Murano island - Burano island - Torcello island

Route: Venice - Murano island - Burano island - Torcello island - Venice
Duration: 5 h
Firstly we will visit to Murano is the most famous of the Venetian Islands, and the most visited courtesy of the famous glass-works that produce the popular “Murano Glass”. The people of Venice have been making crystal and glass since the 10th Century, when the Venetian merchants brought back the secrets of production from the East. This is where everyday life revolves around the glass making industry. In 1291 the glass makers were invited to leave Venice and move all the furnaces onto the island of Murano. This is a means of security to avoid the hazard of fire which would be very dangerous for Venice. Therefore the island became the most important centre for the glass industry in all of Europe until the XVII century. Venice has been the protagonist in the history of glass pearls (conterie) from around 1200 to 1950, with the monopoly of their production. They are pearls obtained by working over a flame and were used like money for exchange with natives of colonial states. Glass workers were prohibited to emigrate from Venice with the threat of confiscation of property. Also during the visit  you will explore the island with it's sigths like the bridge is ‘Ponte Longo', made of iron and built in 1866, Mazzega Glass Factory, Basilica di Santa Maria e San Donato, Santa Maria degli Angeli, Grand Canal, glass market Bruno Fusato Signoretti, Palazzo da Mula and Chiesa di San Pietro Martire. Next we will reach the island Burano which is home of big artists like Baldassare Galuppi, Remigio Barbaro and Pino Donaggio, as well as inspirer of the Arte Buranella. The inhabitants of Altino, escaping from barbarian invasion, found refuge in the islands of lagoon, giving them the names of the six doors of their thrown over city: Murano, Mazzorbo, Burano, Torcello, Ammiana e Costanziaca. The name "Burano" arise from "Porta Boreana", the northern door of the city. In these islands the first houses were build on palafittes, with walls made of woven canes and afterwards plastered with mud. They were very light buildings constituted by an unique room, because the ground was too tender. Beds were made of dry leaves. Later these raw houses were changed with buildings made of bricks and the older ones were used like warehouses. Currently in Burano you will  see the many colours and the colorful houses that are reflected into the green waters of channels, by the leaning bell tower, by the tranquility and the calmness with which the elderly ladies embroider original Burano lace by their tombolo (or lace pillow), while they are laughing and chatting in squares among them. It seems to be in paradise. Children who dart freely with their bicycles, balconies with multicolored flowers, fishermen who put up fresh fish from their traditional boats. During visit you will see theGaluppi Square, the "Museo del Merletto" (Lace Museum), the Town Hall, a well made of Istria's stone and the Baldassare Galuppi's sculpture, coloured house in the island: "la Casa di Bepi Suà" (the house of Joseph Sweaty) and five joined by bridge quarters: "San Martino Destro", "San Martino Sinistro", "San Mauro", "Giucecca" and "Terranova", traversed by their mill runs "Rio Ponticello", "Rio Zuecca" and "Rio Terranova". Next we will visit to Torcello is one of the most popular islands to visit in the Venice lagoon. The main reason for visiting the island is to see the spectacular Byzantine mosaics in the seventh-century Cathedral of Santa Maria Dell'Assunta.  Founded in the 5th century, Torcello is even older than Venice and was a very important island in ancient times, once having a population possibly around 20,000. Eventually, malaria hit the island and much of the population either died or left. Buildings were plundered for building material so that little remains of its once splendid palaces, churches, and monasteries. Torcello's cathedral was built in 639 and has a tall 11th-century bell tower that dominates the skyline. Inside the cathedral are stunning Byzantine mosaics from the 11th to the 13th centuries. One of the most impressive is the depiction of the Last Judgement. Next to the cathedral is the 11th century Church of Santa Fosca surrounded by a 5-sided portico in the form of a Greek cross. Across from the cathedral is the small Torcello Museum housed in 14th-century mansions that were once the seat of the government. It houses medieval artifacts, mostly from the island, and archaeological finds from the Paleolithic to the Roman period found in the area of Venice. In the courtyard is the large stone throne known as Attila's Throne. After we return to Venice.
Price: per person