Exploring Venice - A Look Inside a Glassblowers Workshop

Venice is a really cool city. I visited last year and I guess I had preconceptions about the place. I'm not really in to tourist locations and Venice is probably one of the ultimate tourist destinations in the world. I had images of Disneyland floating around in my mind haha But visiting was a pleasent experience and I was lucky enough to stay in a nice hotel inside the city itself and enjoyed strolling around Venice both in the day and the night.

On a day trip out of the city I took a little trip to the island of Murano to enjoy some of the glassblowing that takes place here. If you're in Venice for more than a few days it's worth taking the boat ride over to this island to see some of the different craftsmen at work and how they make their pieces of art. I'm used to visiting the workshops of Japanese craftsmen so there's definitely a different vibe here as many of the workshops are now just places of entertainment for tourists.

I found a maker before hand who still produces vessels and sells them in his shop, he also produces chandeliers, which is very interesting to see as they are quite complex and require a number of different glass segments to construct. Now that's dedication! I think Murano itself is a beautiful island and is worth getting lost on, but tourism has become the main aspect of the island and has nearly over run it. It's a shame but it's the sign of the times I suppose. I hope you enjoy a few of the photos from inside the craftsman's studio here.