Anything that covers your knees and shoulders. Skirt or pants, doesn't matter. A normal T-Shirt with sleeves will do. No shorts, no spaghetti tops.

Agree with quokka, if it is really hot and you feel like wearing a thin strapped top then please make sure you have a shawl which properly covers your shoulders. When we were there last year the guards were turning people away who were not properly dressed. I also think it is a sign of disrespect to wear a hat/cap inside, this is a personal grudge of mine and I was disappointed to see some people wearing baseball caps inside the chapel and church.

If I remember correctly from our trip in 1998, men were not allowed to wear shorts. I think that women had to have actual sleeves on their tops, no spaghetti straps, but also no sleeveless tops.
I hope more folks answer, so that you don't stand in line to get in and get turned away.

"I also think it is a sign of disrespect to wear a hat/cap inside"

For men, but not for women.

No shoulders or knees can be exposed by men or women. No tanks, camis, etc.

In summer, I wear mid calf linen skirts and cap sleeved tops during the day. They look nice, are comfy and I can go anywhere.

Why does everyone wear baseball caps nowadays anyway? They look ridiculous on anyone except 10 years olds and real baseball players.

To solve the "bare shoulder" problem I tended to carry a very light blouse in my bag, that I could slip on over a sleeveless tee-shirt.

Can i warn others that there are come churches besides the vatican that wont allow men in shorts, not even very resepctible ones - my husband was invited to leave the church at the top on the capitoline hill, even though his shorts were knee length, and in florence, he was made to cover himself with a sarong!

We spent the rest of the trip teasing him about his offensive knees! [well, it was funny at the time].

Good luck!

I actually found a pair of men's slacks that "converted" to shorts. They had a zipper at about knee length, and I could detach the lower part of the pantleg.
This was nice, as Italy was quite HOT when we were there, but could have the leggings in my pack if needed.

Truly, I do not understand why anyone would wear shorts while in cities in Europe unless at beach resorts. it is polite to respect the culture of the areas one visits, IMO, and the Italians do not wear shorts except to the beach.

I would summary it in two words: common sense.

A few years ago a was turned away because my skirt was not long enough .
they are very strict about the dress code.

Common sense would be a very good answer except for the huge number of tourists (and people in genral) who don;t seem to have any.

There was one couple asking questions on tis board a couple of years ago who were positive they could wear anything into St. Mark's - because they saw people going into their local church in Florida in shorts and bikini tops.

People tried to give them more correct info - but they were adamanat than they were right. The husband was insiting he could wear shorts and sandals all over europe. It wasn;t until the post was becoming acrimonious that they revealed they were going to be in Venice in JANUARY - in shorts and sandals.

(Not only no common sense - but no knowledge of geography!)

To be safe, I would advise following the more conservative rules.

However, I will say that when we were there last summer (2006), we saw people in the Sistine Chapel in bare-midriff spaghetti tank tops, shorts, etc. I was quite surprised, since I had read that such attire was unacceptable. It was 5000 degrees and unbelievabley crowded, and maybe the people doing the checking had reached the point of heat exhaustion (I know the rest of us had) where they just didn't care anymore.

So all I can figure is that enforcement of the rules is somewhat arbitrary. But since you will be at the mercy of whoever is working that day, it would make sense to make sure there is no possible issue with what you are wearing.

no one checked us going to the Chapel or the V. Museum , only to the St. P. Basilica.

Sorry I forgot to mention we will be there in March. A few years back I was told the policy was that women had to have their heads covered; I was wondering if that was the policy now, and by the answers you have posted it appears not. We will be visiting other churches on the trip to Italy as well.
Thanks so much for all your help!

No more covering the head for women in Catholic Churches not even during mass.
It is true that in Florida anything can be seen, I saw during mass a young guy with his beisball cap on.
I thought most men would know that it is a sign of respect towards anyone, in anyplace to take of the hat.
But apparently not anymore, he was attending mass for heaven's sake!! We have lost many good manners , has anyone noticed from time to time TV adds of people eating like pigs, also belching?

Since you will be no doubt visiting other cathedrals, too, when in Rome (if not other parts of Italy, too)it's easy to keep a very lightweight large shawl in your day bag. As NorCalif pointed out, much may depend on the size of the crowds and the temperature! We were there in August, and I had my trusty shawl at the ready, but nobody really checked. On the other hand, in other churches all over Italy, people were sent to a line to put on these paper shawl things- men, too, to cover their knees- whereas all I had to do was whip out the shawl and go to the speedy line. I don't work for www.sahalie.com but will put in a tip about their "strider skirt"- so clever! It's made of a jersey t-shirt like material, and one side unzips with a hidden zipper up to as high as almost mid- thigh if you want. When zipped it's a demure lower shin length for those cathedrals. It's got an elastic waist and I've even used it hiking- they are an outdoors-wear company. It even has a little hidden pocket that holds a credit card and key. Capri pants also cover those knees!

Hang onto your wallet if you take a bus to the Vatican - pickpockets are a problem. The roads are rough and the busses rock back and forth. That's when someone will relieve you of your wallet/passport. Caution if a bunch of kids come up to you on the street making a fuss and noise. Yell at them to get away -- don't be polite to them - one will get your wallet or purse.

Thank you ecoloney I imagine you are referring to bus 64, it is true. We have been always lucky but I heard horror stories, we are on our way to Rome and most likely will try to walk or hop into the bus only if we see it empty.

In my past five trips to Rome over a six year period, no head covering was required.

In terms of what people wear to church in FL, it is truly awful

Well - in terms of religion I'm all for content in place of superficiality. But I do think that there is respectful attire for all sorts of occasions. (Otherwise we would see people at funerals in swimsuits.)

And in a foreign land it's only polite to follow the local definition of respectful.

But - head coverings for women in Catholic churches have not been required for about 25 years - anyplace in the world that I'm aware of. (And men - yes, do take off your baseball caps. God - or the other visitors - don't care how much hair you have left.)

We visited and I and my husband wore decent length walking shorts and I had on a sleeveless top (not spaghetti strap). Just dress decently . And honestly isn't that how you should always dress in public? Not sure why someone thinks we should "dress like the Europeans who don't wear shorts unless they are going to the beach"...when you're a tourist you are out walking and climbing all day and I'm not so certain that it would be very comfortable doing so in long pants in summer and not very advisable to do it in a skirt. Shorts that are modest and decent should never be a problem. Just my opinion though.

I am quite surprised if they let you in St. Peters in a sleeveless top and long shorts. I have seen folks turned away similarly attired.

I personally would never wear shorts in Europe when in a city. Linen pants and longish skirts are perfect for me in summer and quite comfortable.

I prefer to dress for the location and shorts for me are not something I consider appropriate. It does matter to me to wear what is culturally acceptable no matter where I am. When in Rome...

Are the rules about no shorts in churches true for young men also? I have 2 boys - 14 and 21 - who will be with us in Italy in June and I wasn't planning on having them pack long pants.