Wearing shorts in Spain

And suntan!!! Many Spaniards find it funny when they see the northern European fenotype (blond, pale..) looking like a red crab.

I have seen males in shorts when they did not completely come the knee turned away. Equal treatment with our young ladies. Obviously those sites had monitors at the entrance. Personally I find long leg, light weight pants just as cool as shorts and never a question. I view it mostly as a measure of respect for the location.

Perhaps one might recommend sun screen or sun block instead of tanning which results in excessive aging of the skin, and skin cancer. That phenotype some find so amusing is the result of going sleeveless and in shorts when it is sunny and hot and failing to prevent excessive UV exposure.

You only have to look at places where it really gets hot in the summer, like the Arab speaking countries, India, and SE Asia. People wear clothes that cover themselves to keep the sun off their skin, but using lightweight, breathable fabrics. I would much rather wear a loose cotton or linen long sleeve tunic and pants or skirt than a tightly woven man made fabric that left my skin exposed to the sun all day.

I’d never enter a church, monastery, etc. in shorts, but that’s me. Over the decades Spain has gone from men never wearing shorts, to only seeing them in beach areas, to seeing them in rural locations, and now, even in the large cities. You’ll probably see fewer old timers wearing shorts. For younger generations it seems that almost anything and everything goes (male and female). You can always wear lightweight pants rather than jeans. You’ll be much more comfortable.

The cathedral in Barcelona (not referring to La Sagrada Familia) has a dress code. I (female) was stopped in 2016 and reminded to remove my hat. I saw folks being turned away for uncovered knees or shoulders.

I don't dispute that visitors will often get away with bare shoulders and knees, but it's not guaranteed.

I'm with the "it's cooler to be covered in a light fabric" crowd.

I just had a conversation last night with a group of guys in Madrid who were complaining about how hard it is to fine the retro/contemporary shorter shorts that are on trend in the US.

Sky’s out, thighs out!

(That said, I’d certainly be more conservative visiting churches. And these madrileños want 5” inseams for weekends, they’d never wear them to work. Or a family meal.)

I [male] remember walking through a park in Bilbao, around 1988 (when I was about 37), and encountering a group of 8-10 year old boys playing. They pointed at my shorts and laughed. It reminded me of when I was ten and my mother sent me to Central Park in Shorts in 1961.

Disclaimer -- this is based only on my personal experience traveling in Spain and France. I am a man so speak from that perspective.

Personally, I think the blanket "no shorts / long pants [for men] in Europe" advice is pretty outdated. It's true that shorts seem to be worn in fewer contexts than in the US, and there's less "athletic clothing as everyday clothing" / athleisure on the streets, but 10 days spent in Madrid in August showed an entire cross-section of shorts across many segments of society.

Comfort is personal, of course, but as someone who's always running warm I'm definitely not in the "long lightweight pants are just as cooling as shorts" camp. Shorts don't have to be made out of a man-made, synthetic fabric -- I have both cotton and linen -- and if it's hot, I 100% am wearing shorts unless the context and/or situation don't call for them.

Lots of shorts here, Madrid's Callao Metro area - https://twitter.com/i/status/1656872159984353281

I always wear shorts in Spain and I can't even count how many times I've been to the country. The only times I've worn long trousers were on the occasions I was eating at a restaurant where shorts would have been out of place.

Tailored shorts look much better than baggy cargo shorts.

@JC,
Cargo shorts are always in style.
I wore mine 100% of the time during our recent 7 weeks in Nederland, België, France, and Italia.

I thought the short issue was done and buried. If you like long pants wear them. Shorts positively wear them. I do agree 10.5 inch shorts look nicer but any shorts work.

Who is Steve?

Rick. Steves ?

We've been in Spain for two weeks. The one pair of long pants that I wore on the plane has only come out when it's too chilly to be in shorts. I've never felt out of place. No one has pointed at me and mocked me -- that I'm aware of. But also I'm usually the first in line to mock me... And my wife is a close second!!!

Rick. Steves ?

Yes, that is obvious, I'm just making a joke.

Ladies, if you are wondering why the older ladies in Europe wear dresses, they are cooler than shorts. Try it. They shade the legs and keep you cool.

Just got back from 7 weeks in Spain. Lots of very short and very tight shorts on the girls and young women. That said, a very loose pair of long pants is going to keep you cooler. It lets the air circulate better and keeps you from getting burned as well as looks a bit better on most of us who are no longer 17.

It's super hot. I'd wear shorts.

I never felt uncomfortable or underdressed. I was respectful and low-key in worship spaces. Nobody gave it a second look. It's really pretty common.

It's understandable that churches would want more modest dress. Where I live in the US, shorts and sleeveless shirts are the norm from May-Sept(and sometimes late April and early October as well) and are worn in church by some. One of my churches keeps the AC so cold that I could never do that. Obviously, if people live in shorts at home, they will assume they can also wear them when they are traveling. I have a collection of sweatshirts and jackets that I've bought in places that did not fit my summer temperature expectations. I have finally learned that not everywhere is 90 degrees in June. With regard to Rick Steve's recommendation, he probably doesn't wear shorts much at home in WA either.