USTICA
This
tiny volcanic island, covering an area of 8,6 sqm, the summit of
a large submerged volcano, is the oldest of the Sicilian outer archipelago,
having emerged long before the Aeolian Islands. Both its origin
and the blackness of its lava have determined the choice of a name
derived from the Latin Ustum, meaning ‘burnt’. Its jagged
coastline shelters a series of wonderful caves, bays and creek.
Local residents mainly live on fishing and tourism; additional income
is presently being generated by developing the range of crops grown
(vines, vegetables and cereals, especially lentils). The island
has a population of 1370 inhabitants.
It
was inhabited continuously from the late Neolithic until the end
of the Classical age, and left to serve as a refuge for pirates
thereafter. A handful of settlers moved there from Lipari in the
Bourbon era. Until the 1950s, it was used as a penal colony. Tourism
developed when underwater diving enthusiasts came to explore the
surrounding beautifully limpid waters and wonderfully scraggy coastline.
In 1987 it was designated a marine national park.
THE
ISLAND
Ustica
– The small hamlet is shaped as an amphitheatre around a large
bay partly occupied by the harbour. A single road and various flights
of steps, flanked with fine hibiscus bushes, lead up to the main
town. One the most peculiar features of the island’s houses
is that their external walls are painted with artistic murals depicting
landscape scenes, trompe-l’oeils, portraits, still life paintings
and fanciful compositions. The town is overshadowed by the Torre
di Santa Maria (Tower of St. Mary), now accommodating an Archaeological
Museum displaying relics recovered from the prehistoric village
at I Faraglioni and Hellenistic-Roman tombs at Capo Falconiera.
The Odissey relates that these were hurled by Polyphemus against
Ulysses who had blinded him by thrusting a flaming stake into his
only eye; the hero then escaped with his companions by clinging
to the bellies of rams belonging to the Cyclops. Note, in particular,
the unusual circular fire basket in four sections (and thus transportable)
and the lovely tall two-handed cups.
Capo
Falconiera – At the end of the central piazza, where the Chiesa
Madre rises, turn right past the Stations of the Cross. Here, a
stepped path on the left climbs to the top, where are ruins of a
Bourbon fortress and a cave-settlement dating from the 3rd century
BC, its strategical position affording a better defense and dominating
the only harbour on the island, Cala S. Maria (still the port today).
Naturally restricted by space and inaccessibility, the area was
extended by cutting terraces into the rock: as a result, three tiers
of housing are stacked one above the other. Cisterns for collecting
rain-water are clearly visible as is a staircase carved into the
rock (right at the top). At the foot of the fortress, remnants of
a contemporary hypogeum necropolis have been discovered together
with a second necropolis with burial sites (and hypogea) dating
from Paleo-Christian times (5th-6th century BC). From here, a view
stretches from the harbour to the centre of the island, marked with
the distinctive profiles of Monte Costa del Fallo and Monte Guardia
dei Turchi.
Prehistoric
Village – A settlement from the Bronze age was discovered
in the vicinity of I Faraglioni site, at the Colombaia. This comprises
a collection of foundations for circular huts that have been re-used
later for square-based constructions of a type similar to a kind
of prehistoric house found on the island of Panarea. The residential
area is bisected by a single “high street”; this would
indicate that the settlement was developed according to a town plan
(albeit fairly basic) with a consideration for public areas, something
unusual for the time (usually, the huts were randomly arranged).
The village was protected by a strong set of enclosure walls (the
surviving section suggests it was elliptical in shape) formed by
two sections of curtain walls 6m thick at the base, fortified bu
semicircular towers. The missing sections of curtain walling and
the presence of huts founded on base rock have been read as the
rock having been joined at that time to the mainland, and that the
collapse (probably caused by an earthquake) provoked the village
to be abandoned.
The
coast – The jagged coastline is interrupted by a number of
caves which can be explored either by boat (fishermen in the harbour
volunteer their services to visitors using boats that are small
enough to enter the narrowest caves) or by land. Small beaches (Cala
Sidoti, Punta dello Spalmatore, al Faro ) succeed lovely rocky bays
– including one enclosing the piscina naturale (a natural
pool popular with bathers) along the west coast of the island. Conversely,
the east coast shelters the magnificent caves like Grotta Azzurra,
Grotta Verde, and Grotta delle Barche, which are best-explored with
mask and snorkel; the Grotta delle Barche can also be reached on
foot by a lovely path that threads its way through pines and past
tall hedges of prickly pears from Torre di Santa Maria, along the
side of the hill providing marvellous views of the sea and the coast.
MARINE
NATIONAL PARK
Designated
in 1987 to preserve and protect the huge natural diversity of flora
and fauna present in their submarine habitats off Ustica’s
coastline, the Reserve was brought into being in 1987. It is divided
into three zones: the A zone classified as riserva integrale, extends
along the west flank of the island from Cala Sidoti to Caletta and
as far as 350m offshore (marked with special yellow buoys): while
swimming is permitted, fishing and boating are prohibited. The B
zone, classified as riserva generale, extends beyond zone A from
Punta Cavazzi to Punta Omo Morto (thereby including the entire length
of the southwest to the northeast coastline, to a distance of 3
nautical miles offshore); here swimming is permitted as is underwater
photography (but not fishing with a speargun), hook-and-line fishing
and commercial fishing (on acquisition of a permit from the Commune).
C Zone, classified as a riserva parziale, applies to the rest of
the coast; here national fishing regulations apply and spear-gun
fishing is permitted.
The
submerged world – The sea around Ustica is especially clean
and pollution-free (lying in the middle of an inward current from
the Atlantica Ocean). It therefore provides ideal conditions for
multitudes of different species of aquatic flora and fauna to live
and proliferate. One striking sight is the vast meadow of poseidonia
oceanica, a truly effective seaweed, nicknamed the “lungs
of the Mediterranean” (because it oxygenates the water) to
be found up to a depth of 40m. Just below the surface, the water
oftern shimmers with passing shoals of white bream, two-banded bream,
the dark ray’s bream which emerge from their eggs as piercingly
blue fry, voracious-looking grey mullet (at the worst they only
tickle), saddled bream, salpas, and the brilliantly coloured rainbow
wrass. The patches shaded by some overhanging rock attract groups
of cardinal fish; the rock face itself shelters sections of a time
with colourful sponges (and, for those who are unfamiliar with these,
sponges come in shades of black, white, yellow and orange, in shapes
compact, long, thin and string-like). Little gardens also cower
in the shadow of the rocks, but emerge, peeked by curiosity, as
anything or anyone approaches. At greater depths lurk the larger
fish – notably grey mullet. Here the underwater landscape
harbours shy moray eels, lobsters, mantis prawns and shrimps (in
the caves), sea urchins, sea bream, enormous white bream, splendid
red gorgonias and black corals (a pale yellow “living skin”
covers the ossified darker interior). With a bit of luck, tune,
ocean sun-fish, turtles and barracuda might also make a brief appearance
on the scene.
What’s
on offer – There are various possibilities both for scuba
divers and snorkellers. Those who do not want to get wet can still
participate in the underwater world by taking a trip on the motorised
glass-bottomed boat (by day or by night) called the Aquario, that
carries up to 20 passengers. There are two other reserve centres
located at Torre dello Spalmatore (the twin of Torre Santa Maria)
– where cenferences and other special delegations are hosted,
and at Caletta – from where guided tours to the Grotta Segreta
start; the aquarium there reconstitutes 13 different environments
corresponding to the various habitats found at different depths.
Guided
tours – The west coast, the area designated riserva integrale
(most highly restricted), harbours the Secret and the Pink-jued
grottoes: Grotta Segreta and the Grotta Rosata, the entrance to
which is hidden by rocks whether approaching by land or by sea;
its descriptive name effectively sums up the pink marbling of the
palest tone to shades of “antique pink” imparted by
a distinctive kind of algae. Those who prefer to enjoy the sea from
above or from just below the surface, the reserve authorities lay-on
commentated sea-watching trips in the riserva integrale: these involve
a guide pointing out the specific organisms and fish as they appear
(accustomed as they have become to the presence of man, they appear
almost tame).became accustomed to the presence of manto get accostumed
to everyday routine/fish became accustomed to the presence of man
Scubadiving
– Highlights that should be listed on any scuba-diving enthusiast
include the Grotta dei Gamberi, near Punta Gavazzi, where incredibly
delicate fan-like red gorgonias thrive (at a depth of approx 42m),
and the sub-aqua archaeological trail off the lighthouse-topped
headland Punta Gavazzi (depths of 9 to 17 meters, marked by an orange
buoy), where many artefacts – anchors and Roman amphorae –
can be admired (photography, nature). Another popular haunt is the
Scoglio del Medico; this consists of an outcrop of basalt riddled
with caves and gorges that plunge to great depths, and so provides
a spectacular underwater seascape. Secca di Colombara (40m below)
is spectacular in a different way, as it is by rainbow-coloured
arrays of sponges and gorgonias.
A
FEW SUGGESTIONS
Access
– Direct services operate out of Palermo: crossings by ferry
(2hr 30 min) and hydrofoil (1hr 10min) are provided by Siremar,
tel. 091-582403. During the summer season, a hydrofoil service calling
at Trapani-Favignana-Ustica-Naples (and back), with the Ustica-Naples
leg taking approx 4hr, is operated by Ustica Lines tel 081-7612515.
Round
the island – The standard means of transport available include
hired mopeds and a regular minibus service around the island in
both directions: extremely good value bus-passes valid for a week,
two weeks or a month are available from the Town Hall.
Tourist
information – The headquarters of the Marine National Park,
located in the main square of the town, provides exhaustive information
on what is on offer on the island. tel. 091 8449456.
A
special initiative – Every year, a special week-long sub-aqua
course is organized including theoretical and practical diving lessons
(marine archaeology, marine biology, modern recovery techniques
for lifting artefacts from the sea-bed) and guided tours. For further
information, contact the Riserva Marina or Archeologia Viva, tel.
055-6679303.
Rassegna
internazionale delle attività subacquee – An International
Review of Underwater Activities is held annually during the summer
months (usually May, June or September) including a range of different
events (exhibitions and other activities). For detailed information,
contact the Azienda di Promozione Turistica di Palermo, tel. 091/6058413
Vital
equipment – Those who love the sea and feel fairly confident
in the water should not forget to bring a mask, snorkel and fins;
this will facilitate the exciting discovery of another Ustica, in
all its most natural, spectacular glory.
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