Venetian glass is known around the world as being of the highest quality and most stylistic designs. Many people who visit the city and the surrounding areas do so with the express intent of seeing the famous Murano glass factory in Venice Italy. Here you can witness the artisans themselves engaging in the age old craft of glass blowing and glass making. Venice glass tours are some of the most popular, along with tours of the local churches and historical sites, as well as tours of the lace making school and museum in Burano.

The art of making Venetian glass has been around since well before the thirteenth century. In fact, by that time, many of the techniques that are used to this very day in the making of some of the finest pieces of glass art, were already being refined. Glass making in this region of northern Italy was heavily influenced by Byzantine artisans who fled to Venice when Constantinople was overrun in 1204. This happened again in the middle of the fifteenth century when Constantinople was besieged by the Ottomans. By the early sixteenth century, the Venetian glass makers had become masterful craftsmen of many different varieties of techniques. The excellence of the craftsmanship is evident when you take Venice glass tours, or visit the retail establishments where you purchase the glass. From jewelry and ornaments, goblets and plates, to lamps and chandeliers, elaborate pottery to tiny souvenir trinkets, you can find just about anything made of glass in Venice.

There are still a number of the world’s most prominent glass makers in Venice. If you are a serious collector and are headed to Venice to make a significant investment in a chandelier or expensive lamp, as an example, you will have little to worry about. This has been one of the chief export businesses for Venice over the centuries, so suffice it to say, they have the process down. If you purchase a piece of glass in Venice, you can have it shipped home and it will arrive to you in perfect shape.

Venice Map

The Vecchia Murano Glass Factory in Venice Italy is the main attraction when it comes to glass in the Venetian Lagoon. It is located just a few steps away from St. Mark's Square and the Bridge of Sighs. You have the option of signing up for Venice glass tours, which are relatively inexpensive considering the sheer volume of amazing pieces of glass art you get to see. And the real treat is watching the artisans perform the craft that has been so prevalent in the region for so many years. There is a gift shop with plenty of small and affordable trinkets and souvenirs that you can take home with you as a reminder that visited the epicenter of glass making in Europe. Venetian glass has played an extremely important role in growth and development of Venice’s economy over the course of the past 500 plus years and it remains a tradition that draws the attention of tourists and consumers from around the world.