Vatican visitor's dress code?

Long pants are OK. I'm assuming you're asking for women. Knees and shoulders must be covered. This is strictly enforced at the door.

Knees and shoulders covered is pretty much all you are required to observe. Sandals, capris, short sleeve t-shirts, white tennis shoes are all acceptable.

Long pants are fine. modest dress is required. As the two other posters said, cover shoulders and knees. And the sleeve on the shoulder must be a real sleeve, not a cap sleeve. I always carry a long large scarf and cover my shoulders with that.

Have a GREAT trip!!!

Does anyone know if tattoos must be covered? My wife has a fairly good size tattoo on her arm.

Thanks!

Chris: Whether someone would be denied entry because of a large tattoo has not previously been asked here, so I was intrigued and did a fast Google search and this is the best description of Vatican dress code I could find, and it simply repeats what we already know: "The Vatican has a very strict, but very simple dress code: no shoulders, stomachs, or knees may be showing. Footwear of any kind, jeans, and capris are ok."I have not seen anything about someone being denied entry because of a large visible tattoo, but I suppose it might partly depend on what the tattoo depicts or says.

I do not claim this as official Vatican dress policy, only a personal observation. Several years ago as we were waiting in line there was a long and heated agruement between a young lady and the Vatican police ahead of us. When we got to the front I asked the policeman what had caused the holdup and he replied very politely that it wasn't anything and smiled. A tour guide standing there pointed to a young lady standing by a pillar with several friends, all of whom were covered with tatoos, studs, wierd hairdos, multiple earrings, etc. and said, "Them claimed they was "dressed appropriately" to go in the finest church in Christendom, they did." So perhaps it was general appearance rather than a single tatoo. What do you think, Kent? Possible?

"What do you think, Kent? Possible?"Charles: Yes, St Peter's would be the worst place to push the limits of modest dress, given the strict dress code enforcement at the door. I've gotten the impression (nothing I've seen in writing) that the St Peter's dress code enforcers at the door have discretionary powers--not in the direction of relaxing the ban on knees, shoulders, and stomachs but insofar as matters of the sort Charles mentions above.

Except for the warmest time of year, you should at least have a light windbreaker/rain jacket with you that you could put on if you're concerned about tattoos.

One other comment on the topic of the Vatican dress code. BE SURE to maintain the proper decorum inside, even after you've been approved by the "enforcers" at the door.

On my last visit I witnessed the guards inside "tearing a strip" off a young lady that had briefly removed the shawl covering her shoulders (it was very hot inside that day, even though it was late September). The Guard descended on her very quickly and his response was NOT polite and NOT gentle (quite brutal actually, or so I thought at the time).

They take the dress code very seriously, so something to keep in mind.

Thanks everyone. She'll probably play it safe and wear a cardigan or other long sleeve cover.

I have a rather large tatoo that goes from the top of my foot and up all the way around my ankle and I was admitted into St. Peters with no problems(I wore capris so yes it was visable). I had a priest friend tell me once its not so much the tatoo in general but what the tatoo is of.

From our past experiences the dress code is very strictly enforced at least for men and boys. Were there in June 2002 and July 2006. In 2002 my husband and I wore pants but the gal at our hotel said our boys (who had just finished 5th and 9th grades at the time)would be fine with their khaki cargo shorts that hit below their knees. No problem she said! At St. Peters they would not allow our older son in with his cargo shorts but let the younger one in. As I stood outside St. Peters with my older son we were shocked at the mini skirts that they allowed in! Way above the knee! (husband and son changed pants and shorts and I went in with older son so it worked out.) Even if you get past the clothes patrol at the door there is a 2nd level of clothes patrol that might stop you if dressed inappropriately.

In 2006 the guys all wore khaki pants and I wore a skirt that hit above my knee but nothing like the minis I saw in '02. Had no problem getting in.

St Peters does not require a long dress of ladies, but there are religious sites, usually Orthodox, that do, they also usually offer some type of wrap type skirt at the door or shawl to cover up with.

I can answer the tatoo question from experience. My husband has numerous tatoos on his arms and I have one on my ankle. However, we both follow the dress codes. He wears a collared, short sleeve office type shirt and Dockers pants and I always have shoulders/top of arms covered and an appropriate length skirt or slacks. We have been to St Peter's twice now and never had a problem either time. Hope this helps in making clothing decisions.

The gals in our group were just fine with capris which hit below our knees. I'm planning to just pack the capris this summer on my trip there. My sons will have long pants but I do have one question - has anyone had problems with wearing long athletic pants, the kind with the material that looks like parachute material? Thanks.

Barb