Glass Working in Venice

Venice’s glass working legacy reaches back centuries. The world-renowned handiwork coming out of this corner of northern Italy has been coveted since local glassmakers fabricated Europe’s first mirrors. In fact, Venetian glass artisans held such importance to the aristocracy that they were threatened with death if they left the city.

See glass working techniques that have been perfected over centuries, try your hand at crafting your own glass art or embark on a tour that combines glass work with sightseeing as you discover glass working in Venice.

Here's everything you need to know about glass working, one of the most captivating workshops in Venice.

What are the best glass working experiences in Venice?

Glass working demonstrations

Short, informative glass working demonstrations are a fun add-on to any day of sightseeing in Venice. Up the adventure by taking the scenic ferry ride through the lagoon to the island of Murano, the epicenter of Venetian glass art, for a demonstration at one of the island’s many studios.

Glass blowing classes

Learn from the best glass workers in the world with a group or private glass blowing class on Murano. Soak in quintessential Venetian views on the boat ride from the city to Murano before your fully-immersive glass blowing lesson.

Walk through the steps of creating blown glass with your expert instructor, from a workshop tour to inflating, twisting and forming your own molten glass art. Your creations are yours to keep after the class.

Are there any glass working combo experiences in Venice?

Murano walking tours plus glass factory tour

Murano, one of Venice’s most famed islands, is synonymous with glassmaking. On a Murano tour, you can visit glass workshops turning out stunning pieces before exploring medieval lanes and quaint bridges crossing the Grand Canal. Learn Murano’s secrets and legends from your guide as you take in your ancient surroundings.

Murano and Burano tours plus glass and lace making demonstrations

Encounter Venice’s two most famous islands and their claims to fame on a walking tour of Murano and Burano. Examine glass blowing and working skills that have been passed through generations of Murano master craftspeople, and watch their fingers fly as lacemakers concoct intricate patterns on Burano.

Murano, Burano and Torcello tours plus glass making demonstration

Combine sightseeing at three of the top island destinations in the Venice lagoon with a chance to observe the world’s premiere glass and lace artists plus the cradle of Venetian civilization on Torcello.

Murano glass factory tour plus glass working demo and workshop

Ideal for a short stay in Venice, a 2-hour venture to Murano allows you to soak in the best of the island in just part of your day. Enjoy a tour of the Colleoni Glass Factory and witness expert glass working before trying your hand at making a mosaic or piece of jewelry to keep.

Venice experience: glass, masks and sweets

Venture to lesser-known quarters of Venice with a guide before watching a glass blowing demonstration and decorating your own mask at a carnival mask workshop. Conclude your outing by sipping and snacking on treats made from 17th-century recipes with a chocolate tasting.

Venice tour plus glass working experience and gondola ride

Embark on a day tour filled with the ultimate Venetian scenes. Join a small group or private guide for a walking tour of Venice, plus a gondola ride and visit to Murano. Private tours provide a chance to wander the opulent halls of the Doge’s Palace.

After exploring the piazzas and campos on foot, board a gondola for a classic Venetian tour through the canals. Speed over the lagoon to Murano where a glass making performance awaits you. Savor a multi-course lunch on Murano before making your way back to central Venice.

Which places are visited?

Piazza San Marco

Venice’s political and religious heart has been beating from Piazza San Marco for more than a millennium. Known in English as St. Mark’s Square, the piazza houses must-see destinations like the Doge’s Palace, St Mark’s clock tower and the breathtaking Basilica di San Marco.

Near the square is a glass factory where many demonstrations take place. A guide will meet you at a designated point in the square and lead you to this workshop or to the ferry dock for a ride to Murano while regaling you with highlights of the spot’s 1,200-year history.

Murano

Just north of Venice sits the influential island of Murano. The name has become synonymous with glass art and has been the home of fabricators since the late 13th century. Medieval Venice was extremely vulnerable to fire. To protect the city from the extreme heat generated by their furnaces, authorities ordered that all glass making be moved to Murano.

This small island houses a wealth of workshops, some of which have been producing for hundreds of years. Most tours lead you to the Colleoni Glass factory or the Church of Santa Chiara Murano that has been converted into a glass workshop.

On Murano, observe expert glass work while it’s made as well as the finished products available for purchase. Marvel at millefiori vessels, brilliant beads and intricate art pieces that will remind you of your outing as it complements your home’s decor.

Murano’s picturesque streets are not to be missed. Stroll along the banks of canals lined with brightly-painted buildings before moving on to your next destination. Glimpse the medieval Basilica of Santa Maria e San Donato and Santa Maria degli Angeli Church. Pause for photo ops on the island’s Grand Canal and a coffee on a shaded terrace along its banks.

Burano

Burano is the home of merletto lace, a painstaking craft that turns simple thread into tableaux filled with flowers, spirals, scallops and even animals. Watch as artisans manipulate clusters of bobbins to produce designs that follow a 500-year-old tradition.

The island is equally noteworthy for its homes painted in all the colors of the rainbow. Absorb the crayon-box look of purple buildings next to lime green, followed by cobalt blue and more.

Torcello

Cap off your cultural adventure with a stop at Torcello, an island that’s been inhabited since the year 452. Spy the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta that has stood firmly since 639 and a bevy of structures dating back around 1,000 years.

What are the prices of glass working experiences in Venice?

Glass working experiences start at around €10 per person for a short demo in Venice or Murano. Low-cost demonstrations in Murano do not include the cost of travel to the island. Round-trip ferry tickets are around €20 per person.

Excursions to Murano for a tour of a glass factory and demonstration cost around €30 per person and with round-trip ferry travel.

Combo sightseeing tours plus glass working experiences cost between €30 per person and €40 per person for 2- to 4-hour outings. Full-day sightseeing plus glass working excursions cost between €30 per person and €400 per person. High-end tours are private and include lunch, all transportation, a gondola ride and are fully-guided.

What do these workshops include?

Glass blowing demonstrations offer views of professional glass workers creating unique pieces and a chance to purchase products at up to a 20% discount. Some demonstrations give your group a hand-sculpted glass piece as a souvenir. Select higher-cost demonstrations include ferry tickets to Murano and/or allow you to make your own glass memento.

Combo group or private tours that take you to Murano and other islands in the Venice Lagoon provide boat transportation, a glass working demo and visit to the factory plus free time to he yourself in the sites.

Higher-end, longer trips to Murano offer guided tours of sites on the island. Visits to Burano offer a lace making presentation and sometimes a local snack. Full-day group or private excursions include walking tours of Venice and/or Murano, Burano and Torcello. Some excursions offer a cocktail, coffee and a snack.

Where do they start?

Most glass working experiences meet at Piazza San Marco for both demonstrations at the glass factory on-site and for trips to the Colleoni Glass Factory on Murano Island. Demonstrations on Murano that don’t include boat transportation ask that you meet at the Murano da Mula stop on the island.

Many tours also will meet you at the Santa Lucia train station or at the Riva degli Schiavoni on the lagoon for quick boarding of the ferry. Most private tours and glass blowing classes offer door-to-door transportation from Venice accommodations.

What is the typical duration?

Glass blowing demonstrations in Venice’s Piazza San Marco followed by a tour of the factory sales floor last from 20 to 30 minutes. Demonstrations on Murano entail around a 10-minute ferry ride from Venice to the island each way plus the 20- to 30-minute glass blowing viewing and tour of the sales floor. Glass blowing classes last from 1.5 to 3 hours.  

Combo sightseeing tours and glass working experiences last from 2 to 8 hours, depending on the amount of stops and travel time needed between each locale.

When is the best time for a glass working experience in Venice?

A glass working experience can be great at any time of year and at any point in your stay in Venice. Combo tours that offer guided travels through Venice and the surrounding areas are ideal at the beginning of your visit.

Guides will orient you to the town, including lesser-known corners of Venice, and provide tips for how best to spend your time in this celebrated city.

Travel tips

• Dress Appropriately. Glass working workshops can be hot and dusty, so it's important to wear comfortable clothing that you don't mind getting dirty. Closed-toe shoes are also a must to protect your feet from broken glass and hot surfaces.
• Be Patient. Glass working is a slow and intricate process, so it's important to be patient and not rush the process. Take your time and enjoy the experience of creating something beautiful with your own hands.
• Protect Your Work. Once you've created your glass masterpiece, make sure to protect it during transport. Wrap it carefully in bubble wrap or other protective material and pack it securely in your luggage to ensure it arrives home in one piece.