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Vatican Dress Code


mmporter
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We are going to the Vatican during our port stop in Rome (Civitavecchia). I already have our tickets and have been researching other tips for our visit. I understand there is a dress code that requires shoulders and knees to be covered. However, reviews I have read say the dress code is not enforced. Then I read other reviews that say it is enforced in the Sistine Chapel and Basilica but not the actual museums. It is hard to know what is actually true. It will be the middle of August when we are in Rome and very hot. We really do not want to have to wear long pants if it is not needed - especially since we will be touring around other parts of Rome afterwards and cannot bring a backpack with a change of clothes. Are men's shorts/women's skirts to the knee (but not fully covering the knee) acceptable? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks!

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Absolutely follow the dress code, which I'm fairly sure does not include shorts and probably not pants either. It's merely a sign of respect. When your done there, slip off your stockings; wear a dress and a long sleeve sweater over it. That way, you can take off the sweater when you leave. Do they have lockers where you can put shorts? I would get in touch with your tour company or TA and ask some questions.

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They enforced the dress code the last two years when we were there. When you are touring Rome, there are many churches that you will want to stop in that have the same dress code. Men can wear lightweight pants and women can wear lightweight pants or a dress below the knee and you will not be any warmer than wearing shorts and will fit in better. We saw very few people wearing shorts in Rome and it was hot.

 

 

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Why not take a change of clothes (or zip off pants) and change after leaving the Vatican ? The dress code was enforced when we were there.

 

 

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My husband wore the zip off pants. He was so mad that I made him buy those, but he was so glad that he wore them once we got there and he saw how nobody was dressed in shorts. It was a good compromise to have the zip off pants, known as "Shants"

They look terrible though. LOL

 

 

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Thanks, all. We will be sure to stick with the dress code. The men in our group do have zip off pants but our understanding is that the two sites we are visiting (the Vatican and the Colosseum) do not allow backpacks or large purses. Therefore, we will not have room for a change of clothes or a place to put the zipped off portion of the pants. At least we are already used to heat as it's currently in the mid-90's where we live with a head index over 100. I imagine the temperature in Rome will be similar, which makes even the mere thought of pants almost unbearable. But if it's what is required to visit we will make it work - we were just trying to avoid it, if at all possible.

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Thanks, all. We will be sure to stick with the dress code. The men in our group do have zip off pants but our understanding is that the two sites we are visiting (the Vatican and the Colosseum) do not allow backpacks or large purses. Therefore, we will not have room for a change of clothes or a place to put the zipped off portion of the pants. At least we are already used to heat as it's currently in the mid-90's where we live with a head index over 100. I imagine the temperature in Rome will be similar, which makes even the mere thought of pants almost unbearable. But if it's what is required to visit we will make it work - we were just trying to avoid it, if at all possible.

 

I was at the Vatican Museum last month (Friday night admission). We had a large backpack with our camera and no issue.

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I was at the Vatican Museum last month (Friday night admission). We had a large backpack with our camera and no issue.

 

Did you visit the Colosseum as well? That is our main concern with backpacks per their bag policy since we will be going there after the Vatican.

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