Visiting Murano with Kids: all you need to know to visit Venice glass island

Practical family guide to visiting Murano with kids: why go, what to do while there, where to eat and what to expect from the most popular of the islands of Venice.

Murano is one of the two most visited islands of Venice and a cool place to visit with children.

Only a short ferry ride from Venice proper, Murano is the home of the unique craft of glass blowing and a fabulous place to get children to experience this incredible art.

Murano became the home of glass furnaces in 1291 and has been devoted to glass making ever since.

Furnaces and shops are everywhere here and, truly, if you are after a unique Italian souvenir, piece of Murano glass jewelry or exposure to a traditional craft, there is not no better place.

This artisan and commercial vocation is what makes Murano special but also what makes Murano potentially hard to take.

As you dock on the islands, you immediately see signs leading you to glass demonstrations, fancy glass shops and you are hard press to find anyone who is local and trying to lure you into a commercial space.

However, there is more to Murano than this commercialized side and I am happy to report than during our last trip to Murano with the kids, we managed to get away from the maddening crowds and found some lovely, charming and local corners we loved.

In this quick guide, we share how we enjoyed Murano with kids: I hope it helps you plan your day!

Please note: this post contains affiliate links. Should you make a purchase, we might make a small commission.

Why visit Murano with kids

The main reason to visit Murano with kids is to see the big furnaces where glass is made.

You can find Murano glass shops in Venice proper; however, since the XIII century furnaces can only be in Murano islands so, if you want to the kids to see them, this is place to be.

How long to see Murano

Murano is a small island and you can see it in a matter of hours.

When we came here last time, we got the ferry out in the late morning, made a piece of jewelry in Ferro Toso, had a wander and lunch while it cooked /cooled down and were back in Venice in the early hours of the afternoon.

For us, this length of time was sufficient.

In previous trips, we had visited Murano on the same day as Burano: this is probably our favorite way to visit the islands but, in that case, you need a full day to see both properly on your own.

How to get to Murano with kids

There are three ways to get to Murano with kids: water bus, taxi and boat tour. At a glance:

Transport type	Cost	Time needed (approx)
Water bus	$$	20 mins each way + waiting time
Water taxi	$$$	20 mins each way
Tour	$$$	4 – 5 hours transport + stay

The most budget friendly way to reach Murano with kids is the water bus and this is particularly true for families with kids under 6, who get the water bus for free.

Families with older kids can still find the water bus convenient but may want to look into a day pass, as opposed to a return ticket.

I recommend you evaluate on a case by case basis what solution is more convenient to your specific situation.

Good to know: usually, if you take the water bus three or more times in a day, you are better off with the pass. So if you are thinking of seeing both Murano and Burano in a day, there is a very high chance the pass is the way to go. At present, a single ticket is 7.50 Euro while the pass is as low as 12. You can find exact cost on this link (if you use this link and the code MAMALOVESITALY5, you can get a 5% discount)

The water bus is a great way to get to Murano but it can get very busy.

If you have little kids and a stroller, I recommend you have your child in a carrier and fold the stroller for boarding.

At very busy times it is possible you may have to wait for the following boat. We usually board at stop Fondamenta Nuove and get off in Murano at stop Colonna.

To know how to get to Murano by boat, you can use the app CheBateo, which will help you find the best bus line from where you are.

Water taxis and private boat tours are a more expensive yet also a more comfortable way to get to Murano.

This is my list of water taxi companies:

• Consorzio Motoscafi Venezia – www.motoscafivenezia.it
• Consorzio Venezia Taxi – www.veneziataxi.it
• Venezia Turismo Società Consortile s.r.l. – www.veneziaturismo.net
• Consorzio Venice Water Taxi – www.venicewatertaxi.it
• ATI Venice One – www.serenissimataxi.it
• Consorzio Venezia Futura –  www.consorzioveneziafutura.it
• Veneziana Motoscafi – www.venezianamotoscafi.it

When it comes to Murano tours, you can choose among many.

If you want to also see Burano, one I recommend to families with kids is by Matteo, whom you can contact on Instagram (he is also on Airbnb experiences but can give better prices if booked direct tell him I sent you!

Where to experience glass blowing in Murano with kids

Since the best thing to do in Murano with kids is to get acquainted with glass blowing, you may be wondering what are good kid friendly places for it!

Visiting furnaces in Murano with kids is as easy as walking into one of the many you encounter while strolling however, we have found a couple of places worth seeing out.

One is Ferro Toso, a small workshops where kids can make their own murrina (colorful glass composition) and see it cooked.

This workshops doesn’t have the big furnaces to see lampwork; however, it is a lovely, homely, local place where kids can have a real hands on experience and get a personal contact with an artisan.

Another place worth visiting is Vetreria Gino Mazzuccato – you can use the calendar below to check availability and book.

Othe things to do in Murano with kids

As I mentioned above, the main thing to do in Murano is to have a go at glasswork.

The second best thing is to to have wander around the island!

I’m going to be honest: Murano is not as scenic as Venice or Burano; you will not find here the colorful houses of Burano or the mysterious charms of Venice.

however, Murano is pleasant and a great place to have a wander in almost deserted streets!

When we are here, we like to have a wander, take photos of the laundry hanging in the sun and we like to stretch our legs up to the duomo, which is worth seeing.

Where to eat in Murano with kids

Murano has several places for lunch so you won’t have difficulties finding a meal here. Most recently, we had a nice meal Da Tanduo on the canal, which served us lovely spaghetti with clams and spaghetti with squid ink.

For our less adventurous eater they had a very respectable bolognese!

Top tip! if you’re never been to Italy with young children, you may want to read >> our tips for eating out with kids in Italy

Practical consideration if visiting Murano with a baby or toddler

Murano is an easy island to visit with a baby or toddler.

The island is much more stroller friendly than Venice and there are several parts of the island that do not open immediately onto water. However, some do!

Just like I mentioned in my guide to Venice with a toddler, these are not places to let toddlers run ahead around corner as open canals and quays opening right onto the water are present. Always keep them close to you.

Visiting Murano with kids – pin this!