Sport Coats or Not
We will be on our 2nd Tauck tour. The first was to Australia and New Zealand and no man in our group wore a sport coat for any organized event, including Opening and Closing dinners. This trip is the one beginning June 3 to Venice/Florence/Rome. If I don't take a sport coat, which is a pain to pack/wear when relocating, will I feel out of place.??
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Jerry
Here's the official recommendations for this trip, current as of today, June 3rd, 2015:
For daytime activities, we suggest a wardrobe that is adaptable and versatile. Casual, comfortable cotton clothing is recommended. There may be occasional cool weather so "layered" clothing might be needed. There are both outdoor and indoor activities, so packing versatile and adaptable clothing will help assure your comfort in a variety of conditions.
For most evenings, resort casual attire is perfectly acceptable. However, you may enjoy dressing up a bit for our welcome and farewell dinners. A sport coat with or without tie for men, and a cocktail dress for women are appropriate, and they may also be suitable for other nights during your journey.
Consider packing a number of garments you can wear in different combinations over four or five days. Laundry service may be available during your tour or cruise for a fee. Please inquire with your Tauck Director.
Beyond your normal wardrobe and personal grooming items, we suggest you also bring along:
- Comfortable walking shoes (VERY IMPORTANT!)
- Rainwear, such as a raincoat and rain hat, plus a collapsible umbrella - Short and long-sleeved shirts/tee shirts (for the warmer, summer months extra tee shirts are always a good idea)
- Shorts (for summer) and pants for casual daytime wear (below-the-knee-length shorts for church visits)
- Sport coat for men (suggested but not required) and slacks/dress for women for evening wear
- Sweater; lightweight for summer, and medium weight for spring/fall · Camera, lenses, batteries and extra memory cards or plenty of film (film is easily obtainable in most places but can be expensive)
- Swimwear
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen and hat
- Small flashlight
- Insect repellent
- Washcloth - not all European hotels provide washcloths, so you may want to bring one along. A package of pre-moistened towelettes is an excellent alternative.
- Travel alarm clock (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms) - Prescription medicines (an adequate supply to last your entire journey), and written copies of your prescriptions from your doctor. While it may be possible to refill prescriptions during your journey, the availability of refills cannot be guaranteed. What's more, refilling prescriptions in foreign countries can be difficult and time-consuming.
Please note that most Catholic churches in Italy require that knees and shoulders be covered when entering the church, even during the hot days of summer. This is particularly important when visiting St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, where shorts and tank tops are not allowed. As a general rule, shorts are not allowed in any church in Italy.
That said, like British and Rabo said, your comfort should be your priority. If you dress nicely without a sport coat, you will not at all feel out of place. I brought a sport coat with me when I went to Italy in 2013 in the middle of the summer, and it was too hot during the entire trip for me to be comfortable with it, and nobody gave it a second thought.
I hope this helps!
-Tim