Travel Diaries: Valentina Barabuffi’s Italian Seaside Escape

Rip & Tan: Other than your wardrobe (or a calendar for that matter), what signifies the true start of summer for you? 

Valentina Barabuffi: The aperitifs overlooking the sea, lightweight clothes, my ever-present straw hat, and the sun warming my skin.

Rip & Tan: How would you describe your summer wardrobe aesthetic?

Valentina Barabuffi: Simple, effortlessly elegant but with attention to materials (only natural). I like light colors. My favorite garment palette for summer revolves all around white with a few colorful variations. 

Rip & Tan: Does your travel style differ from your day-to-day? What are some of your favorite vacation silhouettes?

Valentina Barabuffi: I love wearing long dresses or oversized shirts with a wide-brimmed hat and a straw bag. The important thing is to feel comfortable in what I wear, whether I’m venturing out for a day at the beach or a quiet day in the city.

Rip & Tan: What was on your packing list for your getaway to Pantelleria? Any advice for those going on their own Italian holiday?

Valentina Barabuffi: A mix of basics (oversized shirts, denim shorts), maxi dresses, sandals, a beach towel, and a good book. I would say it could be the ideal suitcase for any Italian vacation.

Rip & Tan: Tell us about Pantelleria. What about this destination is so special to you?

Valentina Barabuffi: Pantelleria is a small Sicilian island much closer to Tunisia than to Italy. It is a strong, magnetic land that gets into your heart and never leaves. 

I loved the contrast of the blue sea and the black of its lava stone, plus the white of the roofs of the dammusi (typical Pantelleria dwellings) that stand out in the green of its vegetation. The hot sun is tempered by the winds (its name in Arabic means “daughter of the wind”) and when evening falls the spectacle of colors of its sunset are an exercise in beauty for the eyes and the spirit.

Rip & Tan: What does a dream day in Pantelleria look like to you?

Valentina Barabuffi: Yoga at dawn from the roof of the dammuso to greet the sun. A dip in its crystal clear waters and lunch overlooking the sea at Le Cale restaurant between Cala Tramontana and Cale Levante. Natural spa at Lake Venus with its rejuvenating mud baths and aperitif at Kaya Kaya, a small seafront bar where you can wait for the sunset.

Dinner at Osteria Il Principe e il Pirata, Giorgio Armani’s favorite restaurant, and to end on a high note the island’s typical dessert the Bacio Pantesco.

Rip & Tan: What’s your general approach to summer style?

Valentina Barabuffi: I like when looks feel elegant but effortless, especially in summer.

Rip & Tan:  If you’re venturing away from home for a weekend or even just the afternoon, what are the summer essentials—wardrobe and otherwise—you can’t live without?

Valentina Barabuffi: White tee shirt, a pair of jeans, straw hat, and book.

Rip & Tan: Does this season elicit any particularly fond memories for you? What is it about summer that brings you joy?

Valentina Barabuffi: Summer is the season I love. Just like when I was a child and waited for school to end. I always feel the same irrepressible happiness that tastes of new places to discover, new encounters, and saltiness.

Rip & Tan: What are your go-to spots in Pantelleria?

Valentina Barabuffi: To stay: Parco dei Sesi or Casa della Spagnola—it is a private house that you can rent that was designed by Oscar Tusquets in the 1970s.

To eat: Le Cale and Il Principe e il Pirata.

To soak in the sun: Cala Tramontana, Cala Levante, Cala Gadir, and Lago di Venere.

To grab an aperitif: Kaya Kaya and Dispensa Pantesca.