Please help me dress my 13 yr old son!

[ufmurphys]

We leave for Rome Saturday. We will spend 3 days there before boarding the Noordam for 7 days. I know in the Vatican he (our 13 yr old) must have on long pants and sleeves. My biggest concern is our excursion to Florence and Pisa. Will he need long pants to visit the Churches in these cities or is it ok if his shorts are long enough to cover his knees? Also I expect our day at Pompeii to be hot. I have not read about any requirements for covering up at this site. Would a tank top be inappropriate here? Thanks for any help you can give me.:)

[sfnew2sail]

Kerri, have you thought about calling the travel agency for the company and see if they can answer your question? I've called them a couple of times and they have been very helpful. Even Convention and Travel may be able to help. Good luck! I just keep thinking about those zip off pants. Someone posted about them in an earlier thread.

[nparmelee]

Knees and shoulders covered for churches, even if they don't stop you, its a matter of respect, at St. Peter's they are very likely to stop you if there is a tank top or shorts above the knees. Pompeii isn't a church, remember to bring water and sunscreen. Zip-off pants are great for those days when you may need to cover up.

[ItaliaBella]

If your son enters a church, he would be required to wear pants and shirts with sleeves. The Italians are very strict about dress codes with regards to visiting churches. There are some pants that you can convert into shorts and back into long pants that would be appropriate for the churches. My brother wears those whenever he's visiting a church in Italy. Although he got away with shorts inside Medieval churches in Tuscany. Also no flip flops inside the churches as well. As for Pompeii, he can walk in shorts and tanks. Pompeii doesn't have any dress requirements other than good walking shoes. It will be hot out there so less is better.

 

Enjoy your trip to Italy!

[Hlitner]

In Rome (or anywhere else in Italy) your son will fit-in perfectly if he wears jeans. Shorts are also fine anywhere (except in the Vatican) as long as they are longer shorts. As to visiting churches, we have been in over a hundred churches (no exaggeration) throughout Europe and I always wear Bermuda length shorts when the weather is hot. Nobody has ever stopped me from entering any church, nor does anyone seem to care. The one exception (previously mentioned) is the Vatican where long pants and covered shoulders are standard. You might also ask your son not to wear a baseball cap when inside and building. This has become a habit of many Americans, and it is not an excepted practice in Europe or in most places that respect good manners. We recently were on a cruise where a teen boy wore a wool ski hat in the dining room every night. It looked ridiculous, but I guess some teens like to be the center of attention...even if it means everyone is snickering and wondering about the parents lack of control.

 

Hank

[ufmurphys]

Hlitner- thank you for your reply. There seems to be lots of opinions on dressing. On vacation my husband rarely wears anything but shorts and planned on wearing bermuda shorts every day (Florence, Pisa, Dubrovnik, Malta) except on the Vatican day. I was starting to worry that his bermuda shorts are going to keep him out of some of the other Churches in some of the other cities. Do you think in Florence and Pisa he will be ok in the bermuda shorts? Our Church is very important to us; we would never want to be disrespectful. But 8-10 hours of touring in the heat in jeans or long pants will make them very uncomfortable; so I would like to avoid that if possible. :) Thanks again.

[Preds]

I bought very light weight (and comfortable) zip off pants at Kohls for myself and 15 yo son last week. They're made by Sonoma Lifestyles and cost about $25 a pair.

 

For my 12 yo son, we bought him Cherokee brand light weight zip-off pants at Target for $12.99 each.

 

Our plan is to wear them as shorts, then zip the pant legs on when we enter churches.

[cruisemom42]

You should be fine in Florence and Pisa with long, nice-looking shorts and no tank tops (for women or men).

 

It's actually better in extreme heat to wear loose clothing that covers more of you (think Bedouins in the desert) such as loose skirts, lightweight loose pants, and shirts with some sleeve to them made of that mesh that "breathes". In shorts and a tank top, with the sun beating down on your exposed arms and legs, you will only be hotter.

[nanadeborah]

Pompeii is hot and without shade. Everyone should wear a hat! We were there on May 11th and hats were a necessity even then. Sunscreen would also be a good idea. There are no dress requirements, but it would be best to wear loose, cool clothing.

Don't forget to bring a good supply of water. Lots of walking is involved and it is hot and thirsty work.

Also remember to wear good, sturdy walking shoes. The pavement is unstable and broken. There are uneven steps. It is not a place for people with walking difficulties. My DH and I both wore our Crocs, and were amongst the few who did not have a slip or fall. Wear socks or something that will prevent blisters on your feet.

As far as jeans are concerned for the rest of your trip, they would be fine for your son, as long as he doesn't get too hot. Cargo pants, even the zip off ones, are really nice. The extra pockets are great for stashing things and confusing the pick pockets!

Have a good trip!