On Tuesday there was no high water, and none for the rest of our visit. As Venetians went about the business of cleaning up and drying out, we got transit passes and grabbed a Vaporetti (water bus) to Murano the island famous for its glass. The transit passes are great, total hop on/hop off transportation to almost all the islands in the lagoon and around Venice.Our first stop in Murano was the Museo Del Vetro, the Murano Glass museum. This was an excellent way to start our wanderings around the island. The exhibits provide an excellent review of the history and progress of glass making artistry on the island.
Murano really is all about the glass. You can take factory tours and shop for glass in what must be 100+ shops. A must visit are the two shops for Venini. It's more of a visit to an art gallery than a store. Everything's for sale, but chances are you won't be able to afford it. What I really liked about this store was you were encouraged to touch, unlike most stores with signs everywhere saying "DO NOT TOUCH". Communing with the pieces that cost tens of thousands of Euros was a great thrill. If you don't have time to get to Murano you can admire a smaller selection of Venini next to the Basilica San Marco.
Regardless of your budget you'll be able to grab a souvenir as prices cover the full range. We bought some double old fashion glasses, a vase and a small hand blown Christmas tree with little glass ornaments you hand on it. Murano also struck us as a nice place to get away from the crush of tourists during the busier season and the restaurants were a little less expensive, so plan on staying for a bite.
From Murano we took a round-about route to Burano. The head housekeeper had encouraged us to see this quaint island. Renowned in the past for its intricate lace, the designs of the past really aren't made anymore, but you'll see examples in the Venetian museums. Today the island is known for the visual appeal of its brightly painted homes. Fun to look at, we walked the main street and experienced a phenomena we started to notice elsewhere in Venice. At the end of the work day, rather than going home, the people would gather in the middle of the streets and piazzas, smoking and talking. The men would make the rounds of the local bars having a single Compari and moving on to the next bar after a smoke outside. We joined in, stopping in a couple of bars for a glass of red wine on our way back to the boat.
That night we had dinner at Osteria ai Schiavoni, Calle del Dose, 3734. They had a good wine list and a nice atmosphere.
