In Murano, one of the major islands of the Venice Lagoon, every Christmas,something special happens. Murano is renowned all over the world for its glass blowers and their incredible capabilities to give shapes and colors to the glass. On the 6th of December, there is the celebration for Saint Nicole, the patron Saint of glass blowers, from this date Murano celebrates, for about one month, the “Natale di Vetro” where all the island rejoices about its art glass.Natale di Vetro can be translated in American English like “Christmas of Glass“. In this period a lot of things happen on the island. A plenty of artistic installations are placed in the streets to decorate and to render even more picturesque the buildings of Murano. Many glass blowers masters organize exhibitions and workshops along the streets, for entertaining and involving people in the art of work with glass, with live demonstrations. In some cases, there are also “jam sessions” where the music is mixed with live glass creations of the masters.

During the “Natale di Vetro” there is also a famous and spectacular regatta, in the Grand Canal, that involves participants from the glass work factories. The peculiarity of this regatta is that many of the participants are dressed with different costumes according to the season and the the theme of the year.

While you ‘re wondering through glasses, you can stop in one of the restaurants which for this special occasion, make specials prices or define fixed price menu. Another interesting event related to food is the “food furnace” tradition, when the masters of different glass work factories, personally cook some traditional dishes in their kilns or organize some wine tastings, directly in their place of work.

This Christmas tradition is one of the most charming and fascinating throughout Italy and attract tourist and curious from all over the world.