Sicily · Palermo
Ustica
A volcanic island fifty-two kilometers north of Palermo with Italy's first marine protected area, lentil fields on lava, and a long memory as a prison.
Known for
DIVING
First marine protected area in Italy, 1986, with schools operating year-round on one of the Mediterranean's clearest reserves.
LENTILS
Ustica lentils grown on volcanic soil without pesticides, Slow Food Presidium alongside the local broad bean.
PRISON ISLAND
Place of political confinement under Bourbons, Savoy and Fascists; Mussolini held Gramsci and Bordiga among 1,500 internees.
When to visit
Best · May–Oct
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Hot or crowded
- Quiet
- Mostly closed
The festa: Bartolomeo, 24 August
Why come
Ustica is a small volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian, fifty-two kilometers north of Capo Gallo, 8. 65 square kilometers of basalt and tuff with two old volcanoes at Punta Maggiore and Guardia dei Turchi just below. The island was used as a place of confinement by the Bourbons, the Savoys, and finally the Fascists: Mussolini banished thousands of political opponents here, often 1,500 at a time, including Antonio Gramsci and Amadeo Bordiga, until the 1950s.
In November 1986, Italian fishermen pushed through the establishment of the first marine protected area in Italy, around 15,000 hectares of sea where diving schools now operate one of the Mediterranean's best-known reserves. The lentils and broad beans of Ustica, grown without pesticides on volcanic soil, are Slow Food Presidia. On 27 June 1980 Itavia Flight 870 was shot down nearby in the sea, the Ustica massacre, killing all 81 on board.
The Sunday letter
We haven’t written Ustica’s letter yet.
One town every Sunday, with the photo, the food, the festa. Be there when this one comes up. Free, by Peter & Sophia from Pietrasanta.
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What to see
Area Marina Protetta Ustica
Italy's first marine protected area, established November 1986 over roughly 15,000 hectares, world-known for diving and biodiversity.
Punta Maggiore
Highest point of the island at 244 meters, vestige of an ancient volcano; the main peak above the village.
Villaggio preistorico dei Faraglioni
Bronze Age fortified settlement on the cliffs, one of the best-preserved prehistoric villages in the western Mediterranean.
Grotte marine
Sea caves around the coast, accessed by boat, formed in the basalt and tuff of the old volcanic flows.
Riserva Naturale Isola di Ustica
Terrestrial nature reserve covering the volcanic interior, with lentil plots, fig trees and Mediterranean macchia.
The slow-trip planner
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Living here
- Population 1,311
- Very remotei
- Pharmacy in town
- High school within a 30-minute drive
- Regional capital Palermo, 3 h 20 min drive
Tags & datadesignations · numbers · sources
Recognised as
The numbers
- Elevation: 49 m
- Population: 1,311
- Surface area: 8.65 km²
On the map
These figures were compiled from public directories — ISTAT, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata — and from the official listings of the guides named on this page. Town details change; verify with official sources before you travel.
Close by
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