Proper attire for visiting St. Peter's basilica and the Vatican

As far as I remember, both men & women must have knees & shoulders covered when visiting St. Peter's Basilica & most, if not all, churches.

Your question:

Is it all right for men to wear shorts when visiting St. Peter's?

Answer: That's an easy one, the answer is No. Y won't be allowed in the Cathederal because you have to pass in front of dress code enforcers at the door, because St. Peter's is the Catholic Church's holiest place.

We went to St Peter's yesterday, and based on what we saw if the shorts hit the knees men were getting in just fine.

Be on the safe side and wear long pants. I was at St Peters Basilica about 10 days ago and we all had covered shoulders and legs but none of the people in line in singlet tops and miniskirts were denied entry! Maybe it depends the mood of the person that day. I do advise you to get there early though. We were there around 8.15 and the wait in the security line was about 15 min. When we came out the queue had done an entire lap of the square! Probably a few hours wait!!

The rules are that men and women must have knees and shoulders covered. Men are required to wear pants according to the Vatican sign posts. You can try to get in wearing longer shorts but don't count on it. Some of the guards may allow you entry but if you want to be guaranteed entry then wear pants. I've seen many men sitting around the colonnade waiting for their families because they were denied entry.

Donna

Convertible pants are the way to go. I need my shorts to beat the heat and enjoy my vacation. I just pack the bottom leggings in the cargo pockets and zip them on just before going into a church or a nicer restaurant.

I did see the odd shorts inside churches, but these may have just been occassional lapses of enforcement.

As stated, if a man wears long pants and at least short sleeves, he will positively get in. Anything shorter and you get into a gray area where you are at the mercy of the mood of the guards. Other churches in Rome are more lax, with the general rule being the smaller the church, the more relaxed the dress code. At Santa Maria in Trastevere I've seen American teenage girls in shorts so short that if they were any shorter they would be a belt.