I am traveling to Rapallo, Florence, and Venice in Mid July. We anticipate that it will be quite warm and had planned to bring mainly shorts (nice ones- no cutoffs) How "politically incorrect" will this be? The guidebooks say that no one wears shorts in Italy.

I don't know about Venice/Rapollo but we got back from Florence and Rome about a month ago. They are so full of tourists right now that we saw it all as far as clothing went. Many had shorts on. I stuck with capri pants while my husband either wore pants or a nice pair of shorts with a polo shirt. He always had pants on at dinnertime though. The heat really didn't bother us because of the lack of humidity. Really the key is to dress *tastefully*. (And don't forget certain religious sites require women to be covered to elbows/knees.)

If you are planning on wearing shorts, but plan to visit any places of worship you will need to carry a sarong with you to cover your legs, you might find it easier to wear a longish skirt instead! <BR>

Cindy: <BR>Since I almost got kicked out of a cathedral in Europe wearing shorts, I started wearing Capri pants the rest of my trip. I was in Florence mid June and found it not very humid (I know humidity I live in Florida) just that the sun felt like it was burning a hole in my skin. There is always talk on these boards about what to wear...just keep it simple, if you feel like wearing shorts, wear them, just make sure you have something to cover your knees (and shoulders) if you go into a church. <BR> <BR>Debbie

Apart from not looking very smart, IMHO shorts are not very cool garments. For a woman a summery dress with a fairly wide skirt not only looks much nicer but protects from the sun and creates a pleasant breeze.

Cindy <BR>When you say we I wasn't clear if you meant yourself and other women or if it included males. We just returned from a trip that included Venice and Florence. I did not wear shorts but wore skits and capri pants also. However, my husband who did not bring shorts and did not have the same dress options doggone near died it was so hot. I ended up buying him some shorts while out shopping in Venice. Shorts are everywhere if thats what you want to wear while adhering to the sacred sites rules.

Cindy, <BR>wear what you like, just remember that to get in to some churches, woman cannot have bare shoulders. <BR>Remember, your on holiday, so you carry what you can, <BR>My cousins from Florence change outfits th/out the day because you CANNOT be seen in the same clothes twice. They are very fashion conscious but from my point of view are poorly dressed. <BR>Fact is, people know that you are a tourist, so if you dress differently, so be it.we are all different and thats what makes travelling great. <BR>Unless it upsets customs, dont worry what you wear and enjoy the sights.

what are capri pants?

aa: Capri pants are mid calf length pants that we wore in the 50s and have recently become popular again. We also used to call them "toreador pants." Don't throw any clothes away; they will someday return to fashion. If only I could have remained the same size!