Ustica
4.5
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A tiny volcanic island off Sicily's northern coast.
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Neighborhood: Palazzo Reale
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
517 reviews
Excellent
377
Very good
106
Average
19
Poor
13
Terrible
2
Anna G
Milan, Italy102 contributions
Jun 2021 • Friends
A beautiful island, somewhat underrated but well worth a visit if you ever go to Sicily. Within easy reach of Palermo by hydrofoil, it offers accommodation, delicious seafood restaurants, boat trips off the coast and hikes. Great if you like diving but also if you just enjoy plunging into the unspoilt Mediterranean Sea away from the crowds. If you can, avoid July and August due to the searing heat but having said that , it’s enjoyable April through October….
Written July 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laurent A
10 contributions
Aug 2014 • Couples
Ustica is beautiful.
We visit the Island for one day and it was a beautiful experience. I would recommend this excursion to all nature lovers and people loving small italian villages!
We took the aliscafo of Siremar at 8h40 (45 euros/roundtrip) and got back at Parlermo around 18h30. It's a one day trip, you stay more or less 7 hours on the island. But lots of people are staying at Ustica for 2 or 3 days.
If you want to do a specific activity, you'd better book it in advance.
We arrived at 10h00 and wanted to book an excursion in sailing boat, but the it was already fully booked.
So we booked the 2 hours island tour on a small motor boat, starting at 12h30. There is a guide and more or less 10 people on board. It was beautiful and fantastic! Count on 20 euros/pers.
In the meantime we decided to head to the beach, on the other side of the island. You can take the communal (orange) bus or the private shuttle. It is about the same price (1,5 euro/pers.) and takes 15 minutes. We stayed there for about 1 hour using mask and snorkel and exploring the clearest water you could imagine!
Then we got back to the marina for the boat tour we had booked.
After the tour you can go to the small Piazza, where you will find restaurants, souvenir shops and a (very) small supermarket.
Of course, you don't want to miss Sabrina's Gelati which are awesome. The shop is located in a small street, just off the Piazza.
I think we did the most of our 7 hours on Ustica!
We visit the Island for one day and it was a beautiful experience. I would recommend this excursion to all nature lovers and people loving small italian villages!
We took the aliscafo of Siremar at 8h40 (45 euros/roundtrip) and got back at Parlermo around 18h30. It's a one day trip, you stay more or less 7 hours on the island. But lots of people are staying at Ustica for 2 or 3 days.
If you want to do a specific activity, you'd better book it in advance.
We arrived at 10h00 and wanted to book an excursion in sailing boat, but the it was already fully booked.
So we booked the 2 hours island tour on a small motor boat, starting at 12h30. There is a guide and more or less 10 people on board. It was beautiful and fantastic! Count on 20 euros/pers.
In the meantime we decided to head to the beach, on the other side of the island. You can take the communal (orange) bus or the private shuttle. It is about the same price (1,5 euro/pers.) and takes 15 minutes. We stayed there for about 1 hour using mask and snorkel and exploring the clearest water you could imagine!
Then we got back to the marina for the boat tour we had booked.
After the tour you can go to the small Piazza, where you will find restaurants, souvenir shops and a (very) small supermarket.
Of course, you don't want to miss Sabrina's Gelati which are awesome. The shop is located in a small street, just off the Piazza.
I think we did the most of our 7 hours on Ustica!
Written August 20, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SMC123289
Los Angeles, CA2 contributions
Jun 2013 • Family
I did a day trip to Ustica from Palermo. It would have been preferable to spend the night, but the day trip was great. To buy tickets for the ferry, go to Siremar on Via Francesco Crispi between Via Emerico Amari and Via Principe di Belmonte, or visit the website www.siremar.it. You can find out about both the hydrofoil and ferry schedule & prices. You can purchase tickets in advance, but I'm not sure how far in advance. I took the 8:15 hydrofoil for 24 Euros, having purchased tickets the afternoon before. One member of my group went diving while the rest of us took a boat tour of the island. For 2 adults and 2 kids we paid Euros 70 for 2-3 hours. Our skipper, who we found at a dive shop on the bay, was kind and accommodating so we gave him a 10% tip afterwards. We were able to go around the whole island, visit each cave and stop for a short snorkel in about 4 spots. The island is unique with it's lava caves, rocky pools and clear water. The marine life is abundant but not at all on the scale of coral reefs found in the Caribbean and South Pacific. A couple of spots were filled with gorgeous jelly fish that sting so we didn't swim and only looked. Almost 100% of what we saw in the sea we had also seen on the beaches of Sicily around Aci Castello and Taormina. The entire island can be easily be toured on foot. There is a path around the island and occasional stairs to the sea. If you cannot afford a boat, the island is still certainly worth visiting. The light house has a deep pool and easy access to the sea. Water shoes were very useful on this trip. We had our own snorkels and masks, but you could get by with just swim goggles. We had lunch at a lovely restaurant on the town square and took the 4pm ferry back to Palermo for 17 Euros. We would have liked to return later and do more swimming but the 4pm ferry was the latest one offered that day.
Written June 29, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Em1mail
London11 contributions
We went to Ustica with my friends for the day we stayed in Palermo for a week but the day we spent in Ustica was definitely the best! The sea was amazing and we had some great food. The island is quite small so it's quite easy to get around, you can also rent a scooter which is great fun!
Written October 28, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bauke K
Amsterdam, The Netherlands55 contributions
Oct 2016 • Couples
We visited Ustica on a day trip from Palermo. This time of year the island is very quiet and peaceful. We enjoyed the village and then took the minibus to Punta Spalmatore (close to the Lighthouse) where we enjoyed the gorgeous sunny weather and some spectacular snorkeling! The marine life is amazing and that was just experienced whilst snorkeling! Hundreds of fish, sea anenomes, seasnails, crabs all in a spectacular setting of rocky outcrops and underwater caves. On the land there was a lot of wildlife, mainly bird migration.
The only downside is that if you book the quick hydrofoil to the island and the slow ferry back to Palermo nobody tells you that the ferry departs from another location quite far from the harbour where the hydrofoil departs! Keep that in mind. Otherwise this visit was a wonderful experience for us.
The only downside is that if you book the quick hydrofoil to the island and the slow ferry back to Palermo nobody tells you that the ferry departs from another location quite far from the harbour where the hydrofoil departs! Keep that in mind. Otherwise this visit was a wonderful experience for us.
Written October 22, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TysonConnecticut
Connecticut24 contributions
Sep 2011 • Family
Did a day trip out to Ustica while staying in Palermo. One of the highlights of our 2 week trip there. Ferries leave out of the port (down the street from the Opera) and take about 2 hours. We had a great lunch, spent 2 hours in a boat hired from a local at the pier and saw the grottos, went around the island, and swam (cost was 60 Euros) for 4 of us. Grottos are spectacular and so is the swimming. Walk around the small town and then took the bus that circled the island which was great mainly because the locals on the bus were so friendly.
Written October 29, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
yonglol
Rotterdam3 contributions
Jun 2013
We were on a short 5 day trip to sicily and stayed in palermo. It was hard to decide wether to go to ustica or not since we could only stay there for half a day, i'm so glad we did!
A return ticket was around 45euro, we took the fast ferry(1,5hour). Before arrival we had no idea what to expect other than the snorkeling and diving activities. The island was beautiful with black rocks and sand at the coast, pastel coloured houses and lots a nature. The center was basicly just 1 street where you could eat and buy souvenirs or snorkeling/diving gear.
We went snorkeling with Mister Jump Diving, they are located on the street towards the center. Definately check them out, very friendly staff!
I had a great experience and might visit palermo again, just for Ustica!
A return ticket was around 45euro, we took the fast ferry(1,5hour). Before arrival we had no idea what to expect other than the snorkeling and diving activities. The island was beautiful with black rocks and sand at the coast, pastel coloured houses and lots a nature. The center was basicly just 1 street where you could eat and buy souvenirs or snorkeling/diving gear.
We went snorkeling with Mister Jump Diving, they are located on the street towards the center. Definately check them out, very friendly staff!
I had a great experience and might visit palermo again, just for Ustica!
Written June 9, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SuAnth
Vienna, Austria32 contributions
Aug 2016 • Business
Great experience for a day arond Palermo. I took the ferry at 9:30, arriving in Ustica at 12:30. I had enough time (6 hours) to explore the island. The bus service (orange buses that follow the circular island road) are very reliable and cheap. There are so many hidden beaches that can only be reached by hiking or by boat. My recommendation: Take the southern hiking trail that starts at the port (take the first street to the left until the street curves at a hotel entrance - the hiking trail starts right here and leads up to a small chapel) and follow it for appr. 4-5 km to the other end of the island. Easy to follow (stone walls on both sides) and marvellous views!
Written August 8, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AntarticOwl
Rehovot, Israel14 contributions
Nov 2013 • Friends
The island is a beauty, and its sea sapphire and emeralds.
Enjoyed very much the navigation and the center of the island
We arrived in October and was a bit out of season, most restaurants were closed
Pay attention! you cannot buy your ship ticket on the ship, or in the port, only in Palermo downtown!
Enjoyed very much the navigation and the center of the island
We arrived in October and was a bit out of season, most restaurants were closed
Pay attention! you cannot buy your ship ticket on the ship, or in the port, only in Palermo downtown!
Written October 18, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GINNIELincolnshire
Boston, UK257 contributions
Oct 2014 • Couples
Gorgeous weather and wanted a lovely sea trip. Made the mistake of going out on the fast hydrofoil - no outside seating. On the island we really just sat around watching what was going on in the harbour, had some lunch in the central piazza and exchang ed our return hydrofoil tickets for the slow boat back to Palermo which was lovely and we saw dolphins. Ustica is good for diving and lots of opportunities to do it from what we saw. Getting tickets out there was not entirly straightforward as the website was not accurate about timings.So best to go to Siremar office opposite port and get your ticket there and a bus takes you through the port to the quay.
Written October 17, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pamela M
20 contributions
Qualcuno ha fatto mini crociera di un giorno partendo da Palermo x ustica? Mi sapete dire con chi? Mi piacerebbe andarci. Grazie in anticipo a chi risponde.
Daniele P
6 contributions
Vorrei sapere é mai possibile che l ultimo traghetto da ustica é alle 16 a metà giugno 2019? Impedendoti di vedere l isola in giornata da palermo?qualcuno ha maggiori info a riguardo
carolchristine
Buhl, Germany22 contributions
Where is a nice place to stay/sleep in Ustica - we plan on going 6 days in August and diving? Thanks for any tips
LibbyTeal
Los Angeles, CA212 contributions
Is it possible to do a day-trip to Ustica from Sicily? Are there options to fly vs. boat? If by boat, is the ride over very smooth or should we plan for bumpiness at sea?
Sue B
Eagan, MN33 contributions
Hello, if we have only one day in Palermo, shall we go to this island?
niba206
Palermo, Italy935 contributions
A single day is not enough to visit the island of Ustica. The hydrofoil takes us 1 hour and 30 minutes from Palermo and then there is also the return. It would be better to visit the monuments and beauties of Palermo.
All the best for you and yours from Sicily Island.
Danirandazzo
Houston, TX1 contribution
I visited Ustica for a short trip in 2016 and want to return. My question is that I would like to rent a car for my future trip. I don’t do Vespa’s and don’t want to hire a taxi. Is it possible to rent a car for a couple of days?
niba206
Palermo, Italy935 contributions
Hi. I'm sorry I can not be useful. In Ustica I went there with my car taking the ferry.
All the best.
Fabio R.
Sicily, Italy62 contributions
quanto costa il traghettamento?
Lauraonair
Bologna, Italy51 contributions
Non ricordo se 26 o 29 euro!
Paolo R
1 contribution
Potreste dirmi se è possibile arrivare ad Ustica con un natante omologato a navigare entro le 12 miglia dalla costa? Grazie
niba206
Palermo, Italy935 contributions
Mi dispiace ma non lo so. Io ci sono andato col traghetto. Mi sono portato l'auto per avere più libertà di movimento in quei giorni.
Si può visitare l' isola in una giornata partendo e tornando da Palermo?
LoredanaLm
9 contributions
se prendi il primo aliscafo che parte da Palermo ore 07 e l ultimo che parte da Ustica 18.30 e affittando il motorino (subito dopo la salita del porto sulla dx) si c è tempo per visitare tutte le calette. non perdere di fare un tuffo all acquario! indispensabili scarpette e maschera
Manuela C
Turin, Italy31 contributions
Mi sapreste indicare il mezzo più economico e veloce per raggiungere Ustica da Palermo?
Veronica C
Siena, Italy51 contributions
Più veloce aliscafo... 1h e mezza... più economico il traghetto però la traversata dura 3 ore circa...
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Claim your listingUstica - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about Ustica
- Hotels near Ustica:
- (0.00 mi) Casa Geloso
- (0.25 mi) B&B Caserta
- (1.38 mi) Hotel Clelia
- (1.36 mi) Clelia Case Centro Storico
- (1.42 mi) Le Terrazze sul Mare
- Restaurants near Ustica:
- (0.00 mi) La rosa dei Venti Ustica
- (1.43 mi) Rosso di Sera
- (1.41 mi) Il Terrazzino
- (1.43 mi) Ristorante Sabrina
- (1.40 mi) Carpe Diem