Question about proper attire in churches in Italy

I have visited Italy in June many times (including in 2022). I have never had problems entering churches with bare legs and summer sandals. Only shoulders and knees need to be covered.

If they banned sandals, even Franciscan friars wouldn’t be allowed in churches. Just cover your legs above the knees and your bare shoulders and you will be fine even at St. Peter’s Basilica. Even a light pareo or scarf will do, if you want to wear shorts. Just pull out the pareo from your purse and wrap it around your waist before entering a church.

You may also be expected to remove any hat you're wearing.

Hello :)

On our most recent trip in July 2022 to Milan, Turin, Lake Maggiore, Lake Como, Cinque Terre, and many many hilltop cities in Tuscany we visited over 20 Churches. My wife always had on sandals, shorts and a v neck T shirt. The shorts were about 2 inches "above" her knees. She was allowed in every time.

Here are the brand of sandals she wore: https://bedrocksandals.com/collections/cairn-pro-ii-sandals-lineup/products/cairn-pro-ii-1

The general rule is.

Only shoulders and knees need to be covered.

Have fun! :)

Thank you everyone for your reply. Makes me feel better about all the rest of the churches that we may see. Will just make sure wearing pants and shoes for the cathedral in Florence. (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore).

My wife always had on sandals, shorts and a v neck T shirt. The shorts
were about 2 inches "above" her knees. She was allowed in every time.

Tigger, I would not expect ALL of the cathedrals or churches to have allowed your wife in with knee-baring shorts. It could depend on the authorities on duty on any particular day but we saw people turned away at cathedrals in Milan and Florence due to length of their shorts. A V-neck shirt isn't an issue as long as it doesn't display an immodest amount of décolletage and isn't sleeveless.

But no worries about sandals. Unless i've missed something, I've never seen a single report from a visitor turned away for wearing those.

From the Duomo website: Admission to the cathedral is allowed only to people wearing clothing suitable for a place of worship. Visitors with bare legs and shoulders or wearing sandals, hats and sunglasses are not allowed inside the cathedral. Bulky backpacks and bags are not allowed.
Often, skin can be covered up with anything and pass muster. So perhaps carry a light scarf or shawl that may reach your ankles, if called out for your capris....and carry a light pair of socks to slip on inside your sandals. These visits are not reviewed by the fashion police....just the respectable dress monitors.
Some Cathedrals or churches are this strict, but more often capris and sandals are fine...with covered shoulders and cleavage, of course.

"You may also be expected to remove any hat you're wearing."

That would be for men only.

I can't imagine being denied entry for wearing capris. Also, keep in mind that the major churches in the major cities have stricter rules than smaller churches that don't get as many visitors who are just checking a site off the list. In Classe (outside Ravenna), I saw two Italian school groups - one had a guide who made everyone in shorts wrap something around their legs, while the other one didn't and there were plenty of teenagers in shorts in that group. Two members of our party there were in modest shorts and the staff didn't bat an eyelash. I was in a dress that stopped just below my knees (higher than your capris likely stop). At a church in Bologna, we saw a sign that made it clear tank tops and very short shorts were banned, not shorts above the knee broadly. You shouldn't be dressed like you are hanging out at the beach, but it's a little more subtle than just covering the knees (except at the major tourist sites where a blanket rule makes it easy to police). I have a couple of summer dresses that hit just below the knee that I've worn all over Italy into many churches - big and small.

Thanks everyone for all the great ideas. Our group of 4 women will definitely be ready for any situation.

I have been to Italy many times and never had a problem with proper attire. Last July, Italy was in the 100F +. I had a long sundress and sandals and was able to pop in to any of the churches.

I have seen super short shorts and sandals, especially this past summer. That violates the dress code and depending on who is at the door, you will be stopped if it does not meet the guidelines.
Cropped pants are fine. Usually the signs are for the short skirts/shorts.

No, Bob, it's not just men who may be expected to remove their hats.

"No, Bob, it's not just men who may be expected to remove their hats."

Since when?? I am a life long Catholic and grew up when the rule was no hats for men (hat clips were provided on the back of the pews) and women had to wear a hat. Later that was changed to hats were optional for women, probably about the same time Latin was replaced. I have not heard of any changes to the rules on hats since then and I still do see a few women wearing hats at Mass.

Hi sdw:

The one place I saw attendants refusing entry to people was at St. Peter's in Rome.
They refused to let a party of youngish women in as they had very strappy sundresses on and no coverups.
They were not offered the paper coverups that I've seen before, just turned away.

Sandals are fine, and be sure to cover your knees, shoulders and cleavage to show respect.
You will see others who do not do this, but you will be doing the right thing!

smithsophia post reported

I'm not Catholic and have no idea when rules changed in Italy or elsewhere. Maybe a lot of churches don't care. I've been in Rome and Naples on my current trip, and I noticed two churches with signs about proper attire that included no hats. There were probably more; I don't pay attention to those signs because I'm always wearing long slacks and at least 3/4-length sleeves (and no sandals--who knew?). I always remove my sun hat since being told to do so at the cathedral in Barcelona in 2016; Catalunya is hardly a hotbed of religious conservatism.

I speculate that the sort of hats tourists often wear are considered too casual and thus disrespectful. I (not at all religious) always feel a bit odd going into other people's churches for reasons of tourism rather than prayer, so I'm glad to match my clothing to the local rules.

I agree with acraven. Let us not lose sight that these are houses of worship and there are often services or just people in prayer when we visit.

We need to strike a balance between comfort and respect. There is some irony coming from me, since I sing in the choir and normally wear jeans, though they are my nice pair.

Rules today are a far cry from my first visit to Europe in 1966 when I was a high school student. We were required to take at least a tie and sports jacket and were expected to wear them at dinner. The girls didn't bring anything above the knee other than a swimsuit and all carried some sort of head covering.