Venice Murano and Burano Walking Tour with Audio Guide

2 h 30 min Free cancellation

Venice Murano and Burano Walking Tour with Audio Guide, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

The audio guide is your convenient mobile companion for a self-guided tour of Murano and Burano. This tour is designed to help you explore the islands in just 2-3 hours. Follow the route on the app's map to visit all the main attractions on each island.

Highlights include: Glass Museum, Lace Museum, Venetian palazzos, Colorful houses along Burano's canals, Church of San Pietro Martire on Murano, Leaning Tower of Burano.

The tour features 22 points of interest. All stories are crafted by professional journalists and historians with humor and a passion for travel.

Once you download the tour, the app runs offline. We recommend using headphones for better sound quality. Enjoy engaging stories and legends at your own pace, without a need to keep up with a group. Feel free to pause anytime to take a break at a café or wander down a picturesque alley before continuing your exploration.

Private and Luxury Audio Guides Cultural Tours Walking Tours City Tours Nature Walks Short term availability Weather Dependent - Low

At a glance

Duration: 2 h 30 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 20 people
People per booking: 1–15
Audio guide: German, English
Operated by: TouringBee

Ages: Adults (14–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Offline map with a route for easy GPS navigation
Included: Audio Guide App for iPhone and Android
Included: 1-year access to the tour in your preferred language
Included: 22 audio recordings narrated by a professional historian
Included: Illustrations to help you identify landmarks

Not included

Not included: Smartphone and headphones
Not included: In-person tour guide
Not included: Transportation
Not included: Food and beverages

Itinerary

Murano

one hour

Murano is the island of glassmakers, just across the lagoon from Venice. Since the 13th century, Venice concentrated its glass furnaces here to reduce fire risk in the city, and Murano’s artisans went on to become world-famous for their craftsmanship. Wander the canals and you'll find workshops creating delicate chandeliers, colorful sculptures, and intricate glass jewelry. Quieter than Venice itself, Murano offers a glimpse into a centuries-old tradition where fire, sand, and skill are transformed into art.
Stop 2

10 min

San Michele Cemetery (Cimitero di San Michele) occupies its own island in the Venetian Lagoon, creating one of the most unusual cemeteries in the world. Established by Napoleon in 1807, it became Venice’s main burial ground when burials within the city were prohibited. Behind its red-brick walls lie cypress-lined paths, quiet cloisters, and the graves of notable figures such as Igor Stravinsky and Ezra Pound. Serene and contemplative, San Michele feels like a city of the departed — peacefully floating between Venice and Murano.
The Glass Cathedral Santa Chiara

Passing by

The Glass Cathedral (Santa Chiara Murano) is a beautifully restored former church on the island of Murano, transformed into a unique venue celebrating Venice’s glassmaking heritage. Inside, historic brick walls and soaring arches are paired with live Murano glassblowing demonstrations, where master artisans shape molten glass before your eyes. It’s a striking blend of sacred architecture, craftsmanship, and Venetian tradition.
Stop 4

10 min

Column of the Call (Colonna della Chiamata) is a historic column in Venice associated with public announcements and civic life during the days of the Republic. Important decrees, official notices, and summonses were proclaimed here so that citizens could hear the decisions of the government. More than a monument, it served as a medieval noticeboard — a place where Venice quite literally called its people together. Today, it stands as a reminder of the city’s long tradition of public life and civic participation.
Chiesa di San Pietro Martire

Passing by

Chiesa di San Pietro Martire is one of Murano’s most important churches, rebuilt in the 16th century after a fire. Its simple brick exterior hides a rich interior filled with artworks by Bellini, Veronese, and Tintoretto. Located along the island’s main canal, it reflects both Murano’s religious heritage and its historical wealth. Quiet, elegant, and often overlooked, it offers a peaceful pause amid the island’s glassmaking bustle.
Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli

10 min

Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angeli is a peaceful Renaissance church on Murano, founded as part of a Benedictine convent in the 12th century. Though modest from the outside, it once housed important works of art and was closely connected to Venice’s noble families. The church is also known as the burial place of Marina Nani Mocenigo, the last descendant of a prominent Venetian dynasty. Quiet and little visited, it offers a glimpse of Murano beyond its famous glass workshops.
Duomo di Murano Santi Maria e Donato

Passing by

Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato is Murano’s oldest and most important church, founded in the 7th century and rebuilt in the 12th century. It is renowned for its stunning Byzantine mosaic floor, one of the finest in the Venetian Lagoon, with intricate geometric patterns that seem to ripple like water. The church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint Donatus, whose alleged dragon bones hang behind the altar. Ancient, atmospheric, and rich in legend, it is one of the true treasures of Murano.
Stop 8

40 min

Burano is Venice’s most colorful island, famous for its brightly painted houses reflected in quiet canals. According to tradition, fishermen painted their homes in vivid colors so they could find them through the lagoon’s fog. Beyond the postcard-perfect streets, Burano is renowned for its centuries-old lace-making tradition, once prized across Europe. Smaller, calmer, and more intimate than Venice itself, it feels like a place where everyday life and beauty coexist effortlessly.
Il Campanile Storto

10 min

The Leaning Bell Tower of Burano (Campanile di San Martino) is one of the island’s most recognizable landmarks. Built in the 17th century, the tower gradually began to tilt due to the soft, marshy ground beneath the Venetian Lagoon. Rising above Burano’s colorful houses, its noticeable lean has become part of the island’s charm rather than a flaw. Featured in countless photographs and paintings, it serves as both a landmark and a reminder that in Venice, even the architecture adapts to the water beneath it.
Stop 10

10 min

Baldassare Galuppi, known as “Il Buranello” (“the man from Burano”), was the island’s most famous son—a celebrated 18th-century composer whose operas and sacred music were performed across Europe. The statue in Piazza Baldassare Galuppi, Burano’s main square, honors his legacy with a dignified bronze figure gazing over the island he never forgot. Surrounded by colorful houses and everyday island life, the monument is a reminder that this small fishing community once produced a musician admired from Venice to St. Petersburg.
Museo del Merletto di Burano

Passing by

Museo del Merletto (Lace Museum) celebrates Burano’s most famous craft: handmade lace-making. Housed in the former lace school on Piazza Baldassare Galuppi, the museum showcases exquisite lace pieces ranging from delicate collars to elaborate ceremonial works. Through displays, tools, and demonstrations, it tells the story of an art form that brought Burano international fame from the Renaissance onward. Small but fascinating, it reveals the extraordinary patience and skill hidden behind the island’s finest tradition.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

- The tour starts at the Piazzale Roma ”G” Ferry Terminal.
- This is a self-guided tour. There will be no human guide present at the meeting point.
- Launch the TouringBee app, start the “Venice: Murano and Burano Walking Tour,” and follow the designated route.

End point

- The tour starts at the Piazzale Roma ”G” Ferry Terminal.
- This is a self-guided tour. There will be no human guide present at the meeting point.
- Launch the TouringBee app, start the “Venice: Murano and Burano Walking Tour,” and follow the designated route.

Using your ticket

To get audioguide:

Open Viator Ticket
Find Viator Booking ref - it should start with BR-####
Find your Viator Booking on https://activate.touringbee.com/?partner=viator
Launch the TouringBee app, initiate the Venice: Murano and Burano walking tour, and proceed along the designated route.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

Good to know

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
The audio guide is available through a special mobile app for iOS and Android
Admission tickets to the museums are not included. Please purchase them separately in advance
The tour does not cover all Murano and Burano sights
This is a self-guided tour. You will need to download the audio guide app, activate your purchase, and follow the route on the app's map. There is no human guide provided
The audio guide is available anytime, the date and time provided for checkout are approximate