3 day in Venice, should I visit Burano and Murano?

After a day (or two) of walking around Venice including visiting your listed attractions you may long for a change. I regret having not explored the surrounding islands.

That question is difficult to answer. If you quilt or some other type of needle point I think you would enjoy Burano a lot, if your into glass blowing then perhaps you would enjoy Murano. For me Murano was just one big knickknack store after another. I would rather spend my time on the main island of Venice. Three days is not a lot of time as most everything is on foot. Popping into every church you see is time well spent. Over the last 15-20 years some of the paintings in each church have been cleaned up so rather than dark green you see beautiful bright colors. Everything is standing or handing where it was made to be. So much nicer than going into a museum with painting after painting. So my vote is skip Burano and Murano. J

If you get an early start, get on the vaporetto by 0830, and get to Burano before the shops open, you can walk the whole place in less than an hour. Then once the shops open you could spend about an hour looking in shops, then head back to Murano. This should get you there before lunch, then you could spend a couple hours there, then head back to Venice, which is less than ten minutes. You will still have plenty of time left in the day.

Unless you’re super into the whole glass making (and selling) thing then Murano does not have much going for it. You can totally give it a pass. Burano was more pleasant and picturesque, and a couple hours there is plenty.

With three days I would probably stick with Venice proper. But if you get to day three and want to get away during peak crowd hours, then a few hours on Burano with the ride through the lagoon can be a fun little option.

Do you have 3 FULL days or is it really 3 nights (2.5 days)?

If the latter stick with Venice

I have 3 full days.

In 2022 I went to Burano and Torcello and absolutely loved this day. I did have 4 full days in Venice, though. I was not interested in Murano for the reasons already mentioned. Burano is wonderfully charming with its brightly colored shops and homes. But what made my visit especially wonderful was a local guide and Burano native who took me on a "hidden Burano" tour. She shared the island's history and some of her own stories. We even ran into her grandmother. After a couple of hours on Burano, we went to Torcello and visited the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, which was amazing. And again, I learned a great deal from my passionate guide. So, my vote would be to go to Burano, but do get off the beaten track and have a good wander! Plus, learning about the people who live there and their history really enriches the experience. The little museum is a delight as well.

Have a wonderful trip!

One of my favorite things to do in Venice is to wander. You can’t get lost as there is plenty of signage pointing back to Rialto and St. Mak’s and you’re on an island, after all. Venice can be really crowded around the main sites but less busy just a few streets over. Also make sure you see the Grand Canal. Perhaps the most inexpensive way is to take a vaporetto (line 1). I like the Accademia so I would nudge in that direction as well, though I understand if you don’t want to enter a museum.

Having been to Murano, Burano and Torcello, I would recommend Burano but with just 3 days I might stay in Venice. Only you know. You’ll have a nice time either way!

i would say stick to venice if you have 3 days. you will never run out of neighborhoods and corners to explore. i did visit murano and burano but i was in venice for 7 days. however, i suggest taking a quick ride to guidecca. it's quiet, has a couple of lovely churches, and offers great views of venice. did not find murano particularly interesting except for the churches. i guess i am not into glass making and selling. burano is a photographer's delight.

One other thing in Venice to consider is the Frari church. Beautiful inside and out and in a pleasant neighborhood.

Thanks everyone. Sounds like half day on Burano is about the right amount of time. I'd get my fill of Venice proper and will keep the Burano option open for if I have time left on my last day