We will be traveling in Rome and Florence this month. Do you see men wearing sport coats in nicer restaurants in the cities? We leave next week, so it MAY (hope, hope) be cooler within a couple weeks when it might be practical as well. Thanks for any input.

In upscale restaurants, jacket and tie(!) is the thing to wear for men.

Unfortunately, the majority of coats you see on men in Italy are those ugly yellowish/greenish tan with green, brown and red plaid things. Why do they do that? It's almost like a uniform. Ugh.

Taking a blazer is always a good idea. I wear mine on the plane and use the pockets for stuff.

In cooler months I travel with a Travel Smith sport coat with lots of security pockets.. I can wad it up in the overhead, wear it as a light jacket and with a dress tee/sport sheet and jeans be very appropriate in many restaurants.

Yes they do wear sport coats.

Nice "local" places require it. Touristy spots not so much. For example, I believe Nino's right off Spanish Steps requires one at dinner but not lunch. Nino's is popular with locals and tourists. Il Giosto in Florence, a nicer restaurant more popular with tourists, does not require a sports coat.

If I may sterotype for a moment, Italians are very well dressed. Restaurant life is a big part of the cultural life for Italians and they like to look nice.

Not sure what Julie is referring to. It is my observation Italian men wear blue shirt during day with black or blue blazer and white shirt at night with black or blue blazer.

Hi D,

I agree with web.

Put a tie n the jacket pocket, just in case.

My husband always brings a sport coat and wears it to dinner several times throughout our trip.