Venice alone is mesmerizing: but what about the other islands in its lagoon? Each one of them is peculiar in its way, maintaining at the same time the elegance of the Venetian tradition.

As you certainly know, Venice is known for the sumptuous gothic-architecture palaces, unique corners where getting lost is quite easy, and the breathtaking view of the sea.

All islands of the Venetian lagoon have their own feature: it is quite interesting to go around and visit them.

During the Serenissima Republic, the equilibrium between water and earth had always been well-balanced. However, starting from the 19th century, private interests got the better of them. The results can be seen through the many modifications made to the original island: planting, the construction of Ponte Della Libertà to connect the island with the mainland, and the digging out of new canals. All these actions inevitably brought instability between the earth and the sea.

The consequent effects were a notable decrease in the number of islands of the lagoon (from 62 in the mid-19th century to 40 today) and the sandbar surface (from 149 km2 in the 20th century to 49 km2 today).

Today it is possible to visit the islands of the Venetian lagoon by taking the vaporetto, the public transport. A typical tour organized for tourists is Murano, Burano, and Torcello in the northern part of the lagoon. Torcello is an island of only 17 habitants, but its precious archeological heritage attracts many visitors.

Burano instead is famous for its colorful little houses and lacework. If you visit it, you will see old ladies busy weaving unique and magnificent lace.

Finally, Murano is known for its secular glass production: it is possible to see the Glass Museum, the Church of San Donato, and the furnaces where blown glass is created. Initially, these furnaces were placed in the center of Venice, but several episodes of fire pushed the Republic to move such activity to a dedicated island. Therefore, Murano is also known as the center of “floating glass production”. Here, the Venetian Glass Masters transform the sand using fire and water to create a pure material. The process of creating crystal for the glass is very complex and dangerous indeed. For this reason, all the artisans of the sector were forced to stay in the Serenissima Republic and were not allowed to leave it to spread the secrets of their art. In several cases, those who attempted the escape were condemned to death.

At YourMurano you can check all the magnificent products created by the artisans. One category, particularly in vogue, is the Murano Glass Aquariums. Through these sculptures, you can dive into the magnificent world of the Venice lagoon. The elaborated design of fish and seaweed will immediately bring back the memory of visiting the city. The Aquariums are a valid substitute of a real one: the opera presents details that perfectly mimic reality.

These little marine worlds are perfect both as a special gift and to give a colorful touch to your living room.