Page 158 - The Rough Guide of Sicily

Getting around From Piazza della Vittoria, an efficient minibus service (pay on
board) plies the island’s one circular road every hour or so until around 7pm.

INFORMATION AND TOURS

Online information There’s no tourist office on Ustica, but you can glean some
information from ustica.net and ustica.org.

Bikes, boats and tours Usticamare Noleggio ( 339 218 5630) has bikes at €10 per
day, boats from €50–180 per day excluding fuel, depending on size, and cars to rent,
while the restaurant Da Umberto ( usticatour.it) rents out scooters and boats and
arranges tours. Boat excursions from the quay cost around €20 per person for three

hours – it’s best to agree a price beforehand.

DIVING ON USTICA

Ustica is well set up for divers, and facilities include a decompression chamber,
though medical facilities are limited to the pharmacy and the guardia médica. The

waters are protected by a natural marine reserve, divided into several zones with
restrictions on where you can swim, dive and fish. Profondo Blu ( 091 844
9609 or 349 672 6529, ustica-diving.it), run by an Italo-Belgian couple, is the
island’s most organized and experienced dive-operator, arranging diving courses,
holidays and accommodation in their own self-contained resort with apartments

outside town. It is open from May till the end of October, with prices at €470–720
per week for an apartment sleeping two, depending on the season. Meals are
available (breakfast €5; dinner €35). There are various diving packages – a single
dive costs €43; a ten-dive package €350 and a six-day open water diver PADI
course €460.

ACCOMMODATION

In summer hotels fill up quickly, and in winter only a few remain open. However,
there are plenty of opportunities to rent rooms (camere) – ask around in the shops or at
the Bar Centrale, in Piazza Umberto I.

Ariston Via della Vittoria 5 091 844 9042, usticahotels.it. A smart, central hotel

with eleven rooms and impressive sea views. Diving trips and scooter rental can be
arranged. Sizeable reductions in winter. No credit cards. €78

Caminita Vittorio Via Tufo 1 091 844 9212. Two attractive, self-contained
mini-apartments, each with kitchenette, bathroom, terrace and separate entrance, run
by friendly, helpful owners. One has a sweeping view down over the town to the sea.
It’s just a few minutes from the main square – at the church, turn right along Via