Among the most beautiful trips we recommend taking during your holidays at Ca’ Amadi, there is one to the islands of the Venice lagoon.
True gems, different in characteristics but equal and unparalleled in charm: Burano, the island of houses of a thousand colors, mysterious Torcello with the ancient basilica of Santa Maria Assunta, Murano, famous for the furnaces where glass is blown as it once was. And then there are the smaller landing places such as Sant’Erasmo and the Vignole, small unexpected paradises, where vegetable gardens full of first fruits delight the dishes of typical trattorias and starred restaurants.
Murano, Burano, Torcello, the tour from Venice to the splendid islands
All worth seeing at least once in your life, Murano, Burano, and Torcello can be reached by the Actv public vaporetto which leaves from the Fondamenta Nove stop, just a 10-minute walk from Ca’ Amadi.
Murano, an infinite heritage of art and craftsmanship waiting to be discovered
Murano is made of seven small islands and is famous worldwide for the artisanal art of glass, according to the millenary tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation.
The art of glass was born in the 12th century, and immediately became renowned in the world, so much so that the Serenissima Republic, jealous of its workers, forced the master glassmakers to live on the island and they could not leave Venice without a special permit.
However, not everyone knows that Venetian pearls are also an excellence of Murano with an equally long history. The first pearls were created in the 13th century. The culture, skill, and secrets of creation have been handed down from that era. Since 2020 the pearls of Venice have been included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Glass is still the main activity today, and in its streets and along its canals there are numerous furnaces and laboratories where you can discover how glass blowing is carried out, and where you can buy the jewels that the master glassmakers create with their unique art. Even though it is now listed among the tourist things to do, it’s worth visiting a Murano furnace. Seeing the skill and art of the master glassmakers who create objects as if by magic from an incandescent agglomerate, is always an emotion.
How to visit contemporary glass art galleries, today more than ever a privileged material for established and emerging artists. Among these, Atelier Muranese is one of the most prestigious hosts of workshops and works by great artists.
Don’t miss a visit to the Glass Museum where you can delve into the history and tradition of glass, from the Phoenicians to the present day, and admire the artifacts of Murano art such as the wonderful Rezzonico chandeliers.
Worth visiting is certainly the majestic basilica dedicated to Saints Maria and Donato, the Murano cathedral, founded in the 7th century; the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, that of San Pietro Martire, the 12th century Palazzo da Mula and the lighthouse, which has welcomed those who disembark at the vaporetto stop of the same name since 1921.
To end your trip to Murano with taste, you can’t help but stop in a traditional trattoria and taste the “bisato su l’ara”. The “bisato” is the eel while the ara is a hot surface where glass works are still processed in the furnaces today. The heat emanating from the macaw cooks the eel flavored with spices over a slow heat and maintains its delicacy.
Murano can be reached with the ACTV vaporetto, lines 4.1 and 4.2, or line B or 12.
Visiting Burano is an experience that lasts forever
Burano is a poem. With its brightly colored houses, it is an island that seems to have come out of a painting. The quiet life, the slow rhythms, the extraordinary landscapes, and the idyllic atmosphere have meant that Burano has become a popular destination for artists and writers over the centuries.
In the last century, it became an incredibly inspiring backdrop for artists such as Gino Rossi, Umberto Moggioli, and Pio Semeghini who made the island of Burano their Pont-Aven. Today, however, architects and designers are at home, including the famous Philippe Starck, who has lived and worked in Burano for long periods.
Spring is the ideal time to walk through the streets and squares to admire the explosion of colors that make it so unique and discover the typical artisan activities of the island: every corner of Burano is a postcard.
Also worth visiting is the Lace Museum. With over 200 rare models of the highly prized Burano lace, the museum offers a fascinating look at the ancient artisan tradition, still alive on the island. Thanks to the demonstrations of the lace makers, you will be able to admire the skill and knowledge with which real thread works of art are created.
In front of the museum, in the only square on the island, the statue of Baldassare Galuppi welcomes you. The great composer of the 18th century is one of the most illustrious sons of Burano to whom the prestigious Galuppi Festival is dedicated every year, which attracts the best performers of baroque music from all over the world to Venice.
To end your visit to Burano in the sweetest way possible, stop at a local bakery and taste the “bussolà buranello“, a large donut-shaped biscuit prepared with flour, butter, and plenty of egg yolk. It is a delight that will make you in love with the splendid island even more.
From Fondamenta Nove, the vaporetto to get to Burano is number 12.
Torcello cannot be missed on a tour of the islands of Venice
Torcello, a wild island that now has only about ten inhabitants, is a silent corner in the middle of the lagoon.
Spending a few hours walking along the canals and among the nature of the island is an experience to get to know and savor the authentic atmosphere of the islands of Venice where you can take refuge from the bustle of the Venetian districts of the historic center.
The places in Torcello worth a visit are the mysterious Ponte del Diavolo, the silent church of Santa Fosca, and the suggestive cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. Founded in 639 at the time of Heraclius, emperor of Byzantium, it is among the oldest Byzantine basilicas remaining in the lagoon today, which houses a wonderful mosaic of the Last Judgment and a mosaic floor as splendid as that of the Basilica of San Marco. Next to the church, stands the 11th-century bell tower from the top, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the Venice lagoon.
Finally, a foray into the contemporary, at Casa Andrich, is worth it. Today a surprising house-museum surrounded by nature, with an enchanting view of the lagoon, that was, for a long time, the home of the multifaceted maestro Lucio Andrich (Agordo, 1927 – Torcello, 2003). There are paintings, mosaics, ceramics, engravings, tapestries, and wooden sculptures, created by the artist everywhere.
It is therefore worth stopping for something to eat. In Torcello there are few trattorias but with truly local cuisine, where you can still find moeche, castraure and peoci: the moeche are typical crabs from the lagoon, a Slow Food Presidium, the castraure are the first fruits of the purple artichokes of Sant’Erasmo, while the how many are the mussels.
For a gourmet experience, try the historic Locanda Cipriani opened by Giuseppe, the inventor of Harry’s Bar in Venice who fell in love with Torcello in the 1920s.
The islands of the Venetians, to be visited with respect
Off the mass tourist routes, less famous than Murano, Burano, and Torcello, the smaller islands of Venice preserve naturalistic environments, traditions, and collective rituals that Venetians love to celebrate with the arrival of the summer.
Vignole Island
The island of Vignole is still outside the tourist routes of tours from Venice to the islands, such as nearby Sant’Erasmo. Both are lands that emerged almost magically from the Venetian lagoon where, in addition to the very few inhabitants, there are expanses of vegetable gardens and crops, interspersed with rare homes.
Le Vignole is an ideal destination to discover an unusual Venice, made of nature and traditions, to enjoy long walks when the sun lowers on the horizon and the summer heat becomes acceptable.
The aperitif at sunset is an experience that always excites me. The collective ritual of the Venetians dictates that at the Trattoria alle Vignole you take the scartosso de fritolin (the foil with fried fish), an ombra de bianco (a glass of white wine), and enjoy the magical panorama of the sun sets over the lagoon.
Vignole can be reached by ACTV vaporetto number 13 which leaves from Fondamenta Nove.
Saint Erasmus
The Island of Sant’Erasmo is an incredible expanse of vegetable gardens, vineyards, and orchards. Since the sixteenth century, it has supplied Venice with seasonal first fruits. From the island of Sant’Erasmo, come the violet artichokes, a Slow Food presidium, and the castraùre, the first, tender, apical shoot, which ripens in spring, and the many delicious vegetables with a unique flavor that draws their specificity from cultivation in the brackish lagoon lands. It is possible to purchase directly from the producers and it is an experience that we recommend to guests of Ca’ Amadi who are on holiday in an apartment where they will savor the delights freshly picked from the plant.
Sant’Erasmo can always be reached by ACTV vaporetto number 13 which leaves from Fondamenta Nove.
We stop here with suggestions for a tour from Venice to the splendid islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello. When you are at Ca’ Amadi, we will give you our advice for visiting Murano, Burano, and Torcello. Discover our special offers! We are waiting for you with us, in Venice.