Best footwear for sightseeing??

[CUTTERSAM]

Any suggestions? I'd like it to be comfy of course but want stylish and feminine. Walking about Rome and other cities want something smart. In the more rustic locations I will wear a sturdier shoe. Anyone have a thought or two?

[WhenIsOurNextCruise]

I like anything by Rockport if you have a store near you. Nice walking shoes and some lightweight, machine washable tennis shoes too.

[rebeccalouise]

Believe it or not- I love my flip flops. The newer one have thicker soles and I find that they are fine for most things. Now, if I am going to be exploring ruins or castles- I would not be a slave to fashion. I bought attractive athletic shoes in Salzburg and wore them if I was wearing long pants. Otherwise I wore my flip flops.

 

The important thing is to make sure that the shoes are broken in long before your trip.

[Keith1010]

Ecco makes very comfortable shoes for men and women.

 

They are good walking shoes.

 

Keith

[tooalto]

I can't stand wearing traditional "walking shoes" like Adidas, Nike, even Rockport but I couldn't get along without my Clarks Sunbeat walking sandals. So comfortable and my feet can breathe. Not the prettiest in the bunch but the best sandal for shore excursions. That said, I'd wear flip flops everywhere if I wasn't afraid of going "flip-flop"

[rebeccalouise]

the ones i have done make too much noise. I just ordered another pair online that have a wedge heel. So they look very stylish and will be very comfortable.

[cruisemom42]

I would not recommend flip flops for walking around the city streets in Europe (Rome and Lisbon are good examples). The streets and sometimes even the sidewalks are made up of flat cobblestones that tend to be uneven in places. It's easy to sprain an ankle without a proper shoe. A good sturdy sandal that fastens around the ankle or a shoe are better bets.

 

I second the recommendation for Ecco. I don't wear their "walking shoes" but they have some more stylish-looking loafers that still provide good support. Cole Haan shoes (the ones with Nike air soles) are also excellent but tend to run too narrow for some people. Mephisto is another well known brand.

[ibfern]

I love these shoes for walking and traveling because they are cute, comfortable, and stylish! On sale at nordies too....

 

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/2946887/0~2376788~6002242~6007715~6007723?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6007723&P=1

 

amelia

[agabbymama]

I also concur that Ecco does a good walking shoe. You want a thick sole, good instep support and good ankle support. The cobblestones will go right through thin soles and they are really hard on the ankles too. Flip flops might be appropriate for the Caribbean, but definitely not for Europe, except on the beach or in a bath house.

 

Walking, climbing, standing around my back will actually start to hurt if I don't have on good support shoes. And I don't really care if they look fashionable or not. I'm not at a fashion show, nobody cares what you are wearing anyway.

 

I'd rather try to be as comfortable as possible, than make a fashion statement.

[EV2008]

I found these cute and comfy shoes they are called J-41 they come in a variety of styles, just google them you will find they web site and a store near you that caries them. I went ahead and bought a pair, their "Dune" style, they are very soft inside. I am wearing them even though they do not need to be broken in.

[aztex]

Mephisto makes wonderful and comfortable shoes for walking. They also have great sandals that are very comfortable to wear and stylish. They are expensive but they wear like iron and last for a very long time. You can also have them completely reworked after years of wear for a very reasonable fee. I have worn them over all kinds of surfaces and they remain comfortable and looking new.

[CathyCruises]

I have HUGE feet, size 11 and wide, and I found a great pair of Dansko "mary janes" that I loved wearing in Europe. Best I have found other than a "tennis shoe" which look I can't handle. They did have an outlet part at dansko.com, but last time I looked I couldn't find it. These worked really well for me, and since I have lots of foot problems I was delighted to find them. I believe lots of nurses wear Danskos since they're on their feet all day.

 

I will check out these other recommendations too.

 

Thx cathy

 

PS can't even imagine wearing flip-flops in Europe! Way too hard on the feet plus you would stand out as a tourist like a 10 foot pole!

[CUTTERSAM]

I found these cute and comfy shoes they are called J-41 they come in a variety of styles, just google them you will find they web site and a store near you that caries them. I went ahead and bought a pair, their "Dune" style, they are very soft inside. I am wearing them even though they do not need to be broken in.

 

I never heard of these before. I went to their site and wow, cute is right. I'm going to give them a try. Thanks

[CRUISING SUE AND LARRY]

i love my mephistos - have open sandals and mary jane style shoes.

[Nora4sure]

Sailin'

 

My traveling companions and myself had this very same discussion last year about this time about our summer trip to the med. It is also of course discussed at length on these boards. In the end we all helped zappos pay their overhead for the year!! We tried all sorts of walking shoes/sandals. Bad knees, ankles, plantar fascitis etc. Zappos may cost more BUT they have a huge selection AND they have a free return policy. Never pay for expedited shipping either, as they will frequently email you back saying that they will send your order out immediately at no extra charge.

 

We found that different shoes worked for each of us.....

 

1. Easy Spirit open back sneakers called Travel Time. Very comfortable and the insole is removable to replace with one of your own after the one that comes with it starts to die. All sort of colors and styles. All of us had at least one pair of these and they transferred well to the treadmill on the ship.

 

2. Ecco sandals. I have to admit mine won the ugliest sandal award but they were the most comfortable of all. Very pricey though.....115 buckaroonies!!

 

3. Merrells. I loved my Merrell sandals. I have them in several styles and colors and were vey comfortable. Gotta love velcro!

 

4. Clarks. I love them but find that the Artisan line isnot as comfortable as their main line of sandals and walking shoes. I find that they were too hot and heavy on my feet in the heat of the summer.

 

Hope this helps. If your feet hurt....your miserable all day. I have to say that we obsessed about finding the right shoes and none of us complained about our footwear the whole trip.

Good Luck

Nora

[CUTTERSAM]

Zappos, I was trying not to go there as I have no self control. I'll check it out and stay focused.

[BonnieJB]

Thanks for so many footwear ideas! Can't wait to check them out. Every year I try a new type of "perfect" footwear and haven't found one that I really like yet. I would not recommend SAS sandals. They were very slippery on cobblestones. My Clarks "Springers" sandals worked pretty well and were very comfortable for some types of touring. Last year I tried Sketchers slip on athletic type shoes that did not lace up. NO!!! At first I thought they were great and then my legs started aching terribly after a few days. Their more supportive styles might work OK. I hate to bring huge tennis shoes. They are so heavy and hot on your feet, but lots of people wear them. Flip flops? No way in Europe! Touring in Europe is GRUELING. You won't look fashionable with a cast on your ankle! It is SO easy to twist your ankles as others have said. Uneven surfaces are everywhere and you have to be extremely careful. One word of advice. If you don't usually do a lot of walking or step climbing, I would recommend building up your endurance until you can walk for about 3 miles and climb multiple flights of steps (in the shoes you bought) before you go to Europe.

[cruzisme]

wonderful ideas here for future Europe tourers.

 

I have worn runners by Asics, black Skechers, Clarks, Rockport sandals; conclusion--wear something broken in and definitely comfy for hours on end. I like velcro or slip ons. I even took some slip ons made by Bass (actually suitable for land/water use) and they worked out wonderfully for our Australia trip.

Suggestion: take moleskin with you. I take the whole roll, not the individual patches, and cut to fit. Bandaids work too but I prefer the moleskin.

 

Good luck shopping!

[dondiane]

josef seibel and ecco get my vote, more pricey than clarkes or easy spirit but so worth it. I've had my j. seibel for years and only have had to replace the laces!

[Donyb]

Among my friends, I'm known as the "shoe queen" but my choice for touring is a simple one. I've found Easy Spirit shoes to be the "ones". I've never had a blister, sore spot or anything with them. They are sooo comfortable and I just bought another pair for our upcoming trip in April. True, they aren't sandals but I might look into some of the suggestions given here for sandals. For touring, I prefer closed, sturdy and if they can look classy, all the better.

[CintiPam]

Great thread. My problem is that I wear orthotics (hard plastic forms going from mid-foot to heel) due to bone spurs and tendinitis in my left heel, so I must wear a closed shoe that will hold in the orthotic. But they all look so horrendous with capris and other summer wear. (I have lace-up black and wine-colored Eccos, which I love and wear the rest of the year with long slacks.)

 

Any recommendations? Thanks in advance for all of your welcome assistance.

 

Pam

[packed&ready!]

Look at "chosenone" on Easy Spirit website. It's a closed canvas espadrille that would look okay with capris. They come in a few colors, too. Good luck.

[4friends]

Great thread. My problem is that I wear orthotics (hard plastic forms going from mid-foot to heel) due to bone spurs and tendinitis in my left heel, so I must wear a closed shoe that will hold in the orthotic. But they all look so horrendous with capris and other summer wear. (I have lace-up black and wine-colored Eccos, which I love and wear the rest of the year with long slacks.)

 

Any recommendations? Thanks in advance for all of your welcome assistance.

 

Pam

My SIL has to wear orthotics and she buys sandals that the insole can be removed and the orthotics put in their place. She says there are several brands that accomodate orthotics but her favorite is Volk walkers (I think that is the correct spelling)

[Susan-M]

Another vote for Mephisto Sandals: http://www.mephistoonlinestore.com/Women_s_Sandals-Helen.html

 

They provide good support (great on cobblestones) & they're comfortable (I can walk all day in them without problems). I also take a pair of light hikers for more casual ports.

[mjmalino]

Sailin'

 

My traveling companions and myself had this very same discussion last year about this time about our summer trip to the med. It is also of course discussed at length on these boards. In the end we all helped zappos pay their overhead for the year!! We tried all sorts of walking shoes/sandals. Bad knees, ankles, plantar fascitis etc. Zappos may cost more BUT they have a huge selection AND they have a free return policy. Never pay for expedited shipping either, as they will frequently email you back saying that they will send your order out immediately at no extra charge.

 

We found that different shoes worked for each of us.....

 

1. Easy Spirit open back sneakers called Travel Time. Very comfortable and the insole is removable to replace with one of your own after the one that comes with it starts to die. All sort of colors and styles. All of us had at least one pair of these and they transferred well to the treadmill on the ship.

 

2. Ecco sandals. I have to admit mine won the ugliest sandal award but they were the most comfortable of all. Very pricey though.....115 buckaroonies!!

 

3. Merrells. I loved my Merrell sandals. I have them in several styles and colors and were vey comfortable. Gotta love velcro!

 

4. Clarks. I love them but find that the Artisan line isnot as comfortable as their main line of sandals and walking shoes. I find that they were too hot and heavy on my feet in the heat of the summer.

 

Hope this helps. If your feet hurt....your miserable all day. I have to say that we obsessed about finding the right shoes and none of us complained about our footwear the whole trip.

Good Luck

Nora

 

thank you so much for these. Even though I like my wedges and my heels, I find that they are not always going to do me well, and in ports in the med are definitely a time that I need good shoes given that my doctor is currently attempting to delay my knee replacement (I'm only 38). I will definitely look at some of the suggested shoes.