Islands near Venice: your ultimate lagoon island-hopping guide

Ever wondered what lies just beyond Venice's famous canals? While the city itself floats on over a hundred tiny islands stitched together by bridges, the wider Venetian Lagoon is home to a constellation of standalone islands, each with a personality all its own.

Ferries and vaporetti (Venice's iconic water buses) depart regularly from stops throughout the city, connecting you to colorful fishing villages, ancient cathedrals, and peaceful stretches of nature in a matter of min.

Whether you're after the rainbow-bright houses and lace-making heritage of Burano, the centuries-old glassblowing tradition of Murano, or the serene ruins of a nearly forgotten island like Torcello, there's an island day trip to match your mood. Find the best Venice island-hopping options below and book your ferry tickets online on Ferryhopper!

The colorful island of Murano

1. Murano

Murano is the most famous island in the Venetian Lagoon, and for good reason: it has been the epicenter of Venetian glassmaking since 1291, when the Republic ordered all furnaces moved here to reduce the risk of fire in the main city.

Today, the island feels like a miniature Venice, with its own canals, palazzos, and quiet residential corners, but with far fewer crowds.

A visit to the Museo del Vetro (Glass Museum), housed in the stunning Palazzo Giustinian, traces a thousand years of the craft, from delicate Roman vessels to contemporary art pieces. Stroll along the Fondamenta dei Vetrai, the main canal-side street, where dozens of workshops still operate with open-door furnaces; watching a master maestro vetraio (glass artisan) pull a molten horse or vase from the flame in under two min. is genuinely mesmerizing. Don't miss the Chiesa dei Santi Maria e Donato, a 7th-century basilica whose mosaic floor rivals anything on the mainland, and the striking Faro di Murano, the only functioning lighthouse in the lagoon.

Murano is one of the easiest islands to reach from Venice. You can catch a ferry from Venice (San Marco) to Murano with 2-4 daily sailings. Ferry tickets cost €9.50, with the trip lasting around 30 min.

From Murano the trip continues to Burano! The Murano - Burano route takes 30 min. and costs €9.50.

The beautiful island of Burano

2. Burano

If Murano is about fire and glass, Burano is about color and thread. This small fishing island is instantly recognizable for its rows of vividly painted houses, each one a different shade of blue, pink, yellow, or green, a tradition said to have helped fishermen spot their homes through the lagoon fog. It's also the historic capital of merletto (Venetian needle lace), a craft so intricate that a single tablecloth can take years to complete.

Wander the narrow streets around Via Baldassare Galuppi, the island's main thoroughfare, where you'll find lace shops, art galleries, and bakeries selling bussolai buranei (ring-shaped butter cookies traditional to the island). The Museo del Merletto (Lace Museum) occupies the former Lace School and showcases extraordinary pieces dating back to the 16th century.

For lunch, grab a table at one of the canal-side trattorias and order risotto de gò (risotto made with small lagoon gobies), a dish you won't easily find anywhere else. And make sure you seek out the famously leaning bell tower of Chiesa di San Martino, the island's own answer to Pisa.

Burano is located in the northern lagoon. The ferry to Burano from Murano takes 30 min. and costs €9.50.

If you wanna go back to Venice the ferry ride Burano - Venice takes about 45 min and also costs €9.50.

The Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, on Torcello Island

3. Torcello

Just a short hop from Burano, Torcello is the lagoon's quietest and most atmospheric island, a place where history practically seeps from the marshy ground. Once home to as many as 20,000 people and arguably the first settlement in the lagoon (predating Venice itself), Torcello today has fewer than a dozen permanent residents. It's an island of ghosts, tall reeds, and astonishing Byzantine art.

The undisputed highlight is the Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta, founded in 639 AD and containing a breathtaking golden mosaic of the Last Judgment that covers the entire western wall. Nearby, the 11th-century Church of Santa Fosca is a small masterpiece of Byzantine-Romanesque architecture.

Sit on the so-called Throne of Attila, a weathered stone chair in the square whose true origins remain debated, or simply walk the island's single canal path through overgrown gardens and past crumbling brick foundations. The Museo di Torcello, housed in two small medieval buildings beside the basilica, displays archaeological finds ranging from Roman fragments to medieval pottery.

Torcello is typically reached via Murano: ferry tickets cost €9.50 and the trip takes approximately 30 min. If you are in the city, from Venice's Fondamente Nove, the total journey takes around 50 min. with the connection.

From Torcello you can also visit Burano. The Torcello - Burano ferry route is quick, only 10 min., with ticket prices starting at €9.50.

Note: the €9.50 price is a fixed time-based fare and does not depend on the distance or the specific route. The ticket is valid for 75 min .from the first validation and allows you to transfer between different lines (for example, from Venice to Murano and then on to Burano) as long as you stay within the time limit.

Island-hopping around Venice: travel tips

Not sure where to start or how to organize your lagoon tour? Here's a simple day-trip itinerary through three very different islands: Murano for craftsmanship, Burano for color, and Torcello for peace and history. All three are connected by regular vaporetto lines, making it easy to hop from one to the next.

Morning: Venice → Murano

Start your day at Fondamente Nove and catch a vaporetto to Murano. The island is lively but noticeably calmer than Venice, and it's the perfect place to ease into the day.

Late morning: Murano → Torcello

You can reach Torcello from Murano in a 30-minute ride. Once the most populated island in the lagoon, today Torcello it's a quiet, almost rural escape with only a handful of residents. The atmosphere shifts here: fewer crowds, more open green spaces, and a deep sense of history.

Afternoon: Torcello → Burano

From Torcello, hop on the vaporetto to Burano, the most photogenic stop on your itinerary. The island is famous for its rows of brightly painted houses, narrow calli (alleyways), and centuries-old lace-making tradition. Don't leave without trying a bussolà (a traditional ring-shaped butter cookie from Burano), perfect with an espresso as a mid-day treat.

Late afternoon: Burano → Venice

Head back to Burano to catch a direct vaporetto to Venice in the late afternoon. If your timing is right, the return ride offers one of the best views of the day: the lagoon bathed in golden light as the sun starts to set. It's the kind of quiet, unscripted moment that makes a day of island hopping in the Venetian Lagoon truly unforgettable.

Note: Got some extra time or an additional day in Venice? Extend your lagoon adventure and explore other islands like Lido di Venezia, Giudecca, and Sant'Erasmo, each with its own distinct charm.

Island-hopping around Venice: book your ferry tickets

The Venetian Lagoon is one of Europe's most rewarding ferry playgrounds, and the best part is that nearly every island is a quick, affordable ride from the city center. On Ferryhopper, you can search, compare, and book your ferry tickets with no hidden fees, securing the best available prices in just a few clicks.

Whether you're planning a single day trip to Murano and Burano or mapping out a full lagoon-hopping itinerary, having your tickets sorted in advance means more time on the water and less time in line.

Explore all the ferry routes from Venice on our Map of ferries and start planning your unforgettable adventure in the Venetian Lagoon: pick your islands, and let the lagoon do the rest!