? Share you recommendations for other artsy travelers in the comments below.
Here are some more posts about off-the-beaten-track destinations in Europe:
- Savoring Life in Pont-Aven—The City of Artists
- How to Spend Two Nights & One Day in Luxembourg City
- A Week in Fascinating Little Padua Reveals Hidden Treasures
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