Guide to Buying Murano Glass in Venice Italy or Online.

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Murano Glass in Venice Italy

Glass from Murano is very special, very expensive but exquisitely beautiful. Once you see the real thing you will have no trouble recognizing the cheap imitations.

It is so easy to get ripped off in the shops around St Marks Square that this Murano glass buying guide is essential reading for those who would like to buy genuine article at a decent price.

Photo courtesy of Glass of Murano

The best way to really enjoy Murano is to take a tour. There are two main ones on offer. The first one (click here to view) is the cheaper option and very interesting. Nothing like the other one though.

The "other one" is this private tour of Murano .

Now for a bit of history. If you know all of this, then just skip down to the bottom for our guide on where to shop.

The History of Murano Glass in Venice

Murano is a suburb of Venice dating back to the middle ages. The glass making industry attracted the finest glass craftsmen from the East - of particular note were the Syrian craftsmen.

The Murano story begins in 1292 when the glass making industry was moved from Venice to Murano for safety reasons – basically the kilns kept starting fires in Venice. Venice in that period was built of wood and fire was not exactly welcome.

Murano then developed into a rich village in which many of the Venetian aristocrats build magnificent palaces.

True glass from Murano is made from silica extracted from the Cogòli del Tesìn basin. It is world renowned as the purest and most crystal clear glass to be found anywhere on earth. Exquisitely made murrine are one of the most beautiful examples of the art of the Murano glass makers.

Murrine are still made by hand in the same way they were made in centuries past, the shear quality and work involved justifies completely the high price one has to pay for what is, in all respects, a work of art.

Where to Buy Murano Glass in Venice or Online

In Venice there are two place I can highly recommend. These are as follows:

Tommasi Glass

Tommasi has been making glass for generations. Quality is superb and prices reasonable (as Murano prices go). The factory is right in the heart of the Murano district. Contact details are:

Tommasi & Figli, Murano - Museo, Rivalonga Conterie - 30141 Venice Italy

Phone: +39 041 736051 fax: +39 041 5276182 E-mail: info@tommasi.info

Atelier Glass

For all things Murano, Atelier is well worth to visit. I find their chandeliers and mirrors in particular to be gorgeous. The address is:

Atelier Glass snc, Cannaregio 234 Lista di Spagna, Venice, Italy, tel-fax +39-041-716 727

If you can’t get to Venice then Glass Murano will bring the best Venetian artisans to your home. They deliver worldwide and the quality of the glass is superb. Their site is a bit difficult to navigate but my advice is to persist as their products are invariably better than those on more glitzy competitor sites. You can visit them here.

Another good option is Amazon who have a good range of Murano products - see below for a selection of current deals.

Searching for something? Why not try our Venice Italy Search Engine.