Venice lagoon tour on a Sunday?

Most if not all shops will be open -Sept is still very much in season and these islands are not just for tourists

I would go to Burano first then hit Murano on the way back
The vaporettos can get very crowded as the day goes on
The trip from Burano all the way back to Venice is much longer and you may have a wait as vaporettos fill up.
IIRC we left Burano around 3 and had to wait as 2 vaporettos filled up, we got a spot on the third (that was 6 years ago in May and Venice has only gotten more crowded)

6-7 hours is more than you’d need for Murano but might not be enough for both islands -we much prefer Burano

Don’t forget to validate your pass every time you board

As ChristineH also mentioned, the vaporetto gets very crowded later in the day, especially with people returning from Burano and Murano, so travel times can become unpredictable, and long queues are likely.

Your best bet is either to wake up early and visit Burano first, then head to Murano by midday, or to consider a boat tour that covers the islands you want to see - cost-wise it’s comparable to the day pass for the water buses and you know exactly when you're back in Venice.

Thank you, Christine and Dan! Very helpful to learn about the long waits for vaporettos. Visiting Burano first may be the best plan, and then we can skip Murano if time is short.

Burano is very small, you can walk every street in about 45 minutes. If you get there before the shops open you can get some great photos before the crowds start to arrive. Try to get on the vaporetto at about 0800. Once the shops open do some browsing/shopping, and then visit the lace museum if that interests you.It’s small, but there are some amazing items in there. You should still be done by lunchtime. Then either have lunch there, or get on the vaporetto and make a quick stop at Torcello . This is a very small place, but the ancient church is worth seeing. Then travel on to Murano. It will be busy by the time you get there, but it always is. Wander the shops, go into the museum, maybe watch some glass blowing. You will still be back in Venice in time for dinner.

I’d also recommend visiting Torcello, but the challenge is that it pushes your return from Burano into the busy hours.

Thanks for your advice, Anita and Dan! We'll aim to leave by 8am, since I'd love to get some pics before the crowds move in. It would be nice to squeeze in Torcello, but we'll have to see how things are going. I appreciate all the information! Jean

When you take the vaporetto to Burano, get off at Mazzorbo, last stop before Burano. Then it is a ten minute stroll through some gardens and over the bridge to Burano.
Returning from Burano, the vap may be so crowded that you don’t get on the first boat. But if you walk back to Mazzorbo they will let you board.

Thank you for the great tip! That's very helpful. Jean