Travel to Murano, to discover the magic of the glass

GThe sacred Ibis fly over the lagoon that embraces in formation The island of Murano. The sunlight at the beginning makes the waves shinewhile the same clouds accumulate on the horizon with which Hugo Pratt illustrated the tables of Maltese short.

Silence envelops the foundations, canals and calls of the island of glassjust ten- twenty minutes of vaporetto from Venice, yet Light years away from chaos and havorourism of the former Serenissima.

Disseminated by green gardens, Murano retains the secrets of the glass windows who work in the thirty lifts left in business. And if the great industrial complexes of the disused furnaces, left at the mercy of the destructive action of the time, have been transformed into a hotel with a discreet luxury, if even here the star chefs landed, Between water and sky survives the most authentic and famous soul of the island, that of the artisan and artistic tradition of glass processing. A magic that arises from the fire, the sweat of the forehead and the skilled techniques handed down from generation to generation in the families of the windows.

The Master Glass Giancarlo Signoretto and his pupil (and partner) Agnese Tegon, 31 years old, first and only woman who works the glass in Murano, in front of the mouths of the ovens have coordinated movements, almost a silent “fire dance” Which does not admit pauses and rethinking, which makes it appear, passage after passing, artifacts from the fantastic transparencies. Tourists observe the stages of their work enchanted. And who knows if after the visit to the furnace they will bring home as souvenirs of glass pearls, multicolor Murrine, or (budget permitting) a work of the author, such as those of Pino Signoretto (1944-2017) unique pieces that his brother Giancarlo jealously hold in the private museum on the first floor of Historical Fornace and Showroom CAM (Piazzale Colonna, 1/B Murano). «The distinctive sign of Pino were the clowns, colored glass sculptures made without a preparatory design. My brother at 19 was already a master glassmaker, »says Giancarlo Signoretto proudly to emotion.

In the palace of wonders

The visit to the glass museum is unmissable (musero.visitmuse.it) at Palazzo Giustinian, formerly home to the bishops of Torcello, “Palazzo della Wondiglie” where you can admire precious objects by retracing the millennial history of this art in Muranomix of skill, inspiration and physical effort. The transparencies and glass “lace” are amazed that decorate the glasses of the ‘700 loved by Giacomo Casanova, who in Murano visited one of his countless achievements: MM, nun of the Augustinian convent of Santa Maria degli Angelias he himself tells in Mémoires de J. Casanova de Seingalt, écrits par lui-même Written in French, between 1789 and 1798 Topkapi jewel caps.

Factory brand: Murrina

The immersion in the world of glass continues to the magnificent exhibition Factories stories. Stories of families. Toso brothers (open until November 24, 2025, which can be visited with the museum ticket, musero.visitmuve.it) Retrospective of the best artistic production of the twentieth century of the Vetreria Fratelli Toso, founded in 1854. A kaleidoscope of forms, glass and memory of the family that renewed the Murrinatrue trademark of the company from the second post -war period onwards. Among the many objects exposed, the vases stand out Silver bands (1934) in massive crystal glass with crystal side bands with silver leaf, presented at the XIX International Art Exhibition of the cities of Venice.

A golden prison

The courtyard, the porch and the splendid garden of Palazzo Giustinian entice to the stop. A “forced” stop for the masters who once worked the glass, forced in 1291 to move from Venice to Murano and remain confined here, to circumscribe the possibility of branches out the secrets of their art. A curiosity: despite the privileges reserved for the Muranesis registered in the “Golden Book”, in 1621 six Master Vetrai escapes to America and begin to manufacture the pearls intended for exchanges with the Redes. In short, the glass changes the life of an island inhabited by servants, peasants and fishermen. Between the XV and the VXII century Murano becomes the most important glass center in Europe. The ancient splendor is testified by the churches.

Between stone laces and “speaking” mosaics

The magnificent apse of the Veneto-Byzantine Basilica of the SS attracts its gaze. Maria and Donato, with the succession of a double row of arches that give a suggestive image of a tunnel. Inside the Church You walk on a XII century mosaic masterpiece: the mosaic Tassellatum (made up of small square cards) and the mosaic sectile formed by cards cut into geometric shapes (triangles, squares, hexagons). The mosaic “reads” as a story, following the succession of allegorical figures made with precious materials such as porphyry, serpentine, marble and vitrea pasta. From above, the Madonna in prayer in the center in the apsidal basin faces “The way of salvation”: the mosaic floor of the central nave of the church.

A touch of baroque

The walk in sacred art continues to the sixteenth -century church of San Pietro Martire which, in addition to the Madonna and Child (1488) by Giovanni Bellini, houses much of the artistic heritage of the other churches and convents suppressed or demolished in Murano during the Napoleonic era. THEn sacristy The strength of the furniture is represented by the Baroque wooden dossals (1652-1666) by Pietro Morando with 33 canvas by half-abruptly depicting characters of mythology, philosophy and history.

The wizard of the blown glass

Traveling along the Fondamenta Vetrai, between the coming and going of the boatmen, stone bridges, shops and historical ovensby turning in Serenella Fondament you arrive at the “Lino Tagliapietra Glass Studio” gallery (visits by appointment, foundation Serenella 15/B, Murano) which exhibits the works of Lino Tagliapietra (Linotagliapietra.com) Perhaps the most contemporary glass blower and artist (born in 1934) in the world. The installation stands out on the tunnel wall Endeavor (2011) A series of gondolas hanging on the ceiling through thin steel wires. It is the nephew Diletta Tagliapietra who tells the genesis of works loved by the most important collectors and museums For the reticolates, the engraved, the beaten, the filigree that follow one another, the continuous varying of the tones and profiles, of the moves moved and living, of the audacity of the forms that derive from it.

And now shopping!

After dreaming of the incredible “special effects” in blown glass of Lino Tagliapietra masterpiecesfalls back on shopping within the reach of all budgets: excellent quality/price ratio of costume jewelery proposed by S. G Shop (Fondamenta Vetrai 8/A, Murano). Davide’s Glass Jewels I think sophisticated (Fondamenta Riva Longa 48, Murano), collections of necklaces with geometric shapes in front of which there is only spoiled for choice.

The game of glass pearls

But also the search for a single Murrina, to be inserted in a crushed in thin steel wire, gives satisfaction. On the banquets of the occasional markets it is not difficult to find handful of glass pearls and vintage Murrine at very advantageous prices, to be used to assemble necklaces and do-it-yourself. Fast break at Murano ice cream shop (Calle Dal Mistro 3), for a delicious artisan cone to the Bussolà Buranello taste, the traditional biscuit of the island of Burano, and we start again. Remembering that Murano is great for its windows, but not only for those.

Discovering the lagoon civity

Palazzo da Mula (Fondamenta da Mula 153) shows off a beautiful facade in Venetian Gothic style. Once the summer meeting for the Venetian nobility, today it hosts the center of lagoon civilization (free admission, centrociviltàlagunare.it), the right place to know the history and ecosystems of the Venice Lagoon (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987) including fishing techniques. At sunset no doubt: the change of light and the empty Murano calls (without tourists returned to Venice) can be admired by sipping a select spritz, the authentic Venetian Spritz.

Where to sleep in Murano

For an authentic stay in Murano, you are looking for and book a house on Airbnb, Airbnb.it

NH Collection Murano. Fondamenta Andrea Navagero 29, Murano. Boutique Hotel in an old renovated glass factory, De Majo, which preserves part of historical architecture.

nH-collection.com/it/hotel/nh-collection-venezia-mUrano-villa

Where to eat

Osteria al DuomoMale foundation 20-21. Curated first courses, an excellent fry of fish and home made desserts. OSTERIAALDUOMO.COM

LeewardRivalonga 27, Murano. Frequed by the premises, for a chat in front of fried cod or meat meatballs and a glass of Spritz Select, the authentic Venetian Spritz, prepared with the Bitter Select and Prosecco.

Tiptoe tipFoundation Marco Giustinian 1, Murano. For an aperitif overlooking the channels, the terrace is open until 19. Puntaconterie.com