Dress code in the Vatican Museums
In the Vatican Museums, it is necessary to dress in a way that respects the sacredness of the place.
The Vatican is an independent State in which the Roman Catholic Church has its seat and imposes its dress code throughout the city.
The dress code is modest and requires that certain parts of the body to be covered in order to respect the sacredness of the institutions.
Only properly dressed visitors are allowed into the museums.
How to dress to visit the Vatican Museums
The dress code for the Vatican Museums is strict but easy to follow.
Low-cut or sleeveless dresses, miniskirts, shorts and hats are not allowed.
To cover your knees and shoulders you can buy plastic cloaks to wrap around yourself.
Indoors, long-sleeved shirts and long trousers are preferable.
As for footwear, flat shoes and sandals are allowed, but don’t wear flip flops. Furthermore, as the visit to the Vatican Museums lasts on average three hours, comfortable shoes are recommended.
Dress code for men
- A shirt is recommended. It is also possible to wear a T-shirt, provided that does not contain offensive images or slogans.
- Trousers must be at least knee length. In summer it is possible to wear shorts trousers but the knee must be covered.
- It is considered bad manners to wear a hat in the museums.
Dress code for women
- It is forbidden to wear bare sleeves. In summer the solution may be to bring a cardigan or a shawl to wear inside the museums.
- Trousers or skirts must cover the knees.
- It is absolutely forbidden to wear a crop top that does not cover your stomach.
For more information, please consult the "Useful information" page.