Booking ahead or not a tour for Murano-Burano and Torcello; any suggestions
 

Hello

Do are 7 people going to Venice in 2 weeks for 3 days.
We are interrested in visiting the Islands-Murano, Burano and Torcello So what are your suggestion ..Do we need to book a tour ahead or can we easily find one . Any suggestion on a company for tours to the island?

Same thing for a gondola ride. do we need to book it ahead?

Thanks
godin

I've never booked a tour to the islands you named. I just used a regular vaporetto ticket to reach them and toured on my own with my group of friends.

The trip out to Burano and Torcello takes about 30 minutes. It was the one time during a 3-day visit that our tickets were actually checked, probably since there's so much time between stops. Be sure you have a validated ticket.

If you book ahead be aware it will cost you about 5e more. You can book instantly near the Doges Palace last year it was 14e. Of course you get the usual buy buy buy for the glass after the factory demo and your time on each island. Walk out of the factory and long the canal the farther you go the cheaper items in general became. If you just want to take a quick look spend 1/2 hour or so looking at the shops its fine. I found Torcello of the most interest, as I am not into shopping that much. Lovely old ruins and homes and a hint and the way of life without the buy buy buy. There is also a nice place to eat there but you have to be quick about it as it filled up pretty fast the day we were there.

I've usually done this trip--all three islands in one day-when I've had an pass of some kind. Most recently, I had a 72-hour pass, which gave me unlimited vaporetto use. I validated upon first use on Day 1 at noon and was able to use it thru Day 4 at noon, covering almost our entire visit to Venice.

I agree with ellenem. No need for a tour to the islands. They are very small, easily walkable on your own.

Hop on the vaporetto and off you go!

Can't help with the gondola question.

Hi godin,

to answer your main question, you absolutely don't need to pre-book to go to the islands.

as you will be in Venice for about 72 hours, the obvious thing to do is to buy a 72 hour vaporetto pass as soon as you arrive - whether at the airport, the station, or piazzale roma. if you arrive at the airport, the pass will cover you for the ACTV bus to piazzale roma, where you can pick up a vaporetto.

the easiest place to pick up the boat for the islands is at the fondamente nove. when we were there at Easter, we took the boat straight to Burano, and after wandering around for about an hour [it's VERY pretty] we had a lovely lunch in one of the restaurants along the main street, then got the boat back to Murano, alighting at the "Faro" stop, and walked through the town to the central vaporetto stop by the glass museum, where we caught the boat back to Venice gardiniera and walked back through the tiny streets of castello.

the 2nd time we went, we again went straight through to Burano, then jumped on the little shuttle boat to torcello [the stop is right next door] and had lunch at one of the lovely restaurants there. then we toured the basilica, walked back to the tiny harbour, caught the boat back to Burano, where we had tea!

then back to Venice, alighting at fondamente nove so that we could go to the gesuiti church again and see the wonderful curtains [amazingly made entirely of marble, like everything else!].

as for gondolas, in 4 visits i haven't been on one yet. but they are ubiquitous - they will hail you!

hope this helps,

regards, ann

Thanks for all your suggestions. I wil wait and get a 72 hour pass for the vaporetto. Sounds like the best plan.
godin

I haven't heard of people being able to pre-book a gondola ride (maybe through a hotel?). Usually the gondoliers will approach you around Venice and start throwing out prices.

My sister and I opted not to take one because they were so expensive, but we learned on our train ride from Venice to Florence that we'd been quoted about 25-40% less than the average male/female couple. So if you're looking to hire one, have two ladies talk to the gondoliers who aren't afraid of haggling... I think you'll get a better price.