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Voykit pocket guide · Italy
Ustica
Spend 1–2 days on Ustica for diving, snorkeling and a quick island walk; skip if you lack a day for a ferry from Palermo.
Ustica is a tiny volcanic island (8 km²) north of Palermo, famed for crystal‑clear waters and a marine reserve. A day‑trip covers the main village and a dive; a second day lets you rent a scooter and explore the coastline.
- Country
- Italy
- Best months
- May–Oct (warm sea, low rain)
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (cool sea, fewer ferry services)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget €30–50 excl. bed · Mid €60–90 excl. bed · High €100+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell prepaid SIMs in shops and at airports; a passport and an Italian tax code (codice fiscale, issued in-store) are needed.
- Emergency
- Police 113 · Fire 115 · Medical 118 · Coast Guard 1530
- Plugs
- Types C, F, L · 230 V · 50 Hz · Italian type L plugs have three pins in a row; most sockets also take two-pin Europlugs (C), and bivalent sockets take Schuko (F).
- Tipping
- Bar: Leave €0.10–0.20 of change on the counter if you like.; Restaurant: Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 a person or round up for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day.
- Water
- Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Restaurants serve bottled water (naturale or frizzante) unless you ask for tap (acqua del rubinetto).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Ferry (Palermo → Ustica) passenger | €38 |
| Scooter rental (full day) | ≈€30 |
| Dive centre day dive (incl. gear) | ≈€70–€90 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PMO · Palermo Falcone Borsellino
- Main gateway; 70 km (43 mi) ferry to Ustica (≈1 h 15 min).Main gateway; 43 mi (70 km) ferry to Ustica (≈1 h 15 min).
Typical fares
- Palermo → Ustica ferry (Siremar)
- ≈ €38 per person, 75 min crossing (check schedule).
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
One mini‑bus serves the island; most visitors rent a scooter (≈€30 day) for flexibility. Walking is easy in the village.
See and do
Known for
- Diving in a marine reserve
- Volcanic landscape
- Small historic village
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Palermo | Siremar ferry from Palermo port, 75 min crossing | ≈ 1 h including boarding |
Sleep
- Ustica Tour houses and villas
- Central location, pier transfer available.
- Gulia Hotel
- Small hotel in town centre.
- Stella Marina residence
- Self‑catering apartments near the sea.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Excuse me | Ciao / Scusiciao / scusi |
| How much does it cost? | Quanto costa?quanto costa? |
| Where is the ferry terminal? | Dove è il terminal del traghetto?dove è il terminal del traghetto? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say buongiorno (until mid-afternoon) or buonasera on entering shops and bars; avoid: Walking in and pointing without a greeting
- Cheek kisses: Two kisses, right cheek first, among friends; follow their lead; avoid: Kissing strangers or in business settings
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders and knees in churches; avoid: Beachwear, bare chests and flip-flops away from the beach
- Queues: At delis and pharmacies take a number (numerino); avoid: Assuming the crowd at a bar counter is chaos — pay at the till first where asked
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated and ask for the bill; avoid: Splitting a bill item by item with a large group
- Conversation: Food, football and family are safe openers; avoid: Mafia jokes and north–south stereotypes
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries, wine or flowers (not chrysanthemums, which are for funerals); avoid: Refusing seconds too firmly
Scams and watch-outs
- Ferry schedules vary by season; check Siremar times before travel.
- Only one mini‑bus, limited frequency – plan around its timetable.
- Summer can bring crowds to the main square; arrive early for a quiet stroll.
Ustica is low‑risk; main concerns are sea conditions for diving and limited medical facilities – carry a basic first‑aid kit and check weather before water activities.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ustica yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Diving in a marine reserve
- Volcanic landscape
- Small historic village
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Siremar ferry schedule: carontetourist.it/en/siremar
- Wikivoyage: Ustica, revision 5240829 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5240829
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/ustica). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.