Giorgio's House Bed and Breakfast Palermo presents:  From Giorgio's House Blog

Curiosity and Informations about Palermo and Sicily

 

PALERMO: USTICA Island

Wow...very nice guests today :o)  From France and Uk. A couple from France that decided to work, quit their job and travel.....yep....we have just 1 life so....we should enjoy it the most we can! :o) ... some more people from Uk...but I'll know them better later and a man from France that travel around the world for scuba diving...wow ...very exciting  Tomorrow he'll go to Ustica for scuba diving. Ustica is the island with the most clear sea in the Mediterranean sea. It's a Marine Nature Reserve. Nobody can fish there so...you'll be able to see some very good and friendly fishes :o)    Best known as the "Black Pearl of the Mediterranean Sea" for its lavic rocks, Ustica is 36 miles North of Palermo. You can go in a day trip or stay there longer. There are 2 ferries. The fast one takes around 1 hour 15 minutes to get there. The slow one take around 3 hours 30 minutes. Cost of the ticket is around 50 euros return.  The marine protected area      Since 1986, when the protected area was established, the already excellent marine environment has remarkably developed, being protected by excessive exploiting. Ustica has two landing-stages, Cala Santa Maria and Cala Giaconi. A road 3km/2mi long connects it with the western end of the island near Cape Spalmatore. Here the Marine Nature Reserve has been founded to protect the environment, and fishing, shipping and the collecting of minerals are all prohibited within this region    The number of scuba divers that visit and explore the waters of Ustica evidences the positive effect of the marine reserve. During every dive along the coast it is quite normal to see various species of marine life of size, quantity and color that are rare in other parts of the Mediterranean Sea.    The extensive and unique structure of the volcanic abyss of the island and the purity of the coastal waters favor the abundant presence of a complex variety of fauna that at only a few meters below the water's surface offer an exceptional range of colors and textures.      You cannot miss the Natural Swimming Pool (Piscina Naturale) and the Grotta Azzurra    posted by  blog.giorgioshouse.com [23/09/2009 17:59]

Here you can see a small photo slide show we made there(thanks Virginie)

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