Barcelona dress code?

[Chrislovesdisney]

Prior to our Barcelona - Southampton cruise, we will be spending some time in Barcelona. For one day, we have Montserrat & Sagrada Familia planned with a private tour company. I know the modesty, shoulders/knees covered dress code but my questions are 1) for men, is it okay if shorts basically end just at the top of the knee? 2) are sandals allowed (not flip-flops - more like slides with a strap back or athletic sandals)? I see conflicting reports. It’s going to be SO HOT there and I can’t see us sightseeing with long pants and closed-toed shoes…. Tia! Edited: for men, are Bermuda shorts that COVER the knee acceptable ?

 

[Dug720]

I wouldn't count on the guys getting away with it. Covered knees apply to them too. I saw more than a few men throughout my ports in Europe having to tie pashminas around their waists to ensure that their knees were covered because they thought fully covered knees didn't apply to them but only women.

I have no clue about shoes as when I did Sagrada I'd been doing a walking tour so I was in sneakers anyway.

 

[NYCgrrl]

https://sagradafamilia.org/en/rules-and-regulations

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

https://sagradafamilia.org/en/rules-and-regulations

Thank you - I’m aware - there’s travel boards that define “open” sandals and knee positions differently from one another so I’m just looking for clarification from real life experience.

 

[KristaZ]

My husband wore shorts to the Sagrada Familia without any issue. It was cooler when I went so I was in closed toe shoes, but I wore nicer sandals all throughout churches in Italy and I can't imagine them being a problem at Sagrada Familia - it was much more relaxed and casual, IMO, than many churches in Europe.

 

[msmama]

I just looked back at some of our pics. My teenaged son wore shorts but had a hoodie tied around his waist. But in the background there were plenty of people in shorts, even some women in short shorts. Most everyone was wearing sneakers so can't speak to sandals.

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

Thank you all. I think I’m going to try to find a pair of longer inseam shorts that hit just below the knee

 

[o&smom]

I have worn some type of open toed sandal on any visit to La Sagrada Familia or any church in Europe.

 

[gmi3804]

I have worn some type of open toed sandal on any visit to La Sagrada Familia or any church in Europe.

I wouldn't be boasting about that.

To the OP: These places have guidelines. Be respectful and obey them. Everyone else does.

 

[tlprice]

When we went to La Sagrada Familia it seemed to depend who checked your ticket to go in. Some were being really picky about how people were dressed and others were not. My daughter and I were dressed appropriately, but I was shocked at what some people were wearing (and allowed to wear).

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Prior to our Barcelona - Southampton cruise, we will be spending some time in Barcelona. For one day, we have Montserrat & Sagrada Familia planned with a private tour company. I know the modesty, shoulders/knees covered dress code but my questions are 1) for men, is it okay if shorts basically end just at the top of the knee? 2) are sandals allowed (not flip-flops - more like slides with a strap back or athletic sandals)? I see conflicting reports. It’s going to be SO HOT there and I can’t see us sightseeing with long pants and closed-toed shoes…. Tia! Edited: for men, are Bermuda shorts that COVER the knee acceptable ?

Where are you seeing that knees have to be covered? Is this for Sagrada Familia or Montserrat? This is what I see on the Sagrada Familia website.

As it is a Catholic church, visitors must dress appropriately, following these restrictions:

• No see-through clothing.
• Trousers and skirts must come down to at least mid-thigh.
• Visitors may not enter in swimwear.
• Visitors will not be allowed to enter wearing special clothing to celebrate any sort of festivities, nor with any decorations designed to distract or draw attention for artistic, religious, promotional or any other purposes.
• Bare shoulders are not allowed in the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament.

Edited because I missed bare shoulders the first time around.

 

[kiford]

Trousers and skirts must come down to at least mid-thigh.

Most churches I've been to in Europe require shorts and skirts to cover the knees. Mid-thigh would not be long enough.

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

Where are you seeing that knees have to be covered? Is this for Sagrada Familia or Montserrat? This is what I see on the Sagrada Familia website.

As it is a Catholic church, visitors must dress appropriately, following these restrictions:

• No see-through clothing.
• Trousers and skirts must come down to at least mid-thigh.
• Visitors may not enter in swimwear.
• Visitors will not be allowed to enter wearing special clothing to celebrate any sort of festivities, nor with any decorations designed to distract or draw attention for artistic, religious, promotional or any other purposes.
• Bare shoulders are not allowed in the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament.

Edited because I missed bare shoulders the first time around.

It’s so strange, the website now has what you copied - pasted. But my daughter and I are 100% sure we saw below the knee, shoulders covered, and no sandals. I actually feel like I’m losing my mind. I wonder if they change it depending on the season?

 

[Kwami]

It’s so strange, the website now has what you copied - pasted. But my daughter and I are 100% sure we saw below the knee, shoulders covered, and no sandals. I actually feel like I’m losing my mind. I wonder if they change it depending on the season?

When I checked just now, it doesn't even have the line about bare shoulders anymore. Maybe they're just finally loosening the dress code?

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Most churches I've been to in Europe require shorts and skirts to cover the knees. Mid-thigh would not be long enough.

I don’t remember what the rules were when I was in Spain and Italy about 20 years ago, but I was in Portugal earlier this year and there were no issues in any of the dozen or so churches I visited. No issues either in Germany, France, and the UK in recent years. I didn’t visit churches in the Netherlands or Switzerland.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

When I checked just now, it doesn't even have the line about bare shoulders anymore. Maybe they're just finally loosening the dress code?

One page has the bare shoulders line, and another doesn’t.

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

It seems that the bare shoulders are not allowed specifically in the chapel that holds the holy sacrament. One page on the website includes this information, the other doesn’t.

 

[gmi3804]

I’m simply asking if I can have my husband wewr his dressy shorts and me dressy cute sandals to this particular venue.

If you have to ask the answer is no. But you probably knew that already.

 

[Karin1984]

If you are not up to dress code due to the shorts, there are plenty of stores around. Go out, buy a cheap pair of longer pants/trousers and go back in.

 

[DCLMP]

My husband wore shorts to the Sagrada Familia without any issue. It was cooler when I went so I was in closed toe shoes, but I wore nicer sandals all throughout churches in Italy and I can't imagine them being a problem at Sagrada Familia - it was much more relaxed and casual, IMO, than many churches in Europe.

We wore shorts too. I saw lots of shorts and bare shoulders at the Vatican last year. I'm not sure how much it's enforced anymore