Do I need to bring long pants to Italy in the summer? Fleece jackets?

Italy is nothing like Belgium, Germany and Austria where it can be cool. I don't think you will need a fleece jacket at all! But a rain jacket can be a good idea and you have light sweaters so you should be fine. You are not going high up in the mountains like you do in Germany or the Swiss Alps. You will be most likely very warm and wish for some of that Germany weather! I would not bring jeans, that is the one country that I don't bring jeans with me. Light weight pants, your capris, the light sweaters and a rain jacket should be just fine. Just in case it rains and gets cool or is cool at night. But Italy is a very warm country and long johns and fleece jackets in July will not be necessary. You can always buy a sweatshirt if you get cold. Have a wonderful time. I have been to Rome in September and it was hot as well as Venice. Sorrento is by the beach and like going to the beach now in the states. No fleece jacket needed.

People in Europe, and especially Italy, don't wear as many shorts as those in the U.S. But Italy is a sweltering place in Summer.
I don't bring any rain jacket or fleece jacket of any kind. If needed, all kinds of clothes is available where I travel.
Bring what is comfortable to you and don't worry about how it looks. I personally wear shorts 100% of the summer except going to church on Sunday. And my wardrobe doesn't change for Europe.
I do take two pairs of jeans--both sent to a laundry for heavy starching. They'll last 10 days still looking if starched.

If you are comfortable w/ the temps you are seeing in the long-range forecasts, you'll probably be fine.

I remember one year in Volterra (hill town) it was rather chilly one night in August. I got really cold and my husband gave me his light jacket to wear walking back from dinner.

I wear a lot of scarves, and I find that the larger, longer ones can also double as shawls (which are great in case you need an extra layer with your light sweater one night). But, some ladies just don't like scarves/shawls. They are easy to pack, take up little room and can give the same basics different looks. But, some of my absolute favorite scarf finds were in Italy :) Great bargains can be found in some of the street markets.

Thanks for the input. I am going to oust the fleece jackets and jeans and buy a sweatshirt or something if a sudden change happens in the weather.

I am in Roma now and see lots of men in shorts, not all are tourists. Capris, also. Capris or long pants for churches, please. There are 30-70% sales on clothing through July, so you could try some capris and see if you like them.

Roma is really hot right now.

You may get the odd cool day but it's warm in Italy in the summer. You mentioned your spouse and son will have the zip off pants. Instead of pants for you and your daughter, put tights in your bag so you can add a layer with your dresses if it's a rare cool day. Scarves are convenient to wrap around your shoulders in you go into a cool building and are handy as a cross body strap for bags if you have full hands. Shorts are quite common.

One more consideration: it might be cold on the airplane. I would bring a light fleece.

It's true that Italy can be extremely hot and sunny. I personally prefer to wear lightweight, fast-dry synthetic pants that eliminate the need to put sunscreen on my (male) legs. I don't find them confining or sweaty - but people's responses to heat differ.

I agree that shorts are not as prevalent among Europeans, of every economic level. It's a matter of opinion (... and in this case, I mean not related to problems with Cathedral admission, especially for women) but I want to add:

Sometimes the crowds of sweaty, Cargo Shorts Americans piling into restaurants gave me the feeling that I'm at my monthly union meeting, or at the bagel shop on a Saturday morning - as suit-and-tie office workers gratefully switch over to sloppy clothes and flipflops. I wonder if we present a slightly better appearance to "the world" in long pants?

That said, at every single major church we entered last month in Italy, including St. Peter's, we saw young women of every nationality, (as far as I could tell) in micro-cut-off shorts and miniskirts. Sometimes they were given non-woven fabric sheets to wrap around themselves, other times they were sent away. I'm not saying whether it's fair or outdated. But it's a fact. And you don't get to decide. They do.

A large scarf or pashmina makes a great multi purpose item. A shawl to cover shoulders be it for the church or weather. It also makes a great blanket on a chilly plane or train. Or a lt blanket on a bed with just a heavy duvet. I use a sarong from Hawaii - it is very versitile - especially with a sarong buckle.

Apart from manners, wheather.com or other sites also provide info about destinations in Europe, including a 10 day forecast.

I've never been to Italy in the summer, but have been there during the fall (Sept and Oct) and I can tell you even during those months it is quite hot in Rome. Granted, I experienced huge differences in the heat between being in the shade vs being in the sun. For this reason we tried to walk on the shady side of the street. The locals probably thought it was cooling off by those months, but for someone from the San Francisco Bay Area, I still found the heat a bit punishing. So no to the fleece, yes to a light rain shell, synthetic materials for pants or lightweight cotton. Your best bet is to take in the sights early in the day, before the heat and crowds really set in, have a lunch and return to your room for a nap. Emerge in the evening just when the sun has fallen below the roof lines and experience, a completely transformed (and much cooler) Rome/Italy. We didn't get the hang of this until day 2 or 3.

My experience in Italy was during the entire month of May. I travelled to Venice, Cinque Terre, Cortona, San Gimignano, Montepulciano, Volterra, Orvieto, Florence and Rome. I thought I had it covered and brought jeans, a couple of skirts, and one pair of capris. I ended up buying leggings both 3/4 length and full length once I got into the Tuscan towns. I would bring some just in case because they don't take up much room and they were pricey when I did find them in Volterra.

In Rome and Cinque Terre the skirts, capris and short sleeves were fine although I did wear a windbreaker with long sleeves at night.

Venice was mixed temperatures and I needed a sweater or jean jacket at night.

The Tuscan towns were pretty cool during the days, especially when raining, and very cold for me at night. I layered with leggings under my long skirt or under the jeans, and tank top under t-shirt, under jacket and scarf and still was cold. It doesn't seem like you will be in the Tuscan towns though.

Have fun!

I have only been to Italy twice.. both time in summer ..

Hot. hot hot.

No need for fleece.. even at night.. a light cardigan style ladies sweater.. or I have used a scarf..
I take a scarf to Europe that opens up wide enough to be a shawl.. super useful.. if wearing a sundress with no sleeves you can just wrap it around shoulders to get in churches.. and when not using it ( because its hot hot hot) I just tie it to my purse..

I always wear sundresses /skirts in heat.. I don't like sticking to the vinyl seats on trains and buses when wearing shorts in heat.. lol plus it kind of ewws me out having my skin sitting on other peoples dried sweat. I wear them just to knee length ( so not a mini.. but not a maxi, always got in churches that way too )..
My step daughter took long dresses to Europe this last trip ( we just got home a month ago).. in Spain and Greece where it was hot she wore them and she looked great.. I took one too but ended up not wearing it because I found them too hot having my legs covered right to ankles.. lol.. so wear whatever style you like as long as comfy.. no one really cares ( except the naked knees and shoulder guards at the churches.. lol )

You won't need a fleece jacket, not even at night, at any of the locations mentioned. Temperatures will drop to the 70s F in the early morning hours, hardly requiring a light sweater, let alone a fleece jacket.

You will need long pants (that cover at least the knees) if you plan to tour churches. This is a requirement of many (not all) churches.

I always bring a fleece for the plane and airport. I hate being cold!

Wear layers and take your fleece on the airplane. We FROZE both coming and going on the Delta this time and I was so thankful for my fleece, long pants and smartwool socks. I have no idea how those people in shorts and flip flops survived.

As long as you aren't going to be in the Alps, I wouldn't think so. We've lived in Rome and Florence and spend plenty of time in Venice and never needed fleece in August. Sundresses are great to wear in Italy. If you plan to visit churches, do carry something to cover up your arms and shoulders out of respect.

Agreeing with others that I did not need a fleece or even long pants in Florence, Venice and Rome this June. In fact, I packed a long skirt, culottes and capris thinking and I was so.darn.hot that in Venice I found a shop and bought shorts and a short loose linen dress. So much better. Wish I had packed shorts to start with. (And I definitely saw some Italians wearing shorts, as well as many non-American tourists wearing them too.).

I did wear long heavyweight linen trousers on the plane with a sleeveless top and a light sweater. I didn't wear either the pants or the sweater again until the plane trip home.

Thank you for all your ideas. I am leaving the jeans at home and packing skirts and shorts and dresses, knee and shoulders covered when needed.. Still debating the plane attire as I do tend to get cold even on a shorter flight.

Leggings for the plane? Lightweight, can scrunch up in a corner of your bag for the rest of the trip.

the idea of a fleece jacket in Rome, Sorrento, Venice, or Cinque Terre in July / August makes me crumple just thinking about it.

I feel kind of like Pat does about the other people's dried sweat next to her skin -- just thinking of fleece next to my skin in that heat makes me want to crawl in a dark hole!!!