In 1291, the rulers of Venice ordered all glass foundries to relocate to the little island of Murano, about a mile to the northeast of the main cluster of islands, because of the fire hazard they posed to the city’s wooden buildings. Ever since then, the island’s name has been synonymous with hand-blown, luminously colored, deftly crafted glass. It is produced by skilled artisans using techniques that have been passed down over many generations, allowing them to shape what is essentially molten sand into everything from tableware and decorative vases to walking canes, paperweights, souvenir figurines and beads. But there is more to Murano than tourist keepsakes. READ MORE