Riposto: the perfect base for your vacation in Sicily!

Sea Shell Holiday Home is located in the historic center of Riposto, near the main square and the tourist harbor. If you are looking for a place to stay in eastern Sicily, I’m sure that Riposto can be a perfect solution… And, on this page, I will explain why!

Riposto: a ideally situated town in Eastern Sicily!

Riposto is a seaside town ideally located in a strategic area to visit eastern Sicily. There are lots of places to see in Sicily easily reachable from our town. To mention only the most famous locations, our holiday home is near Taormina, Catania and Mount Etna. These and many other wonderful places not to be missed are well connected to Riposto (both by road and by public transport) and can be visited in one day. I have created a section on this site dedicated to the places of interest in Sicily, that you can visit while staying at Sea Shell Holiday Home. However, let me keep on telling you about Riposto!

The advantage of staying in Riposto is not just due to its geographical location. In fact, ours is a characteristic Sicilian town on the sea, not yet invaded by mass tourism. For this reason, its authenticity is still intact. It’s not an “anonymous” place to be used only as a base for visiting Sicily, but a cheerful city full of life where you can get in touch with the true essence of our land!

Riposto seen from the harbor. Snow-covered Etna on background.

During my travels, I always look for a base that has characteristics similar to those of Riposto. A quaint, authentic place, convenient for travel, but away from the chaos of big cities!

Riposto: some history

Riposto is a town of 15.000 inhabitants, famous for its marina completed in 2004, called “Porto dell’Etna” (“Etna harbor”) or “Marina di Riposto“. The Marina has been added to the ancient commercial harbor, built in the early XX century. Together with the near Giarre, Riposto forms an urban core that exceeds 40,000 inhabitants, in which you can find any kind of services.

For a long time, Riposto has represented the largest collection point for export goods in the area: wine, potatoes, citrus fruit and dried fruit. The name “Riposto” derives in fact from the dialectal term “u ripostu”, wich means “the storeroom”, in which the goods coming from the surrounding area were stored before being sent by sea.

Although, nowadays, tourism is increasing in Riposto, in the past time our economy was mainly based on trade and fishing. Even today, on the seafront, you can see many fish shops replenished every morning with fresh fish by fishermen of the area. Next to them you will find shops selling souvenirs and local products, as well as countless restaurants where you can taste the recipes of Sicilian cuisine.

Fishing boats in Riposto

Riposto: the historic center

St. Peter’s Church and main square.

The historic center of Riposto is concentrated around Piazza San Pietro (the main square), which overlooks the Town Hall and the Duomo, built in the first half of the nineteenth century. The facade of this church is in neoclassical style and is clearly inspired by the basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome.

The oldest church in Riposto, instead, is th one dedicated to the Madonna della Lettera, located on the seafront, near the Marina. The current building dates back to 1868, but it is the fourth reconstruction of the previous three, that were destroyed. It is also possible to visit the crypt, on which the present church was rebuilt. In front of the church there is Piazza del Commercio (“The Market Square”), from where you can admire the view on the whole coast from Taormina to Torre Archirafi. During the summer, this square often hosts stands set up for festivals and craft markets.

The seafront offers access to the beach, which consist of cliff, in this area. In every season you can find cyclists and joggers. Especially during the less crowded months, I love taking long walks along the seafront to Torre Archirafi. The waves that shatter on the rocks (made of lava) has an extraordinary charm!

Torre Archirafi

Walking along the waterfront (just less than 3 km) you arrive at Torre Archirafi, a frazione (hamlet) of Riposto. This picturesque fishing village is characterized by a number of buildings made of lava stone and several small piers. It is an ideal place for relaxing walks on summer evenings or to admire the majesty of the sea during the winter. In summer the locals near the main harbor are very popular, and on the square are often set up many stalls.

Our neighborhood

Sea Shell holiday home is located on a quiet street in the center of Riposto, less than 500 meters from the main square. A small beach and the Marina are reachable in a few minutes (about 400 mt), as well as supermarkets, bars, pizzerias, restaurants and all the main services.

A little more than 2 km away from the house begins instead the coast, along which there are some of the eastern Sicily’s best beaches, Fondachello and Marina di Cottone, for instance. The Terminus of the Circumetnea Railway is 200 meters from the Sea Shell holiday home. This is a local railway line, created at the end of the 19th century, which makes an almost-complete tour around the Etna, from Riposto to the center of Catania. I always recommend to my guests to get on one of its characteristic trains and go through this wonderful itinerary.

Now, see the features of Sea Shell Holiday Home!

Or take a look at the must-see places in Sicily that you can visit by staying at the Sea Shell Holiday Home!