Dress Codes For Major sites in Spain

Same thing. I saw people wearing tank tops and shorts refused entry into Barcelona Cathedral one after another in summer; many who feel entitled getting an attitude with the ushers who stand there enforcing the rules.

But don't confuse religious institutions that happen to be major tourist sites with parks and museums where you can wear whatever you want as long as you have shirts and shoes on

I have just returned from Spain. I do remember seeing a woman in short shorts refused entry to the Barcelona Cathedral. Spanish cathedrals/basilicas are, I would say, not as strict as, say, St. Peter's (Vatican). I didn't pay much attention to the issue because we had trousers/pants and I don't remember seeing a lot of obvious tourists in shorts. This time of year you really don't need shorts, it's not like being there in July. But there are people in the churches looking at the clothing issue, in one church I forgot (1 time in a hundred) to remove my cap, and I was promptly asked to remove it, as I should have been.

It is the same in Spanish churches. Churches only. In museums, palaces, parks, markets, ruins and other tourist sights you can wear whatever you would normally wear walking around a city. I've only seen this enforced at the Barcelona Cathedral. In general it seems a bit more relaxed than in Italy. I've seen locals break the rules while wearing sleeveless dresses (not super short but a couple inches above the knee). The main hangup seems to be around shorts and tank tops on anyone. However, the official rule is shoulders and knees covered.

Note that it's not gender specific. Shoulders and knees covered for men and women. So no shorts, but also no short skirts.

Remember Sagrada Famillia has an active church component to it....and of course, that is its intent. Check its website for current dress code.
Generally, cover knees and shoulders and cleavage in houses of worship....for any gender.

As I've explained many times in the forum, Spain is not a country per se, with one uniform predominating "culture" across the country, but instead, it's a set of different ones which happen to be under the boot of the one that won a war long time ago. Thus, different regions have different ways, customs and mores and, more often than not, they can be diametrically opposite (ie religious sensibility).

Speaking for mine, Catalonia, the general norm of the natives is "casual" (or "smart casual" for certain venues, but very rarely anything more formal). Obviously, certain activities warrant certain attire, but again, that's very rare for a tourist to attend anyway. Our motto here in Catalonia, so to speak, it's "easy-going" for most things in life, or underplay if you want, which of course, it's different from "laid-back".

So, if you're out for dinner, no need to dress up (with a handful of exceptions, as mentioned earlier) but simply put on smart casual attire; if it's lunch, casual will probably do or even shorts and t-shirt if it's a very casual place. If you're going to museums, the vast majority of churches, etc... casual or also shorts and a t-shirt.

In Barcelona there is only one religious site, to my knowledge, which might be picky about your appearance, as mentioned earlier, the Cathedral. There's a clear sign posted at both entrances regarding no bare shoulders and no shorts above the knee, but again, it all depends on the usher at the door. Needless to say that the rest of the religious buildings, including the Sagrada Familia, will invite you to go/will prevent you to go in if you're wearing revealing clothes, very short shorts, and the like. Their temples, their rules.

Note that the above does not necessarily apply in other regions in Spain where religion is much more ingrained in society and customs regarding visiting religious buildings can be much more strict than ours.

HOWEVER, regardless of our easy-going nature and openness to life attitudes, you should be aware that NOT EVERYTHING goes in Barcelona. From a City regulations' perspective, one CANNOT stroll the city (or ride the public transports) in a bikini or without a t-shirt, much less fully naked, no matter how hot it might be. The only place you won't be fined is in the adjacent streets to the beach. Anywhere else, you might be fined. Period. https://www.shbarcelona.com/blog/en/nudity/

Thanks everyone. I will bring a pair of pants along.

I will assume you are from the US and not British, LOL!.....

Canadian actually, and I’m a shorts kind of guy.

Maybe invest in a pair of zip off travel 'trousers'. 'Pants are what you wear under trousers....at least in some foreign countries 😉

Indeed Maria, in Britain it is, hence my comment, LOL!... we don't want Mike detained for walking half naked in Barcelona, do we?

To complicate things even more than Enric's reminder above, if your trip includes al Andalus (like Sevilla, Granada, etc.) then the local notions of modest dress are influenced by the mosque as much as by the church --

I was strolling in Granada with my belt end inadvertently hanging out of its keeper loop and a shopkeeper pointedly stepped out of his doorway to tell me to fix my clothes -- my language skills weren't strong enough to get into details, but he just repeated that it doesn't look good. Was it another sign of how Muslim men are excessively repressed and can't get their minds out of the gutter? Probably not. But that's how I took it. In any case, try not to leave anything hanging.