Actually it's a small town on a small island only 9 miles across, so the name Ustica refers to both. The town center consists of the church to the furthest north, followed by Piazza Vito Longo and Piazza Umberto I. Along the east and west sides of the piazzas are small pastry shops, bars, mini-marts, barbers, tourist shops and other businesses. To the south is the steep winding road that leads down to the port.
Residential homes radiate out from the town center.
Most hotels are near the port or along the coast. Tiny buses that seat about 9 people leave every half hour from the south end of Piazza Umberto I and circle the island in both directions. A round trip is just 85 cents. Still, many residents have small cars, and motor scooters are everywhere. Go to these pages for more stories, street scenes and pictures of people I met along the way.