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 minutes for the ride from Venice to Murano, 35 minutes from Murano to Burano, 5 minutes from Burano to Torcello, and 70 minutes from Torcello to Venice. If you leave by 9 am or 10 am, 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 LN, which stands for Laguna Nord (North Lagoon). 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 No. 9 (formerly Line T) traghetto to Torcello and back (5 min. each way). Getting back to Venice: From Burano, the LN 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 minutes. There are actually more vaporetto ferries to Murano than just the LN. 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 the DM (Diretto Murano) express line to reach Murano in about 20 minutes (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 the LN. 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 the DM (Diretto Murano) express line to reach Murano in about 20 minutes (24 min. from Piazzale Roma).

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/...-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!