In the vicinity of Italian Venice there is a unique island of Murano - it is there that the famous Venetian glass is produced, and the streets look like drawings in books with fairy tales. It is better to come here as a "savage", and not as part of excursion groups - as those who often visit the island of Murano say.
Murano is not just an island in the vicinity of Venice, but a whole archipelago of seven islands in the Venetian lagoon, connected by bridges. It has a well-developed infrastructure, shops, hospitals and emergency medical aid points, the administration works, and there is even its own museum of Murano (Venetian) glass. Excursion groups spend only a couple of hours here, so experienced tourists recommend that beginners come to the island as "savages" in order to spend as much time here as possible and see all its attractions.
History of the island of Murano
The first inhabitants of the Murano archipelago appeared in the 5th century BC. e. They were the Goths and the Romans. The city based on this group of islands became an important port, a center for the sale of fish and salt - valuable goods for those times. In the 11th century AD, monks from the order of the Camaldules moved here. It was with them that the history of the development of the island of Murano began. The most significant milestones:
- transfer of glass-blowing workshops from Venice in the 13th century,
- foundation of a monastery and a printing center,
- start of mass sales of Venetian (Murano) glass,
- destruction of all workshops in the era of Napoleon and their new development.
The Museum of Glass on Murano Island was opened in 1861, in the former residence of the Bishop of Torcello. In addition, there is the Cathedral of Santa Maria e Donato, famous for its frescoes, the Clock Tower built in the 19th century, the ancient Palazzo de Mulo of the 12th century.
The exact address of the attractions of the island of Murano
You can get to Murano Island from Venice by river minibuses 41, 42, 51 and 52, which are more convenient to "catch" at the city's railway station or at the S. Zaccaria station (stop) near St. Mark's Square.
Participants of excursion groups to significant places in Murano are led by professional guides, and “savages” have to look for them on their own. The Glass Museum is located in the Palazzo Giustinian building and can be found following the directional arrows. As such, there are no streets with the names and house numbers we are used to, and we will have to get used to a somewhat new principle of orientation.
If you decide to take part in an excursion with a professional guide, then you need to budget and its cost - from 20 € and more, depending on the route and its duration. Food in local cafes and restaurants costs the same as in Venice. There are also several small hotels on Murano where you can comfortably stay - Murano Palazzo, Locanda Conterie, Al Soffiador and others. The price of a night stay in them ranges from 3,000 to 10,000 rubles.
