The guide Ricky was brilliant, very informative and gave a great commentary on the way to the gondola with an unexpected mini walking tour...Ricky deserves 10 out of 10 for his part however, he saved the day with my review which would have been for a lot less starts otherwise because unfortunately the gondola rode wasn't as good. We were told we would be directed by the gondolier, where to sit to balance the gondola ...he didn't give any directions and the gondola was then weighted too much on one side by uneven passengers weights which meant that it very much felt and looked as though we would tip over the whole time, the water almost came into the boat it was that close in fact. All passengers screamed when we first pushed away from the dock as the gondola lurched so badly to one side it felt to us all like it was going to flip over. We saw no other gondola having this problem.....My daughter was terrified the whole time and and it ruined our experience of our first time on a gondola.
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!
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.
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
This worked well for me as a solo traveller as the usual prices meant it wouldn't have been an option for me on my own. Bit of a guided tour on the way to the Gondola ride which was quite serene once we were on our way. A bit of waiting around so you need to allow a couple of hours taking everything into consideration. The gallery at the end was well worth staying for, you really felt that you were there and had gone back in time with the 3D experience.
Great value and a must do if you're in Venice for the first time. The Gondola ride comes with 5-10 minutes of commentary on the history of Venice prior to the ride. The ride is shared, meaning you will be on the Gondola with other people. After the ride, there is an optional VR experience that details some more history in a very cool VR video seen with a VR headset in which the history is shown to you visually as well as auditory.
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!
Experiencing Venice from a different perspective, from the canals, was a must do! Emma our guide gave us some extra info about Venice and the history of Gondolas, which was really interesting. Ending with a VR tour taking you back to the 15th century was quite entertaining.
Experiencing Venice from a different perspective, from the canals, was a must do! Emma our guide gave us some extra info about Venice and the history of Gondolas, which was really interesting. Ending with a VR tour taking you back to the 15th century was quite entertaining
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
Meet up place was a little hard to find but doable. There was no waiting we had a time and they went by that(GREAT). The guide was great ,he was talkative, and had good sense of humor.. Never thought I would like But I would do it again.
The 15 minute short walking tour from the meeting point to Gondola was very informative - give to use by a native Venetian. She also gave us good local tips. The ride was a must do, but not that private since we were with another couple
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
Great experience when in Venice. As you’re walking to gondola they give you a small overview of the city and the sites that you pass. Once on gondola there is some pointing out of things in the canals. It was fun!
This was a good experience. The tour guide was knowledgeable and we were organised well into groups. The only downside I thought was the commentary could’ve continued throughout the Canal cruise.
The walking tour portion led by Ricky was great! He was very knowledgeable and passionate about his hometown. Venice is beautiful and we enjoyed this activity and the history behind the gondolas.
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
Attentive and kind staff! The virtual Reality/3D tour was actually quite nice! The staff went above and beyond to help With a connection issue-- very kind. Gondola driver was superb.
It was amazing, magical. Beatrice Da Ros was our guide, she was very sweet & explained everything and walked us through the streets of Venice. I highly recommend it to everyone.
The guide is great she was knowledgeable and kind The cost is 1/3 of a private ride The gondolier was handsome kind and helpful. The virtual time added at the end was very fun
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.
Such an amazing experience! We took a short walk from the meeting point to the gondolas and the whole way through our guide gave us such great history! Highly recommend
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.
We had very good experience visiting Murano and Burano. Guide - Eva was great in explaining all the things very well. Definitely recommend this tour option.
The gondola ride was nice. It shows you Venice from a different perspective. Our Gondoleer was great. Such a talent to navigate these tight, crowded canals.
