Kilts and visiting churches in Europe

[Martin S]

I've been to Spain often in enough in kilts to be able to say they don't cause much of a stir in the towns (you may get some odd comments in villages, however).

Spain has changed so much since Franco's death; it's no longer the strait-laced, strictly catholic place it was. It is modern, lively and fun. France seems old-fashioned now by comparison.

I'm not a church-goer normally, but much of Europe has churches and cathedrals of great artisitic and architectural interest that should not be missed. You go in and look around just as you would in any museum or historic building. Why would anyone look at your clothes there more than anywhere else?

Now that they are getting so short of worshippers in Europe, the clergy are not likely to make a fuss about about bare knees or shoulders or turn anyone away.

I'm sure our friend Valenciankilt could give more details about Spain, since he lives there. I don't know so much about italy, but I imagine the trend there is similar.

By the way, Valencia is a great place to visit. It seems to be completely ignore by the holiday business, but there is so much to see, I enjoyed every minute. Churches of course, and palaces, museums, wonderful gardens, modern science centre, aquarium-dolphinarium, cafés, restaurants and a vast beach just a bus-ride away from the centre. And with much reduced traffic in high summer when the locals go for holidays elsewhere!

Most of the time, I was in cotton kilt and tank-top, and did not feel un-dressed.

Martin

[Hamish]

Over the years I have visited France, Belgium and Italy whilst wearing traditional tartan kilts as well as contemporary Utilikilts, and I have never yet been barred from Churches, Cathedrals or any other buildings. One consideration could be that I am not really a T-shirt type and so would have been wearing Polo or conventional leisure shirts in subdued colours, and would have been wearing kilt hose with shoes - not boots!

I have visited Spain and The Balearics many times but, alas, that was before the days of my full-time kilt wearing, and so I was not kilted whilst there.

Show reasonable and considerate respect for the country you are visiting, and its peoples, and you should survive unscathed!