GRAND LAGOON TOUR

After a morning visit to Venice‘s highlights with our VENICE FOR BEGINNERS tour, exploring Murano and Burano, in the Northern Lagoon, and navigating at sunset along the Grand Canal will be of great interest and relaxing for the whole family: the boat rides and the visit to the artisans’ workshops in both islands will be fun and educational at the same time.

From Venice we reach first of all the island of Murano. While cruising, your guide will tell you why, how, and when Murano became the international capital of artistic blown glass.
We’ll be greeted at one of the top glass factories and visit the glass furnaces: you’ll learn a lot and you’ll be surprised by the skills of the glass masters, able to create marvels in front of your eyes in just few minutes, using very basic tools and…800 years of experience!

Mondays to Fridays we’ll assist to the actual glass production. During the weekend (or in August, when the main furnaces are being maintained) we will see a series of demos..
After that we’ll have time to explore the large gallery on top: you’ll see pieces signed by famous artists, other items created by young promising masters. Besides the glasses, goblets, vases, sculptures, ladies will also find a great choice of glass beads and jewels.

Navigation continues, bound to Burano, for about 25 minutes: you’ll enjoy the view of the long, verdant islands of Vignole and Sant’ Erasmo, this second famous for its baby artichokes, broccoli and other vegetables. You’ll be lectured on the history of the Lagoon, on the environmental changes through the centuries, and on the islands we’ll pass by.

Burano will conquer your heart with the colors of its homes, its old-fashioned fishing boats, its delicious cookies. The island has been known since the 17th century for its elegant and sophisticated lace production, coveted and imitated all over Europe. We’ll stop in one of the most traditional ateliers to admire the lace-makers skills and listen to their presentation.

We’ll take a stroll on the island, along its peacefula nd bright canals, today a photographers’ heaven. At the start of the 20th century Burano became the inspiring centre for a group of Italian painters (Umberto Moggioli, Pio Semeghini, Gino Rossi and more), whose landscapes can be admired in some of the local restaurants, such a the historical ‘Trattoria da Romano’.

On the way back to Venice our watertaxi will take us all along the Grand Canal, the most fascinating ‘street’ of Venice, a street made of water! There’s nothing like the Grand Canal at sunset: although you probably already saw most of its historical buildings in movies and paintings, experiencing the light effects on water and architectures on your own is different!

The age of the 170 palaces goes from the 13th to the 19th century. From the early Venetian-Byzantine merchants’ homes (Ca’ da Mosto, Ca’Farsetti), to the Moorish looking 15th century residences (Ca’ d’ Oro, Ca’Foscari), to the elegant Renaissance palaces, such as Ca’ Vendramin and Grimani, ending with the massive Baroque Ca’ Pesaro and Ca’ Rezzonico.

The only historical bridge is the Rialto, at the centre of the canal, while the other three bridges are fairly recent. The wealthy families once living along the Grand Canal used to have their own gondolas and gondoliers. Today most of the ancient houses are hotels and museums. You’ll learn about the many famous people that had their residence here.

The figures of Lord Byron, Richard Wagner, Peggy Guggenheim and others will be conjured up by your guide. A word will be spent about the about the foundations and inner structure.
To end your day in style: while listening to your guide and admiring the sun setting on the scenic waters it will be possible, on request, to have a glass of good prosecco or champagne.

Our GRAND LAGOON TOUR operates all year round , sun or rain, as all our watertaxi are covered.