Murano & Sailing to St. Marks Square

We were told by the Hotel concierge when we checked in that he could arrange a private boat to take us for a tour of one of the glass making companies on the nearby island of Murano. 
Well "why not" we thought thinking we were getting some special treatment. It was only when we took the trip that we realised that we were just another of the thousands who had had that "special treatment" every day for years!


However the trip was great and as promised on Thursday morning the water taxi picked us up and off we went to Murano.

Here you can see one the Vaparetto - which are the equivalent of buses sailing along the grand canal and further afield to the outlying islands. 

And now across the lagoon to Murano.

Murano’s reputation as a centre for glassmaking started when the leaders of the Venetian Republic fearing fire and destruction to the city’s wooden buildings ordered glassmakers to move their foundries to Murano in 1291. 

Murano’s glassmakers held a monopoly on quality glassmaking for centuries, developing or refining many technologies that made their products unique in the world.

Murano glass is still made there to this day by master glass blowers.

This is the factory that we visited.

Morano is laid out exactly like Venice with canals and bridges substituting for roads.

After "escaping" from the glass factory (the items were spectacular - but the prices were even more so!) - we were handed 4 Vaporetto tickets (return by water taxi is supplied only if you spend big money!) and decided to make our way to St Marks Square.