Ciao - I am looking to buy some Murano Glass in Venice. Is it worth going to the island of Murano, or can I basically get the same items and the same price on the main island? Thanks for your advice. AJ

The prices are raised for tourists both in Murano and Venezia (which is not one island, but many). It's fun watching the guys making glass on Murano, but the showrooms etc seemed geared toward wealthy tourists.

If you're really rushed I wouldn't bother but I think the trip to Murano is generally worth it. You take a boat ride that takes you along Venice with great views and it is a cute, quaint little island.

Go down to the main waterfront near St Mark's and within seconds, you'll be offered a 'free boat trip to Murano and a tour of the glassworks.' Naively, we took this at face value, expecting maybe a browse through a factory shop at some point rather than the ensuing exercise in high-pressure salesmanship

Remember there's no such thing as a free lunch. You'll be subjected to friendly - but intense - pressure to buy items at prices that have a nose-bleedingly high starting point and then spiral downwards - special deals/you're English/American/German/excess stock/ ad naus - to the point where you're finally asked, 'Well, what would you pay for this then ?' Which rather places you on the spot.

After two hours of this, we escaped by politely explaining that there was no money in the world they could pay us to buy their merchandise. At this point we were equally politely but frostily dismissed and left to make our own way out of the factory - and back to St Mark's by waterbus rather than the free taxi.

THose who'd been unwise enough to come up with a price they'd consider paying merely started off the whole negotiation process again. (And though the glass itself is finely made and it's purely a matter of personal taste whether it appeals or doesn't, it really is very expensive and only marginally cheaper on Murano itself than elsewhere.)

Buying Murano glass either in Venice or in Murano depends on what kind of glass you want(like everything else).... some of it is considered art and done by some great artists ...other is very commercial and then some are made in China... Often this is a case of you get what you pay for... It is easy to get to Muran via the water taxi...6Euros...you don't need the special boats. Once there you can go and see the glass being made without the high sales pitches.. if you have never seen glass blown, in my opinion, I think it is very interesting..good luck and I hope this helps

As a glassblower, I think that Murano is a trip that should not be missed. You should definetly have a look at the glass museum there. I also think that if you take the time to have a glance at the merchandise available in Venice then go to Murano and look through the shops there, you will see the difference between the tourist trinkets and the art. You will pay for the art, if you want to see some fantastic art from Murano artists check out www.linotagliapietra.com
and
www.pinosignoretto.it
both are very accomplished artists, and their work is not affordable for the average joe.
However I have seen both of them work and it is a joy to see their creations.
Anyway take the trip, you'll probably pay a euro to see some guy who should have retired many years ago, pull a pony out of a couple gathers of glass. Try and wander down to a vetreria that is not set up for tourists and ask if you can watch, you'll get a small taste of the repetition that these guys are used to day after day
Its a great place to go, you'll learn something.