How strict are cathedrals on dress?

[Ma Bell]

Oh, come on, where are all the Anti-Dress Code posters?? Why arent you posting about how this is Your vacation, how you Paid to enter this church, how the locals should join the 21st Century and quit with the rediculous retrictions. I mean, it is limiting our shorts/tanktop/inappropriate-references-on-a-TShirt crowd and is so unfair. And shouldnt we be getting the 'I saw one guy in the Vatican in shorts so its OK for all of us' post??

 

Im really upset those that insist on not following guidelines onboard arent on this thread bigtime....oh, maybe its because not wearing the apropriate dress is so obvious. Oh well, so much for the back and forth fun and zest of Dress Code threads....I guess it is appropriate to wear the appropraite clothing only when you agree, or know you might get hit by a lightning bolt for tourking off the wrong guy!

 

Disclaimer: every time I get too cute, someone misunderstands my tongue-in-cheek....this isnt aimed at the OP who asked a legit question, this isnt aimed at those that for whatever reason dont take formal gear and dine elsewhere....it isnt aimed at those that think its OK to wear whatever they wish whereever they wish whenever they wish because it doesnt bother Them......ooops, it Is aimed at them!

 

Den

 

Maybe they don't go to churches and cathedrals.;)

[ilovetexas]

I guess it would be off topic to point out that we should consider it equally inappropriate to wear shorts or ripped clothing in our churches / synagogues / etc. here in the US. I think it's great that some places demand a certain level of respect when entering a house of worship; it's too bad that we don't here.

[bjksgk]

I guess it would be off topic to point out that we should consider it equally inappropriate to wear shorts or ripped clothing in our churches / synagogues / etc. here in the US. I think it's great that some places demand a certain level of respect when entering a house of worship; it's too bad that we don't here.

 

Completely agree!!!!!

[Presto2]

Going to the mediterranean next two weeks on the Solstice. Tours I've booked in Venice (St. Marks Basilica), Barcelona (Sagrada Familia) and Rome (Vatican) go to cathedrals, etc which say to wear clothes covering shoulders and knees. It's going to be hot (90's) at these ports so long pants don't sound real comfortable but I'd like to not be turned away from these sites. Anybody with past experience know how strict they are when tourists visit during hot weather and have on shorts like Burmuda length-- not short shorts?

 

Don't chance anything that doesn't cover your knees or shoulders - even if they are just about knee length. Last year (and in the past) we have seen the guards at the Vatican turn numerous people away - many of whom had been queuing with us for an hour or so. What we tend to do is take a pair of light linen trousers each / and sometimes the 3/4 length ones where you can 'un zip' your legs (if tat makes sense) and slip them on over our shorts just before we go in - I take a scarf to cover my shoulders. It means that you can still wear your 'cool' gear for the heat for most of the day.

 

Not sure if this makes sense - :)

[Denny01]

Maybe they don't go to churches and cathedrals.;)

 

Oh Ma Bell, you just showed me up as a complete amatuer!

 

Den

[ajaxup]

Even the ones who seem to think I'm trying to be an "ugly American". Not trying to offend any of the cultures that I'm visiting. Just trying to enjoy my vacation and ,if long pants were not truly necessary, that includes being as cool and comfortable as possible since I'm escaping 100+ here in Texas. My priority is to visit these holy sites or else I wouldn't have bothered to inquire on this board. I'd have just skipped them all together when I saw the regulations about dress. So I'll take the majority's advice a wear some khakis and try to stay on the shady side of the street.

[Presto2]

Even the ones who seem to think I'm trying to be an "ugly American". Not trying to offend any of the cultures that I'm visiting. Just trying to enjoy my vacation and ,if long pants were not truly necessary, that includes being as cool and comfortable as possible since I'm escaping 100+ here in Texas. My priority is to visit these holy sites or else I wouldn't have bothered to inquire on this board. I'd have just skipped them all together when I saw the regulations about dress. So I'll take the majority's advice a wear some khakis and try to stay on the shady side of the street.

 

I didn't think you were being an 'ugly american' just being sensible and checking out what is expected. I know what you mean re heat and sun for different reasons! We hardly ever see the sun in the UK so to go on holiday and have to cover up seems like a sin - it is the only time my legs see sunlight !!!!

 

I really would stick with the zip up type gear and if all else fails take stuff to cover up with for an hour. As your legs must be nice and brown (unlike my lilly white pins) then you can sacrifice an hour or so covered up! :D

 

Whatever, have a fab holiday - you are in for a real treat -

[jackdiamond]

I guess it would be off topic to point out that we should consider it equally inappropriate to wear shorts or ripped clothing in our churches / synagogues / etc. here in the US. I think it's great that some places demand a certain level of respect when entering a house of worship; it's too bad that we don't here.

Agreed.

[Presto2]

I guess it would be off topic to point out that we should consider it equally inappropriate to wear shorts or ripped clothing in our churches / synagogues / etc. here in the US. I think it's great that some places demand a certain level of respect when entering a house of worship; it's too bad that we don't here.

 

Spot on -

 

At the end of the day we have to remember that these places are places of worship and are not there to honour men or bow down to 'their' wishes.

 

I love it when we visit places of worship in the Med and they ask for silence / reverence ---- and they get it -----------

 

Good post

[smtcan]

I guess it would be off topic to point out that we should consider it equally inappropriate to wear shorts or ripped clothing in our churches / synagogues / etc. here in the US. I think it's great that some places demand a certain level of respect when entering a house of worship; it's too bad that we don't here.

 

I certainly agree that the dress code required by a place of worship should be respected, and wouldn't consider trying to circumvent it. However, the mainstream church we attend has a very relaxed dress code - our minister considers that it is more important that people attend than stress over clothes. Most of us old timers dress conservatively, but we have many teens and twenties who wear jeans or shorts and we are glad to have them worship with us.

Sheila

[ajaxup]

Its interesting reading these posts. Not only are shorts not acceptable culturally in many places or in such relgious venues, but in truth, arent that good for keeping cool in hot, humid areas. The body sweats to keep it cool and regulated. When you have bare skin, the sweat evaporates quickly and you sweat more to keep cool.This results in more water-loss and the body working harder to regulate its temp. The Best clothing to keep cool in covers the skin, not exposes it.

 

So quit with the shorts. Wear loose-fitting clothing such as dresses, loose pants, light cotten shirts and so on. Long sleeves, pants, dresses, flowing shari's, loose clothing, headgear. All this is worn by people who live in hot, humid areas. Its tourists who walk in wearing shorts, minimal t-shirts and tanktops thinking they are keeping 'cool'.

 

So if you want to wearing appropirate clothing, not just culturally appropriate, try covering all that skin up. Then you are acceptable for body-cooling, entering a church, being in another culture, etc.

 

Den

 

So for fifty years of playing golf in Texas summers of 100+ at my club, my buddies and I would've been cooler in slacks and a cotton dress shirt instead of shorts and polos. Who knew??

[Denny01]

So for fifty years of playing golf in Texas summers of 100+ at my club, my buddies and I would've been cooler in slacks and a cotton dress shirt instead of shorts and polos. Who knew??

 

I understand you are pulling my leg, but the point is light pants and shirt, not slacks and dress shirt. Having actually done desert survival, the first thing we did was cover up to reduce losing sweat and to keep cool. we didnt strip down to shorts and t-shirts.

 

.....but it doesnt really matter, wear what you want, those shorts and polyester polos are a great idea.

 

Edit: read an article last week on ScienceNews that indicated drinking a hot liquid such as coffee or tea actually helped you cool down. There are sensors on your tongue and in your guts that sense heat and signal the brain which then reacts by cooling the body more. And for 50years (well, more thah that), I've been drinking cold drinks to cool down....Who knew?

 

Den

[ajaxup]

I understand you are pulling my leg, but the point is light pants and shirt, not slacks and dress shirt. Having actually done desert survival, the first thing we did was cover up to reduce losing sweat and to keep cool. we didnt strip down to shorts and t-shirts.

 

.....but it doesnt really matter, wear what you want, those shorts and polyester polos are a great idea.

 

Edit: read an article last week on ScienceNews that indicated drinking a hot liquid such as coffee or tea actually helped you cool down. There are sensors on your tongue and in your guts that sense heat and signal the brain which then reacts by cooling the body more. And for 50years (well, more thah that), I've been drinking cold drinks to cool down....Who knew?

 

Den

 

I know it's good scientific advice, but we've been looking forward to this cruise and its like 105 in Dallas today..I just wanna go somewhere relatively cooler and kick back. Its been a rough year and I need to relax and rejunevate! Boy, does the Martini Bar sound good right now....and ice cream from the Oceanview!

[Arusha]

I haven't read the ScienceNews article, but... I was traveling with a group on a 9-day safari a few months ago. One of the guys drank at least 3 large thermoses of hot tea every day. On the last day, he collapsed due to severe dehydration. The rest of us stuck with the cool drinks provided in the safari trucks, and we were OK.

[Arusha]

"Comfort has its place, but it seems rude to visit another country dressed as if you've come to mow its lawns."

- - Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris, 2000

[aquaclass]

when I was a seminarian in Rome I actually applied for and got a summer job as an dress code inspector at St Peters ..... honestly

 

I used to say all the time I was the the official "Cleavage Inspector" for the RC Church. ;)

[m50]

this is Your vacation, how you Paid to enter this church

Den

 

Sorry for picking a snippet of your post, but I'm curious about paying to enter St. Peter's. I know it's been many years since I last visited, but I don't recall paying to enter the basilica itself. We did pay for access to the dome and other adjacent areas but not the basilica itself. Has that changed?

 

A word of warning to anyone visiting Malta: The dress code for churches there was more strict than anything I experienced in Italy. I was wearing what I considered to be a very modest sleeveless dress and I was given a scarf to cover my upper arms (the dress covered my shoulders).

 

Some of these modest dress rules appear excessive. In the absence of rules, however, some people do push the boundaries. At the Virgin Mary's house near Ephesus in Turkey where the dress code was quite lax, I saw people from cruise ships displaying more flesh than you would see on many beaches. One young woman wore a bikini type halter top with shorts so skimpy they didn't cover her bum.

 

Some mosques have a supply of cover-ups, ranging from scarves to full length garments made from a heavier material.

[cruisestitch]

"Sorry for picking a snippet of your post, but I'm curious about paying to enter St. Peter's. I know it's been many years since I last visited, but I don't recall paying to enter the basilica itself. We did pay for access to the dome and other adjacent areas but not the basilica itself. Has that changed?"

 

Remember that his post was a spoof.......

[m50]

Yes. That's the reason I apologised lest he thought I was picking on him. I'm just curious to know whether there is actually an admission fee for St. Peter's Basilica because I have seen it referred to elsewhere.

[cruisestitch]

http://saintpetersbasilica.org/touristinfo.htm

[RCKM43]

When I studied in Italy they were very strict. The girls on the trip all wore either long sleeveless or spagetti strap dresses, skirts or capris and tanks. The weathers was in the upper 90s and a few days at 100. Your knees and shoulders had to be covered and many churches had someone at the door checking. The advantages of a long dress was that it was very cool. The capris also cover your knees and are better than pants and were okay with a tank top. We carried with us either a sweater or shawl. Which was easy to pull out and drap over your shoulders so that they were covered up. A sweater is easiest b/c you can put it over your shoulders and button the top button, then wrap it around your waist when you come out. Some places had a few shawls for people to cover their shoulders but they run out quickly so I would never take a chance on getting one.

[m50]

Thank you, Cruisestitch, for the link. There seems to be no admission fee to the Basilica but I'm afraid my memory isn't as good as I thought it was because I don't remember entering the Sistine Chapel via the museum. I thought we accessed the Chapel via the Basilica.........we certainly walked down some very long corridors. My feet still ache at that memory.

[cruisemom42]

Thank you, Cruisestitch, for the link. There seems to be no admission fee to the Basilica but I'm afraid my memory isn't as good as I thought it was because I don't remember entering the Sistine Chapel via the museum. I thought we accessed the Chapel via the Basilica.........we certainly walked down some very long corridors. My feet still ache at that memory.

 

The Sistine chapel has, as far as I know, always been accessed through the Museum. It's probably the long museum corridors that you remember -- quite a long way from the entrance to the Sistine chapel.

 

On the other hand, if you visit the museum first, you can often exit the Sistine chapel and go directly into St. Peter's basilica without backtracking; doing this also eliminates the sometimes-long security line into St. Peter's.

 

The door is the one to the right with your back to where you entered the Sistine chapel. It may be marked "Tour Groups Only" but usually they won't restrict you from going through it. (It may help to sort of "blend in" with a large group.)

[Hawaiidan]

you need Tickets..well in advance. We were there in November ant the line was a good 3/4 of a mile long. Security was strict..very We had a private guide and she had to present her credentials and the advance tickets.

 

The line to get in the cathedral its self was only 1/3 of a mile.

 

I was there 5 years prior and things have changed... I got in then with a friend who was a Priest, ( we had no problem)

 

Based on this latest experience, 1. get a private tour, 2. Book well in advance. 3. expect lines wven with a tour beyond your dreams.

4. I did not see a way to get from the Museum to the church... locked off.

[Denny01]

I know it's good scientific advice, but we've been looking forward to this cruise and its like 105 in Dallas today..I just wanna go somewhere relatively cooler and kick back. Its been a rough year and I need to relax and rejunevate! Boy, does the Martini Bar sound good right now....and ice cream from the Oceanview!

 

No prob at all you won't see me sipping away on a coffee to cool off, but trying a good iced up martini!

 

Den