This was a great experience. It started out a little rough because the place was really hard to find, even more so because there was construction and scaffolding by the entrance to the via that you needed to get to. That made us late and the shop owner was very upset about it (as was I). Eventually he came around and our boys ended up having a really great experience with him. He was patient and kind with the kids and very kind to me as well. While I was there, many people came to find him saying they bought masks years ago from him and wanted to find him. His quality was exceptional - everything in the shop was made by either him or his wife and the you could see how much the loved their work. He has been doing this his whole life and his passion was unmistakable. We got great products and wonderful memories for our kids! High recommend this - just be on time ;)
We booked in Giorgio's laboratory, during the recent New Year's Eve 2023. In addition to the charm of entering a real artisan laboratory, where you can already visually breathe the history of Venice and its Carnival, we were fascinated by Giorgio's stories about some of the masks traditions and on the origins of this important festival for the city, combining a unique practical experience with an unrepeatable cultural excursus that made us learn something more about Venice to appreciate it even better. Our daughters were happy with what was done and in their room today the masks made by them stand out with the wise advice of Mastro Giorgio! Not to be missed for those who want to fully experience Venice!
Already on the boat trip by taxi to Murano, our guide Giovanna explained a lot of interesting things about Venice and the origin of the glass manufactories. The private tour of the glass factory was very impressive and informative. Due to the special Corona situation, the four of us were the only guests, which meant that we were looked after extremely courteously and personally. The subsequent stroll with Giovanna through Murano with a visit to two churches in which pictures by old masters were hidden on the walls, the onset of flooding due to the tide and the many stories that Giovanna knew to tell us about Murano and Venice rounded off our private tour away. A very successful trip!
Fantastic experience and Giorgio is an absolute GEM! Not only is he superb artist, but also he (along with his wife and son) is one of the last authentic Venetian mask makers!! Who better to learn from than an artisan himself? Did this activity by myself-braved the rain in the early morning to make it! Highly recommend this quite enjoyable, unique and relaxing activity, especially if you enjoy crafting and learning more about the history of the Venetian carnival mask! You get to ask him about his other masks and keep yours as a souvenir! And he also offers discounts if you decide to purchase one of his own painted masks!
We loved our Murano/Burano tour. This was a unique experience. From the boat ride, to the glass blowing and lace-making demonstrations, to tasting the traditional Burano biscuits, it packed a lot of great experiences into one tour. Our tour guide, Marta, was wonderful! She was friendly, enthusiastic, and extremely knowledgeable about the history of Venice, the islands, and the lagoon. Thank you Marta!! We also had a skilled boat captain who did a great job of navigating the low tides. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone!
It was an incredible experience! I highly recommend! We got super lucky as we had the main artist! He was telling us the history of the mask, showed us his work, as well as his wife and children. He outlined our masks and added some detail in the end. He was great with my 7 y/o daughter! He was very patient with her and made a few jokes. Needless to say, my daughter wanted to go back the next day! Its a nice setting as it can be just a private family event. We had the whole room to ourselves. Highly recommend!
The ticket gave us access to the Palazzo, the Bridge of Sighs and the prison to view at our own pace and this was what we wanted. We did pick up an audio guide for €5 within the palace but unfortunately the battery on the device ran out halfway through so they gave us our money back. The guide book provided with the ticket was a generic book on the area, not just the Palazzo, but nevertheless it is a good guide providing lots of lovely photos and information that we used to help us during our stay in Venice.
What’s more Venetian than a carnival mask? This workshop was such a wonderful way to experience one of Venice’s trademark crafts firsthand. Giorgio was patient, informative, generous with his expertise, and kind. We learned so much and had so much fun, plus we’re taking home one-of-a-kind souvenirs: SO much better than buying factory-made junk, and so meaningful! You shouldn’t miss this! And it’s definitely not just for kids: I did this workshop with my two teenagers, and I loved it. It was very meaningful.
Just follow the meeting point in Google maps and it will bring you right to their newspaper stand (read their detailed description on how to find them). Don’t forget to download the audio guide in advance (either before or the stand has some wifi and a QR code to download) and bring headphones to listen with it. So far, in Italy, most audio guides are done by listening to a cheap phone/device placed beside your ear but having it on your own device /w headphones is much better.
All aspects of the trip were very good. The Virtual Reality experience at the beginning was great, the boat trip with the guide’s commentary was really interesting. Murano glass blowing was fascinating and we had time for a stroll to see part of the island. Burano was simply beautiful and there was plenty of time to explore and to sit down for some lunch. Overall an excellent experience with a great guide and good value for money. I would highly recommend it to anyone
The Doge's palace is amazing! However, Skip-the -Line Entry ticket was not what I expected. I've had to leave to go back across the Piazza to find the kiosk, where I retreaved the ticket and the small guide book, which wasn't an exclusive guide book for the Doge's Palace, but a tiny guide book on Venice! Also, The price was much higher if you just queued to buy your ticket straight from the ticket office. Disappointed.
The booking was easy and uncomplicated, but the lady at the kiosk, who had to exchange the voucher for the ticket, was very unfriendly and impolite. She had no idea and it took forever. Luckily we had planned a little more time and nothing was going on yet. Suggestion: it's better to provide the ticket directly. Otherwise it was definitely worth standing in line just 5m instead of 500m.
Lots of signs in each room in different languages give history of the room and artwork. They block off specific pathway through the palace so it is easy to flow through in one direction so as not to get lost or miss anything. There were people with an app on their phone to use as audio guide but you have to download it where there’s wifi. We were happy reading the signs.
Fantastic tour with Giovanna, an extremely nice, hard-working Venetian woman who speaks perfect German. Very well organised, extensive and interesting information about Murano and the history of this small island. Lots of new impressions and, above all, good memories. Absolutely great and highly recommended! We (Nina and Jürgen) say thank you dear Giovanna
Amazing experience. Thanks a lot Alexandra for the detailed and wonderful trip. It was both memorable and mesmerising experience for us. Carnival mask workshop, glass making tour to Ivano Soffiato, chocolate tasting event all were wonderful but what topped all of this was your detailed guide and walking tour of Venice. Thanks a lot for the experience.
Amazing time had. Great fun for all the family including children of 6 and 4. Very friendly family run shop. The experience is choosing a mask blank from the selection, painting it and decorating it. In between waiting for the mask to dry and decorating you get to ask lots of questions and get an overview history of mask making. Highly recommended.
This was such a fun experience to share with the man I love. I have always wanted to paint with him and happy he agreed to do this workshop. The mask making process was so relaxing after long days of travel and exploring. The artist was very nice and even threw in some history to understand the meaning of masks and why they were/are worn.
We chose a private tour with a guide to the island of Murano, and it was a very pleasant experience, a far cry from group tours. Our guide took the time to tell us about the history of Venice and we visited places far from the tourist crowds. We stayed in Venice for four days, and this outing was by far the best. Grazie mille!
Very great experience! Very relaxed athmosphere and endearing shop. Our instructor was very skilled and we had a great conversation. The masks we made are good souveniers and you can buy the beautiful ones he makes for a descount. We also got a few tips about where to go and what to see in Venice. Definitely recommended!
Great host and tutor! Very professional, super friendly and it was amazing seeing how quickly and with genious strokes he was able to finish the masks we had created. My wife and daughter had an incredible time. We will definitely go back there when we'll be back in Venice next year. I highly recommend it.
Workshop was good and the artist very nice. We got a beautiful mask out of it. I personally would rate the workshop too pricey though for 50 mins, a bit of painting on our own and the artist making a 5 min beautiful finish. The shop itself is great though and I can recommend to go there.
We had a really good time with our guide and mask assistant. We got a lot of useful and interesting information and left knowing a bit more about the amazing history of the city. Our guide also provided us with some surprises and gifts and was all around very friendly. Highly recommend!
Simply exchange the voucher for the tickets at the kiosk beforehand (very easy to find!) and join the much shorter queue at the Doge's Palace (wear a mask, no problem), wait a moment, take your temperature at the entrance and off you go. Great visit, impressed!! It's worth it
This was a great way to skip the line last-minute. The ticket exchange point is on the other side of the plaza through the corridor that passes the Correr museum entrance, FYI, so go early to get your voucher swapped because you’ll have to walk the length of the plaza after
Excellent experience with my nephew who is six years old. A day later he is still talking about the mask . The instructor was very patient and I loved that we were able to work in a small group with focused attention on us. A good value for the money and great for kids.
My boyfriend and I went to paint masks and it was a super fun interactive activity. The shop was so cute and we had a great time. We even bought some masks from the owners. They owners were extremely nice and very informative and helpful. I would definitely go again.
The tour guide was very helpful and was pointing out various landmarks around the islands. The passengers were split into two groups, one each for two glass factories on Murano. We went to the Mazzucato factory which had a very good demonstration of glass blowing
What a trip and yes beat the queues was a must The on the day queue was a least a hour long The palace was out of this world with all its room and pairings and the excusâtes architecture Although very busy the palace was large enough not to be crowded
I loved the 15min commentary prior to the ride and wish that was longer. The boats seated 4 so we were with another couple. The Gondolier smiled when he saw us taking selfies that he was in the background on, so cute! Great value for the money
Boat ride pleasant Not enough time given at glass blowing in our opinion Lace making interesting again not enough time Note that it says tour is 4.5 hours That does not include the boat ride return so add another 35-40 to your day
A nice well rounded hour. we started with a mini walking tour, enjoyed the gondola, then had a VR experience on the history of Venice which was cool. Beatrice was great, very friendly and smiley.
Outstanding visit. The guide Giovanna made us feel at home, prepared and professional. The whole visit is an unmissable emotion to give to yourself and your family. Exceeded our expectations
Francesca Gin was an excellent guide, she was very experienced and told us everything we needed to know about Venice. Definitely recommended! This is a must do when you’re here in Venice!
I really enjoyed the event! First, there was a short city tour with a guide, then you get into a gondola with a group of four people, and at the end, there’s a small 3D tour of Venice.
Very enjoyable relaxing morning ride on the canal. I strongly recommend doing it earlier in the day where there is less traffic and the main sound you hear is of the oar in the water.
What a wonderful day with our guide in Murano. We loved the tour of the glass factory and a walk to the amazing church in the island. It was a perfect way to spend the day.
Our experience with a nine-year-old was great. Even with no experience, each of us wound up with a lovely mask of our own making—with Giorgio’s expert help.
Brilliant activity. The gondola ride was great, and the walk to the gondolas the guide was very informative and gave a good invite to the history of Venice
Our guide David was exceptional. So many interesting pieces of history, personal stories and insights. It was like spending the day with a local friend.
The guide was lovely, informative and entertaining. It would be nice to have time to explore Murano but it was a great experience. The boat was fun
