Ustica · Italy · Cave & cavern
Grotta Azzurra
Shallow blue cave about 5 m deep, snorkellable
Area photo: I viaggi della Van · CC BY-SA 4.0
Just after leaving the port of Ustica, the Grotta Azzurra is a shallow blue cave about 5 metres deep that can be dived or simply snorkelled. The draw is the play of light inside the chamber rather than depth or marine life. It is one of a string of caves along the island's high coast that boats call at.
Also known as Blue Cave.
Where it is and how deep
38.7047° N, 13.1950° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The site is just after you leave the port, which makes it a second dive or a snorkelling stop rather than a trip of its own. The cave itself is about 5 metres deep, so there is no descent to speak of — you finish the surface swim or the boat entry and are already at working depth, with plenty of gas and no time pressure on the profile to manage.
Inside, the point of the dive is the play of light that gives the cave its name, and it is what snorkellers come down for as much as divers. Work slowly, stay off the walls and the roof in water this shallow, and keep the entrance in view. At 5 metres the exit is always close, but it is still an overhead, and the cave is one of several along this coast that boats work through in a morning.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Ustica: May–Oct brings the warmest water, around 18–26°C, and the best visibility; many dive centers close over winter.
Know before you go
- It is an overhead environment, however shallow: enter only with the exit in sight, and keep clear of the roof so a fin kick does not put silt or debris into the water column.
Questions divers ask
Can you snorkel the Grotta Azzurra at Ustica?+
Yes — the cave is about 5 metres deep and can be visited by snorkelling as well as on scuba. It lies just outside the port of Ustica, one of a run of caves along the island's high coast that also includes the Grotta Verde, the Grotta della Pastizza, the Grotta dell'Oro and the Grotta delle Colonne.
Sources
- Grotta azzurra dive site — Scubago / SSI MyDiveGuide
- Ustica — Wikipedia (French)
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