K. Lund

Mainly in Venice and Florence, are shorts and sandals ok during the day? And for dinner, could a man wear long pants with nice leather sandals and a dressy shirt? We want to avoid bringing too many shoes. The other shoes besides leather sandals will be nice style of darker trail running shoes. Do we need to bring additional dress shoes to be appropriate?? Thanks for youe help. K. Lund

Mary Ann

I cannot speak for Florence, but we were in Venice last September when it was very warm. Our husbands did where shorts during the day for touring the city, the shoes were probably docker type, not exactly sandals. Although many men did wear them. When the weather is warm during the day with so many tourists, you see everything. <BR>I would say that all shorts are not equal. The shorts that looked the best were the knee length kind (both on men and women). <BR>For evening, it all depends on the type of restaurant you select and what you feel comfortable in wearing. We stayed mostly casual, with polo type shirts and did not wear sandals. Others may be able to help you more in that type.

rob

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to vote no on shorts. The problem with shorts is the lack of flexibility. Say you're walking through Venice, and see a church that you'd really like to see the inside of. What do you do if you're in shorts? I feel it is intensely disrespectful to enter someone else's house of worship wearing something you wouldn't wear in your own church. Also, many Italian churches expressly forbid shorts, sleeveless tops, etc in their churches.

Cheryl Z.

<BR>In general, Italians just tend <BR>to be dressier everywhere: <BR>clerks in small stores, business <BR>men/women, teenagers. And even <BR>when it's really hot, the locals <BR>often have long sleeve shirts <BR>on, women with hosiery/heels <BR>even while riding their Vespas! <BR> I'd say too, no shorts, but <BR>also no sandals in evenings <BR>(unless with hose for women with <BR>dressier sandals). We are <BR>leaving for No. Italy next week, <BR>and my husband will have mostly <BR>Docker type pants, khaki's (and <BR>probably some shorts as we will <BR>be on the Lakes too and he'll <BR>play tennis), and dressier <BR>casual-type shoes like Rockport, <BR> and lots of Polo's.

ivan

The men version of capri pants, clam digger, three quarter length(call what you like) is in vogue at the moment in Europe. Wear them with short sleeve shirt, leather sandals (designers preferably, and without socks) you can go anywhere, day or night. And it is so chic and super cool! <BR>Wear them only if you are slim and tall.

lisa peretz

I just got back from Florence, Tuscany and Rome and my husband and I saw lots of people in shorts, mostly tourists, all over during the day. However, we ate at Nino in Rome for lunch and he had to go back to the hotel and change into pants. <BR>In Rome, people seemed to be dressed more smartly, in pants, even in the warm weather and absolutely at night everywhere.

Liz

Not wearing sandals at all is ridiculous, as well as having to wear stockings with them in the summer. That is simply not true - especially in beach resort towns. If you wear a nice dress and beautiful sandal shoes you do not have to wear stockings. Also, shorts are fine during the day for siteseeing as long as no churches are involved. I am going to Italy for 2 weeks in Sept and do no plan on revisiting any churches that I did in the past. Churches are not the only thing to do in Italy.