Dress code etiquette

It applies to all churches. It's a matter of respect. Whether or not it will be actively enforced depends on the church.

It can’t hurt to be respectful when walking into a church or synagogue.

The general rule in Italy is no bare shoulders or knees in any church. However, we have seen folks in tank tops and shorts in churches, but we have also seen people be turned away or asked to leave. Some churches will provide paper shawls or smocks for visitors.

The safest plan is to always be appropriately dressed, which may well not suit your personal style, or to always carry a shawl or pashmina you can drape around yourself. You can buy gorgeous ones in Italy surprisingly inexpensive.

I can't imagine not packing at least one pair of long pants or capris and at least one short sleeve shirt.

Yes every Catholic Church in Italy has this rule. Doesn’t seem to apply most of the time in other countries but in Italy...yes. Now not every small church will have someone posted to refuse entry to those in shorts. So you technically can get away with it but I think that’s disrespectful.

It is a simply matter of respect. These are functioning house of worship used by the local residents and not a Disneyland creation for American tourists. I would never wear shorts in the cities. Personally think it is inappropriate but do as you wish.

It is quite simple: Cover knees and shoulders while in Churches. No low cut tops, see through tops, tank-style for anyone.

Nothing revealing - people should not look like they are extras in an 'adult' movie.

....but that doesn’t phase many Americans they just go right past the
conspicuous sign.

Doug, the tourists we've most often seen flaunt the knees-and-shoulders rule have not been Americans. And that's all i'll say about THAT. I'm proud to say that the most inconsiderate, disrespectful tourists we've yet to encounter abroad have NOT been our own countrymen.

ma6168, because we really like to just pop in and out of Italian churches, we just dress daily per the strictest guidelines we're apt to encounter: no knees showing (either of us) and no sleeveless tops (me, as my DH always wears at least short sleeves). You can keep a long scarf in your bag for throwing around your shoulders if it's hot and you wish to go sleeveless. Not all churches will have the signs out front dictating appropriate dress but, well, I'd hate to have to pass a great one by because of a wee bit of offending flesh.

I've yet to figure out how so many of Mike's figures in the Sistine could get away with their naughty bits just hanging out all over the place when just the sight of my pudgy knees might cause some poor priest to faint dead away? :O)

I agree with the scarf idea. When I’m in Italy, I always carry a scarf rolled up in my purse. It comes in handy not only for churches, but also if you need something to sit on, some protection from the sun, etc. In Italy, it’s just another travel accessory that I carry every day like my sunglasses.

could get away with their naughty...

They didn't.

The Pope asked Michelangelo to cover those bits, but he replied that the Pope could do it by himself if he really wanted. Case closed, the Pope decided he didn't actually want to. Mike had quite an attitude.

After Michelangelo's death, they hired one of his Second rank pupils to paint drapes and underwear strategically placed. His name was Daniele da Volterra, but everybody remembers him by nickname: The "breeches painter". He also carved and repainted a couple of saints. One wonders if they paid him enough to be remembered this way Forever and ever.

Most "breeches" have been erased in 1994, except for the older ones, maintained as an evidence of the Counter Reformation.

For me, a just-below-the-knee loose skirt (or even an ankle-length one) is cooler than shorts -- just flap for natural air conditioning. Always have a scarf in my day bag.
DH wears light cotton long pants.

^^^^^ Dario

And then there was the Pope who hired someone with a chisel to go around gouging out the male naughty bits on statues and/or covering up with fig leaves.

and no short shorts should take care of the knees.

Hardly -- even long walking shorts don't cover one's knees.

I understand the concern - while I am taking both pants and shorts, there may be a day when I'm walking about town in shorts and come across a church I'd like to see. To avoid such a situation, I'd have to always wear pants, regardless of the weather or my comfort - that's kind of too bad. As I said: I understand, but it's still too bad.

I can't resist adding my two cents. Most of the responses reflected a very appropriate general philosophy, but didn't address the OP's specific question. The OP asked about what to do if they 'happened by a church and spur of the moment decided to peek inside?'. When I'm planning to visit a church, I make a point to wear long pants. But that isn't what the OP asked. Many times in Italy, in the course of a hike or some other activity, I've happened on a small church, very often with ZERO other people inside. In that case, I think it's perfectly appropriate to 'peek inside' even though I may be wearing shorts. To say this wouldn't be appropriate seems really over the top to me. Enjoy your trip!

Bob, you think it perfectly appropriate to enter the empty church in shorts, but even more appropriate would be to come back later or another day in proper garb. Because there is no one in the church is beside the point. The respect to be shown is for the Church with a capital C, not just that one small “cute” church. This from a non-believer.

Bob, the problem is that Catholic Churches are never empty. They are not a room where believers meet like protestant churches.

You don't cover knees and shoulders because of the other sinners, but because of the guy living there 24/7. In other words, when you enter a church in shorts because "there is nobody inside" you are literally ignoring their beliefs. I agree that it's the same Guy who planned, designed and Built those knees and shoulders we are forced to hide. He shouldn't be offended in seeing his job on display, but... religion and logic do not like each other.

As a famous art historian said: "those who have faces and bodies that seem painted by Michelangelo can enter the Sistine Chapel dressed the way they want. The rest of the world should just cover and be quiet".

Dario, you are right about the naughty bits...or at least those in the Sistine! I'd written this bit about Trinità dei Monti myself for a different website, and had forgotten it until you mentioned Volterra.

"What we have here is an unassuming nave with a nicely arched but undecorated ceiling, hint of a screen halfway between, and the requisite side chapels. The chapels are more lavishly decorated with paint, the most notable of which are four frescoes dabbled by a student of Michelangelo’s who employed some of his mentor's sketches. That’s supposedly Mike himself peering out at you rather crossly from the right side of Daniele da Volterra’s "Assumption of the Virgin". The furrow in his brow would be even deeper had he known that his pupil would later take on a commission to cover, with fig leaves and drapery, the naughty bits of the master’s Sistine Chapel."

Thanks to all who replied. We feel like we have enough information to adjust our packing. I was asking the question since we have not travelled to Europe before and wanted to make sure we were being respectful of the culture....I also wasn't planning on wearing "short" shorts, but walking shorts. But those won't cover my knees. Instead we have invested in a few zip off pants from Columbia so we can adjust as needed. Appreciate the advice, especially from Bob who understood the core of my post. I specifically was asking about knees and the spur of the moment (not planned) church entry. Thanks all!

Best,
Madhu

we have invested in a few zip off pants

Good - that is what I would have suggested, since it has saved me a couple of times. The lower legs weigh nothing in a day bag.

WRT zip off pants, you may find that they are more of a bother than a benefit. My experience with them has been that after one or two times fooling around with taking the leggings off and then putting them back on that you end up just leaving the leggings on. At that point you have a pricey pair of long pants with zippers. Cut to the chase, if you think that you'll be poking your nose into places where dress code matters, wear a light pair of long pants and stop worrying about it. I rarely bring shorts on trips to European cities.

I have a pair of very light, loose fitting, linen blend pants that are my "go to" garment for this kind of situation. Very comfortable, cool in the hottest, most humid weather. In fact, I'm wearing them now!

I live in my capri pants in the summer - not much longer than walking shorts, still enough leg out to keep a bit cooler but they cover up the knees. Not something a male would wear generally, but great for us ladies!