Dress code for Spanish churches?
 

Is there a dress code for visiting the Spanish Catholic Churches? If so, please explain. We'll be visiting in late May-early June and expect the weather to be hot. Are shorts permitted? Thanks!

The days of a dress code in the churches are looong gone as are active Catholics!

Compared to Italy and a few other Catholic countries, the dress code is more relaxed, and in the summer you see people with bare arms and shorts sightseeing in churches. While you don't normally see Mass goers in shorts, it will be rare for you to be stopped. Last time I saw anyone being turned away for inappropriate dress was about 20 years ago! True some churches do have pictorial signs of banned dress (e.g. swimwear, barefoot) and you must draw a line somewhere, but generally what is acceptable as street dress is also ok in churches.

I agree 20 years ago, you would have been turned away. But I would dress casual, not barefoot or bathing suit type clothing. The churches are truly beautiful.

I agree as well. Last year I spent the entire month of June and some of July in Spain traipsing through every destination I could manage, and found that when you go into churches you will see people wearing just about everything imaginable. Most churches advertise a "No shorts or flip-flops" policy with some indicating no sleeveless shirts, but the rules are very rarely enforced.

The simple fact is that you are right, it will be hot. These days shorts are acceptable, as well as short sleeved shirts. My general rule of thumb is simply to be respectful of the church and other travelers, and look presentable.

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How short are your shorts? Just generally speaking for touring in a foreign country, I wouldn't wear that looks like you're going to the beach. I think something near knee-length is most appropriate.

I would try to dress respectfully on days you plan to visit churches. Not that anyone would stop you from entering, but it's polite imo. Nothing crazy but say linen capris and a cotton top, instead of short-shorts and a tank top.

Thanks for the info. Since I'm almost 65 years old, my shorts aren't very short and my arms are never bare! Just checkin. A few years ago we were in Italy and the code is pretty strict there. Thanks again!

Oh, you'll be fine :-)

40 years ago, my sister was denied entrance into St. Marks in Venice (bare arms), into St. Peters (Vatican - dress above the knees), but there was never a problem in Spain.

You´ll be fine. Just try not to enter when there´s a service going on. I´m a non believer, but I treat churches as museums, where respect must be shown to what´s inside. Shorts in hot weather are OK, pictures if allowed (try to avoid flashes) and never flip flops.

A few years ago in Barcelona my teenage daughter was denied permission to a church for having bare arms.

The only place I've seen an active warning about a dress code for Spain is Barcelona. I was interested to see what others were seeing/hearing.

My wife was denied entrance to the cathedral in Barcelona last year because of bare arms.

Agree with most said here, but religion is still a very serious thing among many Spanish, and the issue has been more politicized during the recently outgoing Zapatero government. Have a look at "Spain is still a very Roman Catholic country, but times are changing" by the Guardian's excellent Madrid correspondent Giles Tremlett. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...urch-influence

I was just in Barcelona last Fall and am really surprised about these notices of being denied entrance just because of bare arms. I probably didn't have bare arms, but don't really remember (it was fairly warm when I was there). The thing that really surprised me is that Barcelona is a very cosmopolitan, modern, large city, so I don't know why they would be so conservative about something like that, more than other places that are a lot more conservative and religious (such as Poland where I've been, no dress code there for sightseeing in churches).

Probably depends on whether or not the local bishop is ultra conservative and wanting to make points with the Pope. That's the way it is here in the States. The last Pope appointed very conservative local bishops and now they are all trying to win favor with this very conservative Pope...an example is how the US Catholic Bishops is pushing the contraception issue in politics.

When in a church, just dress as if visiting someone else´s house that you don´t know. It´s easy.

What happens in Barcelona is not so much a conservative bishop, but tourists walking around the Ramblas as if they were going to the beach.
So, it is understandable that they enforce the code, just in case someone decides that wearing a bikini is a good idea ;)

bye

I agree with cova, there is no need to go into a church in shorts and flip-flops. And you dont have to go to the beach dressed as Dirk Bogarde in Morte a Venezia :-D

I agree with Josele. I think it is disrespectful to go into churches wearing shorts or other skimpy attire. This is not to say that it is not done in churches at home. I am sometimes....surprised by clothes I see girls wearing in the church I attend. The church is on the grounds of a university, so that many young people attend. Apparently no one has taught them appropriate wear for religious services.

But it's nice that they're attending Mass.

The common thread in all of the comments is "Respect".. Deal with it and you will not have to be concerned. Minimal clothing doesn't have an appropriate place in churches.

When in Toledo, I wore shorts walking around town - it was in the mid-90s...but I carried a pair of pants in a small bag to wear over my shorts in the cathedral. That was 6 years ago.

SS

I was thinking of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona which isn't anywhere near the Ramblas. But I think whether it is or not is irrelevant, the major historic cathedrals in cities are going to attract tourists no matter where they are and that may be what they are wearing in summer.

I fail to see what is obscene about bare arms, which was what was cited as not being allowed in Barcelona, nothign to do with bikis or short shorts. That is why it is so weird a position. First, the idea that your upper arm is obscene but not your lower arm is just nonsensical in itself. But I've seen lots of women with bare arms attending Mass in lots of countries and the priests don't care. IN fact, I attended Mass in Paris and one of the main participants up in the alter area was a woman wearing a dress with a tank top (ie, narrow straps). It was summer, but that kind of surprised me. The French are pretty liberal about these things, obviously. I still think the issue of bare arms is silly, it's just skin like skin on your lower arms or lower legs. It is not remotely sexy on most women, that's for sure.

In greek monasteries, women were not permitted access wearing pantaloons (sic). To say nothing of muslim countries...

I took a picture of my sister being denied entrance to St. Marks 40 yrs ago. She was dressed nicely, just didn't have sleeves on that dress. In the picture is a young woman getting in wearing jeans - something that would have been looked down upon at my church.

It's never about being dressed nicely, it's just about being appropriately modestly dressed. Many Catholics visit from all over the world who can't afford expensive clothes.

Knees and shoulders should be covered (both men and women). I assume the same goes for midriffs. They may also have a problem with offensive t-shirts but I've never heard specific rules about them.