Riposto is situated at half way between Taormina and Catania and faces onto the Ionian Sea. Its history is connected to the nearby Giarre, and today they also share the same rail station. Only in 1841 Riposto obtained its own administrative autonomy. In 1939 the two centres were re-united and took the name of Jonia, whilst 1945 the two towns were legally separated again.

The name derives from the dialect word "U ripostu", which means cellar, as a large quantities of food and wines were gathered here, products of the nearby cities of Giarre and Mascali.

From an architectural point of view, worth of mention is: the Basilica, entitled to San Pietro, built in a Classic style between XVIII and XIX centuries, where inside it is possible to admire paintings of the artists Giuseppe Zacco, Antonio Bonaccorsi and Matteo Desiderato, and a French organ of late '800 - the unique example in Italy - and a valuable pulpit of the Sicilian School.

The Church entitled to the Madonna della Lettera was the first church built in Riposto. The present structure is dated 1710. Inside are preserved artworks like a painting of the artist Giuseppe Zacco which features the Madonna; an organ of '700 and in the crypt a well that strains sea water which was used to treat the dead bodies buried here.

Other important monuments are the Villa Comunale, the Palazzo Comunale (of the early Twenties), the Villa Edoardo Pantano, camp base of the English army during the Allied occupation, the Port also known as Porto dell'Etna, with two observation fortified towers built to protect the city from the pirate incursions and the Parco delle Kentie, a botanic educational museum.