Venice Islands Italy
156
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
CroisiEurope (156 Cruises)
MS Michelangelo
156 Cruises
Frequently Asked Questions
No. No cruise ship berths at Murano, Burano or Torcello. You disembark at Venice-Marghera or Chioggia, then make your way to Fondamente Nove, where vaporetto line 12 serves all three islands every twenty to thirty minutes.
Five to seven hours including the crossings: roughly 1.5 to 2 hours on Murano, the same on Burano, 45 minutes to an hour on Torcello. A 4 to 6 hour call will not cover the full loop. Pick two islands out of three.
Murano, the closest: fifteen minutes by boat from Fondamente Nove. Glassmakers work the furnaces in front of visitors, and the basilica of Santi Maria e Donato keeps a 12th-century mosaic floor. Burano photographs better but sits another half-hour away.
Tradition credits the fishermen, who wanted to pick out their own house through the lagoon fog. Burano also lives from its needle lace: a few lacemakers still work in front of the shops, and the Lace Museum displays pieces of remarkable fineness.
The cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, founded in 639, whose Byzantine mosaic Last Judgement covers the entire inner facade, and the stone seat known as Attila's throne. Torcello has only a handful of residents left, making it the quietest and barest of the three islands.
On vaporetto line 12 from Fondamente Nove, with a departure every twenty to thirty minutes. A day transport pass makes the connections simpler and saves buying a ticket at every boarding.
Yes, especially Murano and Burano: the glassblowing demonstration holds young visitors' attention, and Burano's coloured canals are flat and easy to walk. Torcello is more contemplative and appeals less to children. Vaporettos are often standing-room only at peak times.
The euro and Italian. Credit cards work in the glass workshops, museums and restaurants, but keep some cash for Burano's small shops and the bakeries selling bussolà biscuits.
April to June and September to October: clear light, mild temperatures and less crowded vaporettos. July and August are hot, humid and busy. Winter brings fog and acqua alta episodes that complicate connections.
Not necessarily, but it helps on a short call: excursions compress the circuit into half a day and guarantee your return to the ship. On your own, the vaporetto is plenty, provided you watch the clock and leave Torcello with time to spare.
