Murano, Italy - Venetian Glass, Vases, Art and lots of fun.

Murano, Italy is synonymous with glassmaking. Situated less than 1 mile from Venice, this chain of islands has a population of approximately 5000.

Similar to Venice, Murano is comprised of several islands (7 to be exact) connected by bridges with boat transportation of the canals representing the primary means of transportation.

There are many excursions to Murano typically bundled with a stop on Burano, an island known for laces and tapestry. Tours typically range from $40 -$60 Euros.

You can also visit the island via water taxis ($80 euros) or Waterbus ($5 euros).

Traveling by waterbus takes nearly an hour from most of the major ports in Venice to Murano. Although more expensive, the water taxi cuts travel time to Murano down to approximately 15 minutes.

Glassmaking is truly an art and Murano is the ideal place to see masterful craftsman create one-0f-a-kind vases, sculptures and framed all-glass pictures.

Murano originally developed as the epicenter of exquisite glass art in late 1291 when the Venetian (Roman) empire quarantined all glass making to Murano out of fear of buildings being destroyed by fire.

The glassblowing tour is free and shops are museum quality. Simply browse and enjoy the beautiful art or shop for the perfect peace for your home -- shipping is seamless and inexpensive (the art, however, is certainly not).

It's hard to resist purchasing one of the unique and beautiful masterpieces. After recovering from buyers remorse, I truly appreciate the framed sunflowers crafted by one of the more popular local artist.

Murano is home to the Museo del Vetro or Murano Glass Museum in the Palazzo Giustinian, which holds displays on the history of glassmaking.

All pieces are one-of-a-kind originals, most are handmade on-site by a local artist.

As always, mention Nomad's Lens on your next visit to the Murano. Unfortunately, there are no discounts --- but, mention us anyway.

Grazie Mille!