TTT

These directions look very good and are realistic. I prefer allocating more time to Burano than Murano.

Several time we have gone to Piazza San Marco early in the morning and taken one of the free water taxies to a factory at Murano. After we watch the glass making demo and tour the factory, we go out the door and wander around the town of Murano. Then we go on to Burano and Torcello by vaparetto.

Also keep in mind that you can walk from Mazzorbo over a small bridge to Burano. Charming island.

Okay, so far so good. I'm forwarding this information onto four other travelers, and I am trying to be accurate.

If my directions are accurate, this thread may help other Fodorites.

Also, there is the possibility to eat on both Burano and Torcello [and Murano of course, but we haven't done that]. we had very nice lunches on both islands - one sat out in the sun on Burano eating "moeche" [fried baby crabs] and another in the midst of a deep fog on Torcello at the trattoria Attila - which we found surprisingly good. [for example, the say before we had been stung €10 for a very poor mixed salad in venice proper - here we got an excellent mixed green salad for only €3-4]

if you follow i am Kane's idea of getting the LN back, you could also do what we did and get off at the Giardino stop and walk back through a very "local" area of Venice where few tourists penetrate. Lots of non- touristy shops, kids playing football, matrons doing their shopping, and cheap gelato!

Unfortunately, some of your line designations are incorrect. As of 2 November 2011, the vaporetto lines were renumbered. Some didn't change, some did. Now the only line with a letter designation is the night boat, Line N. The Line LN you mention that tops at Faro, Mazzorbo, and Burano, is now Line 12. (Other LN routes have become Lines 10, 14, and 14L.) Line DM is now Line 3. Here's a helpful article and chart:

http://livingveniceblog.com/2011/10/new-vaporetto-line-numbers/

"stops" at Faro . . .

(Say "hello" to Sandro and Walter at Hotel al Ponte Mocenigo from me.)

I am printing this out to take with us. Saves me a lot of time and questions. Thank you for taking the time to do this, much appreciated.

ellenem, Wow this is so confusing, thankfully you were patient enough to review my directions carefully. I did my best editing, but would appreciate your keen eye by rereading it.

I hope Maudie checks back after this doc is corrected.

Murano, Burano, Torcello:

Get up early in the morning since to visit all three islands takes a good five to seven hours. The time you spend on Burano and Torcello is in one-hour increments (vaporetti ferries leave hourly), and one hour is about enough for each. Add in 10 min. for the ride from Venice to Murano, 35 min. from Murano to Burano, 5 min. from Burano to Torcello, and 70 min. from Torcello to Venice. If you leave by 9 or 10 a.m., you can be back in Venice by late afternoon/early evening (assuming you take time to have lunch). Time it just perfectly, and you ride back to Venice with the sunset sending orange sparklers across the waters of the lagoon as you arrive. Cool.

The main vaporetto line to take to reach the outlying islands in the northern Venetian lagoon is the extra-large express Line 12. It takes off from Fondamente Nove, which is way up on the north side of the Castello district (though there are two shortcuts from/near San Marco). It stops at the main "Faro" (lighthouse) vaporetto stop on Murano (8 min.), then continues to the residential island of Mazzorbo (another 24 min.), then across a channel to Burano (10 min. from Mazzorbo—which means 34 min. total from Murano, or 42 min. total from Venice).

Specifically when staying at the Hotel al Ponte Mocenigo: Rather than relocate to find a traghetto, you can just hop across the Grand Canal from the San Stae stop on whatever boat comes along. From the stop on the other side (Ca' d'Oro or S. Marcuola; though Ca' d'Oro would be closer) you can make the same walk to Fondamente Nove. If time permits, try to get to the Fondamente Nove a bit early, and go around the corner to the church of the Gesuiti (Santa Maria Assunta)- the marble carvings of drapes and swags are absolutely amazing.

From Burano, you can grab Line 9 (formerly Line T) traghetto to Torcello and back (5 min. each way). Getting back to Venice: From Burano, Line 12 continues around the littoral (the eastern-most, barrier islands between the lagoon and the Adriatic Sea), stopping at Treporti, Punta Sabbioni (where all the campgrounds are), and one or two stops on the Lido before returning to Venice proper at the S. Zaccaria/Piazza S. Marco stop, which is just east of Piazzetta San Marco (along the Riva degli Schiavoni promenade, in front of the Hotel Danieli). Total time: 70 min. There are actually more vaporetto ferries to Murano than just Line 12. From the San Marco area you can take Line 4.1 (travels counterclockwise) or one of the airport-bound Alilaguna lines.

From Fondamente Nove, you can also take Line 4.1 or 4.2 (travels clockwise). From Ferrovia (train station) or Piazzale Roma (parking lot), you can grab Line 3 express line to reach Murano in about 20 min. (24 min. from Piazzale Roma).

If you happen to be staying on Murano—or just want to hit it en route to Venice—the Blu (blue) and Rosso (red) Alilaguna ferries from the airport all stop at Murano (30 min.). There are actually more vaporetto ferries to Murano than just Line 12. From the San Marco area you can take Line 4.1, or one of the airport-bound Alilaguna lines.

From Fondamente Nove, you can also take Line 4.1 or 4.2. From Ferrovia (train station) or Piazzale Roma (parking lot), you can grab Line 3 express line to reach Murano in about 20 min. (24 min. from Piazzale Roma).

Line N is the night boat, and the only boat designated with a letter
Line 10 is direct to Lido, S. Marco Giardinetti Shuttle (navetta)
Line 14 connects S. Zaccaria Pietà – Lido – Punta Sabbioni
Line 14L (limited service) serves Punta Sabbioni – Lido
Line 22 serves Punta Sabbioni – Fondamente Nove – Tre Archi

It seems like you are giving some of the same information twice, and mentioning unnecessary information. (I spent many years in educational publishing writing steps in a process, so trust me on this.) I would delete the reference to "extra large express" since it may not be the case--Line 12 is all one needs to know. The former LN route has been broken up into different routes with different numbers, so your section on getting back to Venice is incorrect. Beyond Burano, Line 12 goes to Treporti, and at some times Punta Sabbioni, but no further. It does not loop back around to Lido or San Marco. Lines 10 and 14 now cover those routes. I'm unsure why you are mentioning Lines 10, 14, 14L and 22 at the end of you directons, since they are not direct boats to Murano, Burano, or Torcello. If you mention them, you might as well mention every other line. Therefore, I suggest these edits:

Murano, Burano, Torcello:

Get up early in the morning since to visit all three islands takes a good five to seven hours. The time you spend on Burano and Torcello is in one-hour increments (vaporetto ferries leave hourly), and one hour is about enough for each. If you leave by 9 or 10 a.m., you can be back in Venice by late afternoon/early evening (assuming you take time to have lunch). Time it just perfectly, and you ride back to Venice with the sunset sending orange sparklers across the waters of the lagoon as you arrive. Cool. Approximate duration of the journey:
Venice (Fondamenta Nove) to Murano: 10 minutes
Murano to Burano: 35 minutes
Burano to Torcello: 5 minutes
Torcello to Venice (Fondamenta Nove): 50 minutes

The main vaporetto line to take to reach the outlying islands in the northern Venetian lagoon is Line 12, which departs from Fondamente Nove on the north side of the Cannaregio district. One can walk to Fondamenta Nove or connect there from a number of other vaporetto lines. Line 12 stops at the "Faro" (lighthouse) vaporetto stop on Murano (8 min.), continues to the residential island of Mazzorbo (another 24 min.), and crosses a channel to Burano (another 10 min.—which means 34 min. total from Murano, or 42 min. total from Venice/Fondamenta Nove).

Specifically when staying at the Hotel al Ponte Mocenigo in Santa Croce: It is most convenient to hop across the Grand Canal from the nearby San Stae stop on whatever Line 1 vaporetto comes along in either direction. From the stop on the Cannaregio side (Ca' d'Oro or S. Marcuola) you can walk to Fondamente Nove. (Note that the walk from Ca' d'Oro would be a shorter.) If time permits, try to arrive at Fondamente Nove a bit early, and visit the nearby Church of the Gesuiti (Santa Maria Assunta) -- the marble carvings of drapes and swags are absolutely amazing.

From Burano, take Line 9 traghetto to Torcello and back (5 min. each way).

Getting back to Venice: From Burano, return to Venice by reversing your journey, taking Line 12 in the direction of Mazzorbo, Faro, and Fondamenta Nove. Total time: 34 min.

There are multiple vaporetto ferries from the main island of Venice to a number of different stops on Murano: Line 12 from Fondamenta Nove; Line 4.1/4.2 (same route in opposite directions) from many vaporetto stops around perimeter of Venice (including Piazzale Roma, Ferrovia, San Marco/San Zaccaria, Fondamenta Nove); Line 3 from Piazzale Roma or Ferrovia. However, to reach Burano or Torcello from Murano, you must take Line 12 from “Faro.”

If you happen to be staying on Murano—or just want to hit it en route to Venice—the Blu (blue) and Rosso (red) Alilaguna ferries from the airport all stop at Murano (30 min.).

ellenem,

You are a kind person to take time out of your day to edit these directions, and I do trust you.

Now, maybe I should start a new post informing folks of the new vaporetto lines and routes.

in case you end up at the Fondamente Nuove with time to spare, do pop round the corner to the church of the Gesuiti [open mornings only] and have a look at the wonderful curtains and swags. only after a while do you realise that they are carved in marble. we went back a 2nd time just to have longer to look at them.

Frankly we prefer Torcello and spent much longer there. Did not do all in one way. Cannot remember the details - but it wasn;t difficult - got directions from the hotel concierge.

Just avoid the tours at all costs - since they are focused on getting you to buy junk you don;t want.

annig,

I already have the church of the Gesuiti in my directions with the exception of OPEN MORNINGS ONLY. That's helpful.

nytraveler,

This is our third visit to Venice, but we never visited any of the islands. My preference would be Burano and Torcello.

oops. I am kane - I missed that.

but great minds think alike!

Now I can happily print off the directions seeing as you have all spent so much time to make it perfect, thanks so much.

Prego, Maudie. Glad to have helped.

It's the helpful things like this that make this board and traveling to new destinations so enjoyable. And yes, i_am_kane, you certainly did!

Thanks for the directions, I am sure many will find them useful. I take issue though with the very subjective "one hour is enough for each" type of advice. I have yet to go to Torcello so can't comment but in my own subjective view, one hour hardly begins to scratch the surface of a visit to Burano unless a quick run through snapping a few photos is what is considered a sufficient visit. To me that is a "If its Tuesday, this must be Belgium" approach to travel. There are many folks here on this forum who travel to explore and to savor a place.

Bookmarking this excellent info!

Glad to help, i_am_kane. To me it is a relatively simple, straightforward trip, but I also travel on the NYC subway system. I wanted to make the directions as straightforward as possible for you and others who might be interested.

baskingstoke2, understand your point, but it will suffice for most people.

BTW, I did post the corrected version yesterday separately.

Thank you for the info.

Salt and I are staying in a hotel that is adjacent to the Ca' Pesaro Museum of Oriental Art.

When I look at my Streetwise Venice Map, there is a dotted line going across the Grand Canal from Campo Pescaria to Pal. Pesaro on the other side.

Is this a boat crossing? Could we cross the GC here?

Another question:

Instead of taking boat from S. Stae to Ca' d'Oro on the other side of the GC to walk to Fondamente Nuove, could we walk over the Rialto Bridge to get there?

Or would that be to out of the way?

I have been to Murano and Burano before, but by private boat.
I can remember a very nice fish lunch at Gatto Nero on Burano.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give to Salt and Pepper for their May 27-June 11, 2012 trip to Venice.


Tschuss,
Pepper

i-am, I respectfully disagree for the reasons stated above.

baskingstoke2...that's why there's chocolate and vanilla!

Pepper, I think you and Salt would very much enjoy lunch at Locando Cipriani on Torcello. Of course reservations required. It's truly lovely and a great way to spend an afternoon. Be sure to visit the church with its interesting mosaics.

The dotted line across the canal is probably indicative of a traghetto route.

Enjoy!

I think you and Salt would very much enjoy lunch at Locando Cipriani on Torcello>>

i think that we would all enjoy that, but the budget might not stretch, in which case I recommend the somewhat cheaper options mentioned above.

and do NOT miss the Basilica on Torcello - i remember particularly that it was LAST renovated in about 11..something - quite a while ago. the mosaics are terrific, and if you are lucky, you get a fantastic view of the Dolomites as you leave.

You can get to the Fondamente Nuova by getting a vaporetto up the Gand canal, or by walking up to the rialto Bridge - it's up to you. if you got an early start, you could spend a little time at the Rialto Market on the way - as well as the famous fish market, there are lots of meat and veg stalls that are also worth a look.

"When I look at my Streetwise Venice Map, there is a dotted line going across the Grand Canal from Campo Pescaria to Pal. Pesaro on the other side. Is this a boat crossing? Could we cross the GC here?"
Yes, Pepper, this dotted line is a traghetto, a gondola ferry that crosses back and forth across the Grand Canal at this point and at a few other points. The traghetti are not part of the vaporetto system and cost half a euro per crossing and do not operate at night. Since i_am_kane is staying right next to San Stae, using the vaporetto to cross will be quite convenient. Take the route that is convenient or interesting to you. I_am_kane developed these directions based in other threads in which the question was also asked about this same traghetto--thus the statement to use the more covenient option to the exact location.

"Another question: Instead of taking boat from S. Stae to Ca' d'Oro on the other side of the GC to walk to Fondamente Nuove, could we walk over the Rialto Bridge to get there? Or would that be to out of the way?"
it would be out of the way, but that makes it no less valuable as an option. It depends on how you want to spend your day, whether you want to get a quick start or meander a bit on your way to Fond. Nove. It's a personal choice. (For me as well, I might want to save my knees the climb over that high bridge . . .)

Thank you all for your help.

We will check out Locando Cipriani in Torcello. If it is too posh we will skip it. For a trip out to the islands we don't want to dress and I wouldn't think of going to a posh place without a jacket.

Would love to see if Gatto Nero is still there in Burano.

Tschuss,
Pepper

Locando Cipriani is not so posh as it's big brother in Venice proper. I just looked at my photos to see what the handsome gentlemen dining alone across from us was wearing and he had on a v-neck sweater.

You can also eat in the garden if the weather is nice.

Gatto Nero has a website. http://www.gattonero.com/it/index.html

Bookmarking for upcoming trip