Porto dell’Etna in Riposto: Getting There, Harbour Info and Sailing Destinations

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Riposto lies on the east coast of Sicily at the foot of Etna, roughly halfway between Catania and Taormina. The Porto dell’Etna marina, with 370 berths, is located in the town's harbour. Here you can read how to get to Riposto, where the marina is, where to park and shop, what the sailing weather is like on the Ionian coast, which sailing destinations are close by and what skippers need to know about mooring.

Where is Porto dell’Etna in Riposto?

Porto dell’Etna is the marina in the harbour of Riposto, and the access road is the Via Duca del Mare. The marina's pontoons are in the middle of the harbour basin, and the long outer breakwater shelters the whole basin from the east. At the southern end of the harbour stands the coastguard building, and the town centre with the Piazza San Pietro is about 400 metres west of the pontoons.

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As early as the 19th century, Riposto was a port for trade with Europe, and several countries had their own consulates here at the time. The name of the town comes from the Sicilian “u ripostu”, the storehouse for goods that arrived here by sea from the surrounding area. Today the marina takes in permanent berth holders and yachts passing through, and a boatyard also operates on its premises.

Arriving for the start of your sailing trip in Riposto

You can reach Riposto from Catania airport by motorway, or by train via Giarre-Riposto station in the neighbouring town of Giarre. From the airport to the marina, allow about 30 minutes by car.

From Catania airport to Riposto

By hire car or taxi, you drive from Catania-Fontanarossa Airport onto the A18 motorway towards Messina and leave it at the Giarre exit. From there it is about two kilometres along the SS 114 state road to Riposto.

By train, you continue from Catania Aeroporto Fontanarossa station. A shuttle bus run by Catania's public transport operator (AMTS) connects the terminal with the station. You buy the bus ticket together with the train ticket, and it costs €1.00 extra (as at November 2026). From the airport station, trains run to Catania and towards Messina, and there are also direct trains to Taormina. For Riposto, get off at Giarre-Riposto station.

By car or train

By car, you come from either direction via the A18 Messina–Catania and the Giarre exit, then follow the SS 114 for about two kilometres to Riposto. Trains from Catania and from Messina stop at Giarre-Riposto station. The station is in Giarre on the Via Raffaello Grasso, about 1.4 kilometres west of the marina as the crow flies. You can find the timetables at Trenitalia.

Riposto is also the terminus of the Ferrovia Circumetnea, the narrow-gauge railway around Etna. As things currently stand (November 2026), its section between Linguaglossa and Riposto is closed to rail traffic, so the Circumetnea is not an option for getting there at the moment.

Parking

The marina has its own car parks, open-air and covered. About 200 metres from the pontoons there is also a car park on the Via Duca del Mare, the access road to the marina. Further car parks are in the south of the town on the Via Rocco La Porta and the Via Gaetano De Maio, each just under a kilometre away.

Showers and sanitary facilities

Guest berths in the marina come with showers and toilets. A laundry service is offered by the Yacht Service in the harbour.

Shopping for the trip

The nearest supermarket is a Coop in the town, around 350 metres from the marina. A Conad City is around 950 metres away. By car you can also reach an EuroSpin about 1.1 kilometres away and a Penny about 1.5 kilometres away, all to the southwest towards Giarre.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

The nearest pharmacy, the Farmacia Russo, is in the town, around 350 metres from the marina. The out-of-hours medical service (Guardia Medica) is about 2.6 kilometres away. The nearest hospital is the Ospedale San Giovanni di Dio e Sant’Isidoro in Giarre, around 3.5 kilometres from the marina.

• 112: European emergency number for ambulance, police and fire brigade, free of charge
• 1530: Italian Coast Guard emergency number for emergencies at sea, free of charge and available around the clock

What does Porto dell’Etna offer?

Porto dell’Etna has 370 berths for boats up to 80 metres in length, on floating pontoons and at a fixed quay. The marina is open all year round, and marina staff are on hand around the clock to help with mooring and casting off.

Feature	Porto dell’Etna
Location	in the harbour of Riposto, Via Duca del Mare, 95018 Riposto (CT)
Operator	Marina di Riposto – Porto dell’Etna S.p.A.
Berths	370, for boats up to 80 metres
Pontoons	570 metres of floating pontoons, 150 metres of fixed quay
Water depth	5 metres
VHF	Channel 74
Phone	+39 095 779 5755, mobile and WhatsApp +39 334 682 0874
Fuel station	Petrol and diesel, until sunset
Boatyard	Travel lift up to 250 tonnes, open storage area 5,000 m², hall 1,000 m²
Water and electricity	by consumption: €3.00 per cubic metre of water, €0.45 per kWh of electricity

Information as of November 2026.

Equipment

There are water and electricity points on the pontoons and at the quay, with consumption billed individually. Access to the pontoons is secured by gates and a video intercom, and the grounds are guarded around the clock and monitored by camera. The fuel station in the harbour supplies petrol and diesel. On site there is a reception, Wi-Fi, a bistro, a boutique and a restaurant with a pizzeria and café right on the water.

The Yacht Service in the harbour arranges hire cars, e-bikes, transfers and excursions, and takes care of laundry. The marina's boatyard lifts boats out of the water with a travel lift for up to 250 tonnes and a mobile crane. It has a workshop for inboard and outboard engines as well as electrics and electronics, a boat joinery for wooden boats and teak decks, a paint shop and storage spaces ashore for winter and summer lay-up. The sailing club Circolo Velico Marina di Riposto is also based in the harbour, with a sailing school and events all about sailing.

What is the weather like for sailing in Riposto?

The harbour is open to the north and northeast, so it is exposed to the Tramontana and the Grecale. In winds from the east, southeast and south, boats lie sheltered in the harbour. In strong winds from east-northeast to east-southeast, however, entering and mooring are dangerous, and there is a swell in the harbour.

The weather service of the Italian Air Force issues strong wind and gale warnings from force 7, that is, from a mean wind speed of 28 knots. In these warnings, Riposto belongs to the coastal section “Sicilia Orientale”, which stretches from Capo Passero in the south to Punta del Faro at the Strait of Messina. If you plan to head north through the Strait of Messina, also keep an eye on the warnings for the sea area “Stretto di Messina”.

Which destinations for a sailing trip are near Riposto?

From Riposto, heading north you can reach Taormina and, through the Strait of Messina, the Aeolian Islands; heading south, Catania, the Cyclops Islands and, further on, Syracuse. The distances are rounded distances over water on the usual course; for precise planning, rely on the nautical chart.

• Taormina: around 6 nm north, as far as the town. It is one of the best-known destinations in Sicily, with the Greek Theatre and views of Etna.
• Aci Trezza: to the south, a short way before Catania. Off the fishing village, the Cyclopean rocks rise from the sea, rocks of volcanic origin that are linked to the legend of Odysseus.
• Catania: further south. We present the baroque city at the foot of Etna in our profile of Harbours in Catania .
• Syracuse: The city lies further south, beyond Catania on the southeast coast of Sicily.
• Aeolian Islands: around 75 nm, the route leads north through the Strait of Messina. The island group with Stromboli, Lipari, Salina and Panarea is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Milazzo is a good harbour to stop at on the way; see the profile of Ports in Milazzo.
• Malta: The island lies further south, beyond Capo Passero at the southeastern tip of Sicily.

What can you do ashore in Riposto?

Almost everything is close at hand for a day in port: the town centre is just a few minutes' walk away, and Etna rises above the town.

• Piazza San Pietro: Around 400 metres from the marina, this is Riposto's central square, with the Art Nouveau (Liberty) town hall and the cathedral of the town's patron saint. The cathedral's façade is modelled on the Roman Lateran Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano.
• Chiesa della Madonna della Lettera: Riposto's oldest church is also around 400 metres from the marina. Its present appearance dates from 1868. Inside hangs a 19th-century version of an old Byzantine icon, while the original is kept in Messina. Unlike the one there, the Madonna in Riposto also shows her letter. Beneath the church lies a crypt, which is under water when the water level is high.
• Torre Archirafi: The promenade takes you to this little fishing village, around 2.4 kilometres to the south. There, the waves break on rocks of volcanic origin, which look especially beautiful at sunset.
• Etna: Europe's highest active volcano lies in the Parco dell’Etna, Sicily's first nature park, which has protected around 59,000 hectares around the mountain since 1987. Excursions to the volcano can be arranged through the Yacht Service in the harbour.
• Acireale: The town lies around 16 kilometres to the south on a plateau above the sea and is known for its carnival.

For skippers: berthing and marine weather in Riposto

Your contact for visiting boats is the reception of the Porto dell’Etna. The marina can be reached by VHF, telephone and WhatsApp, and the staff are on hand around the clock to help with mooring.

Registration and Berthing

The marina monitors VHF channel 74. You can reach it by telephone on +39 095 779 5755, or by mobile and WhatsApp on +39 334 682 0874. Berths can be requested via the marina's website , and the harbour and shipyard services can also be booked through the Navis app. The berths are on floating pontoons and on the fixed quay, and the spaces are allocated by boat length and beam. The price of a visitor berth depends on the size of the boat and the season: July, August and the first half of September are the most expensive, and the period from 1 November to the end of February is the cheapest.

Approach

The harbour of Riposto is sheltered from the east by a long outer breakwater. During the storm in January 2026, the outer breakwater was damaged. As things stand today (November 2026), the repair of one section has been commissioned, and the marina remains in operation. The main light stands on the bend of the outer breakwater, showing long white flashes every five seconds. The entrance lies between the head of the outer breakwater, with a red flashing light, and the head of the inner mole, with a green flashing light, both with a three-second period.

Who is responsible in the harbour?

The local office of the Italian coast guard (Guardia Costiera), the Ufficio Circondariale Marittimo di Riposto, is responsible for the safety of shipping in the harbour of Riposto. Its building stands at the southern end of the harbour. In an emergency at sea, you can reach the coast guard on 1530.

Which marine weather forecast applies off Riposto?

The official marine weather forecast for Italian waters is issued by the weather service of the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare). It is updated every six hours, and the coastguard broadcasts it by radio to shipping.

Gale warnings (Avviso di burrasca) are issued every three hours in Italian and English, and in between if necessary. You can find warnings and charts on the Weather service page.

Sailing trips from Riposto on Törnfinder

You can find sailing trips throughout Italy, including the east coast of Sicily and the Aeolian Islands, at Sailing in Italy. Offers in other countries around the Mediterranean can be found under Sailing in the Mediterranean.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Catania airport to Riposto?

By car, it takes around 30 minutes via the A18 towards Messina to the Giarre exit, and then along the SS 114 to Riposto. By train, take the service from Catania Aeroporto Fontanarossa airport station towards Messina to Giarre-Riposto; the terminal is connected to the station by a shuttle bus.

Where are the berths in Riposto?

In the Porto dell’Etna, the marina in the harbour of Riposto on Via Duca del Mare. The floating pontoons are in the middle part of the harbour basin, around 400 metres east of Piazza San Pietro.

Where do I park at the start of a sailing trip in Riposto?

The marina has its own car parks, both open-air and covered. There is also a car park on Via Duca del Mare, around 200 metres from the pontoons.

Where do I buy provisions for the sailing trip in Riposto?

A Coop is around 350 metres from the marina in the town, and a Conad City is around 950 metres away. By car, you can also reach a EuroSpin and a Penny, around 1.1 and 1.5 kilometres away.

Which VHF channel does the Porto dell’Etna use?

The marina monitors VHF channel 74. It can also be reached on +39 095 779 5755 and via WhatsApp on +39 334 682 0874.

How do I get from Riposto to Etna?

Excursions to the volcano can be arranged through the Yacht Service in the harbour, which also offers car hire. As things stand today (November 2026), the railway around Etna, the Circumetnea, does not run between Linguaglossa and Riposto.