DearWorldTraveler,

Venice is known for its picturesque canals and gondolas.  It’s also famously known for its one of a kind Venetian glass that is skillfully made on the island of Murano.  While in Venice I took a boat to Murano to see the glass first hand at the Vetreria Ducale Glass Factory. Inside was a large fiery oven that was used to heat a powdery substance, silicon dioxide, that turns into liquid at high temperatures.  I was amazed to see the glass makers work around the oven without gloves or any protective clothing on. It was easy to see that they were highly skilled and not too concerned about injury.  One glassmaker even made a glass horse by hand in less than 60 seconds.  Yes, you read that correctly…less than 1 minute.  Here’s a video of him making the horse.

After seeing the glassmakers, we headed upstairs to a show room filled with colorful and elaborately designed glass.  It was beautiful!  I’d never seen anything like it.  I snapped one picture and was quickly informed that I couldn’t take photos in the show room.  Venetian glass is very popular and they don’t want copy cats stealing their designs.  Much of the process of making the glass is a secret.  The glass can’t even be ordered online.  All purchases have to be made in person at the factory and the glass pieces aren’t cheap. There was a white chandelier priced at $10,000.  That’s when I realized the only thing I could likely afford was the horse the glassmaker made earlier lol.

If you’re headed to Venice, be sure to stop by Murano to check out the Venetian glass for yourself.

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