are capris okay for touring Italian sites?

Kent - Thanks for your quick response. I am also hoping to wear sleeveless tops, but just bring one lightweight jacket to put on, whenever we go into a site that requires that shoulders and elbows be covered. Will this work?

To your last post, yes, that or long scarves are commonly used in this way.

Mary, my daughters wore sleeveless tops, and when we went into churches, they pulled long lightweight colorful scarves out of our daybag and put around their shoulders and arms. Worked perfectly. Scarves are perfect packing items. Italy is as hot as Texas in June and July. My daughters and I wore capris almost every day of our trip. My husband and son wore lightweight pants on church visit days and walking shorts the rest of the time in Italy. Have a great trip! Ciao!

Mary just back from Italy & lots of capris. I was surprised though that several men were in San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter-in-Chains Church) with shorts on.

The "no bare knees or shoulders" rule is enforced to different extent depending on the church. St. Peter's has a zero-tolerance policy. Other churches just don't have the staff to enforce it. So you have to ask yourself which is more important to you - your comfort or being respectful to the place you're visiting.

One possible compromise for men is the pants that convert into shorts, with zip-off lower legs.

I decided to go straight to the source of our upcoming Vatican Tour, Tony Polzer, of 3 Millennia. Here's what Tony said:

"I would recommend that your husband and sons wear pants. The letter of the rule states that men must wear full length pants. However, kids are definitely getting away with capris, and even men sometimes are getting away with it as well. However, I would not chance it. If you get turned away, there is no recourse. Wearing pants one day is not detrimental and it guarantees that everything will go smoothly.

I have a program guide to the 1925 Holy Year. It states:

“He (Pope Pius XI) therefore gave orders that no ladies or young ladies should be admitted to His audiences who had not their dresses covering them up to their necks and their wrists”

So if one of your kids complains about having to wear a skirt/capris covering their knees or wear full length pants, you should tell them that they are lucky they are alive now and not 75 years ago!"

Men are permitted long shorts, like Bermuda shorts.
http://www.slowtrav.com/Italy/instructions/churches.htm