25 Apr 2023
This tour is a big fat nothing. I booked through Get Your Guide, but the same tour is apparently offered through Viator and other companies. We spent hours and hours on the boat (where there was no guidance given (other than the audio guide which i could not make work and of course the boat guides were of no use, nor were they at all friendly) to get to Murano where some tired guy does the same 10 minute glass blowing exhibition all day long (tips are expected) and then Burano which is very cute, but there's nothing to do but walk around or eat lunch. To get back to Venice we had to go in circles to different stops before heading back which took over an hour. But the worst part was when we got back they dropped us at the end of the day at a different stop than pickup. The tour guide operator at the beginning had said it's only a 15 minutes walk back to where you started and pointed the way I had walked from San Marcos Square
The problem is that said walk included crossing the Grand Canal. If there was a walking bridge somewhere across my GPS could not find it. So I ended up having to walk and walk and walk for an hour to find a ticket machine to buy a vaporetta (bus) ticket which then would not scan to let me in (luckily some kind man scanned his monthly pass for me). I was practically in tears by the time I got back and completely exhausted. I tried contacting Get Your Guide and they were of no use whatsoever. They simply apologized as if that helps in any way. They did not offer a refund, a partial refund, a voucher for future use, or anything to show good faith. I cannot recommend this tour or this tour operator. If you want to see the islands you can do it much cheaper and quicker simply using the local public transportation system in Venice.