Our tour with Francesca to the enchanting islands of Murano and Burano was nothing short of fantastic. From the moment we met her, Francesca’s warmth and enthusiasm set the tone for a truly special experience. In Murano, she guided us through the fascinating world of glassmaking, where we had the rare opportunity to watch artisans at work—an unforgettable glimpse into centuries-old craftsmanship. Then in Burano, known for its vibrant houses, exquisite lace, and delicious cookies, Francesca brought the island’s charm to life with her engaging stories and deep knowledge of local traditions. She was informative, personable, and an absolute delight to spend the day with. Her passion for Venice and its surrounding islands was contagious, made every moment fell meaningful and fun. If you're looking for a guide who combines expertise with genuine warmth, Francesca is the one to ask for.
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Private tour in Venice Francesca R
Jewels of the Venetian lagoon
5.0
(4) reviews
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8 hours
1
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8 hours
1
Francesca R.
5.0
Guide rating
351
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4 hrs
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Ciao I'm Francesca, welcome to my Toursbylocals Venice page. I was born in Sicily a beautiful island in Southern Italy where I lived for 20 years. I moved later on to Florence to attend university there where I graduated in Byzantine Archaeology. I completed my studies in Siena where I've got a master in Preservation of Cultural Heritage. In 2008 I moved to Venice where I fell in love with this unique city and I decided then to stay for ever! I became a tourist guide because I like people and impress them. I love to show my city and let visitors discover its many wonders. My tours are not just meant to provide knowledge on the art, history and architecture of Venice but they are a fun experience too. I'm not a teacher delivering a boring lecture but a friend ready to fulfil your curiosity. Don't worry, weird questions are allowed too! Professional Certified Venice Tourist Guide: license n#05000218 (Province of Venice) Certified guide for the Jewish synagogues Port Security Pass 32090 VACCINATED against COVID-19 NONE
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Francesca R.
A guided tour of the most famous Venetian islands: Murano, Burano and Torcello
Overview of your Venice tour
Discover the islands in the lagoon of Venice! This is where life in the lagoon started many centuries ago, and I, as an archaeologist, simply love them! This is where you can find tracks of the first brave refugees, which decided to look for a better life. The first will be Murano, where a unique type of glass is made since the middle age! We'll visit a glass factory, where we'll see how the bowling glass is made and we'll discover how many incredible object could be created. Later we'll wander around visiting also the medieval church of Santi Maria and Donato, where there's the oldest floor of the Venetian lagoon, dated at the 11th century! After Murano, another incredible island, Burano, with its charming fishermen's houses, painted in incredible bright colours. Burano is famous all around the world for laces, made by old nice lady exactly how the made them in the past. Finally we'll visit Torcello, the oldest island of the Venetian lagoon, where we'll visit its millenary cathedral.
Recent Reviews
Francesca was a magnificent guide! On day two of our tour we visited two islands. We went by water taxi to the island where wonderful works of glass art is made. We went to a glass blowing factory and were given a demonstration of how glass is blown. We were introduced to the owner of the factory and allowed to tour the gallery of magnificent work of art produced by this company. The island of Burano we all agreed was very special! The colors of the houses, boats, & the island specialty - lace.
Francesca is extremely knowledgeable about Venice. She was great at pointing out interesting facts about St. Marks Basilica and Arsenale. We really felt that the tour was tailored to what interested us. She was very good with out three teenagers. We really appreciated guiding us through local places.
This tour went as planned, it included all planned activities. Francesca was a very knowledgeable guide, and her story telling was very interesting. We have requested some alterations during the day and this was done in a very efficient and flexible manner by Francesca. We were delighted with all what she suggested for us to do. Moreover, she is a nice and pleasant person to the extent that we invited her to have lunch with us.
Your Venice tour itinerary
-Crossing the lagoon, we'll get to Murano, where we'll visit first a fantastic glass factory, where you'll discover the secret of this millenary art. -After the glass factory, where you could also buy original glass objects made in Murano, we'll wander around this cosy island. -We'll visit the splendid byzantine church of Santi Maria e Donato, with a incredible original mosaic pavement an shining golden mosaics. -Later will go to Burano, where we'll wander around, discovering the thousand colors of houses. Later we'll go to see lace making in old shops. -Our third island will be Torcello, an amazing abandoned island, where time has stopped. -Now only 7 people live in this island but in the past was a very important center, as proof of the magnificent cathedral.
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Transport details
Type: Public Transportation / Category: Bus
we'll use public transportation to get to the islands; If you prefer to go by private transportation please send me your inquiry and I will quote the service for you
What's included
What's not included
Meeting location
Veneto, Veneto, Italy
- Your accommodation in Venice (no other islands) - Saint Mark square (under the column with the winged lion) - Railway station (Santa Lucia stop) - Piazzale Roma (in front of the Calatrava bridge)
- You can request a specific meeting location (for example, your hotel) during the checkout.
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8 hours
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If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a deposit!
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