PurpleNeon

I've searched and searched these boards to try and avoid asking what feels like a somewhat silly question, but have been unable to find information on what I am looking for. I appreciate any help.

My husband and I are going to Italy for 3 weeks leaving on September 15th. I would like to bring 2 pairs of shoes: 1 pair for daytime walking, sightseeing, shopping etc and 1 pair slightly dressier for evening activities.

I am of the understanding that the weather should be fairly pleasant at this time of year.

My question: should I bring open-toed, sandal type shoes or closed toe, sturdier shoes?

We went to Greece 2 years ago in June and I wore athletic sandals every day for sightseeing. They were so comfortable and caused not one bit of trouble. Wearing these through Italy would be my ideal plan, however, they are blue rubber - went well with the shorts & tshirts that I wore every day in the heat of Greece but I am questioning how well they will work with pants in Italy in September.

I have found several threads on recommended brands of shoes but am having a hard time deciding on what style to go with. I appreciate any advice on this matter - it feels like a trivial one but I know that having appropriate shoes will not be trivial when I will be wearing them every day for 21 days.

Erie03

My wife and I were in Italy last September (1-11th) and it was HOT in every city we visited from Venice to Positano. We typically wore shorts except when we planned on visiting churches. I was fine with a dressier pair of sandals and athletic shoes but I am sure my wife had at least 4 pairs of shoes. Have fun in Italy, my wife and I are heading to Greece (Athens, Santorini and Naxos) in a couple weeks and I am looking forward to reading your reviews from there I just found.

kswl

Hi purple, for three weeks I might take 3 pair of shoes: two suitable for daytime/walking, and one evening pair. You want to have a spare pair in case your main walking shoes get wet, and not many evening shoes can double for sightseeing.

I have a nice pair of Ecco mary janes that look good with either pants or skirts/tights/sweaters. They are quite comfortable for walking, too. If you aren't going all out dressy---needing strappy sandals or such---something like mj's might work for you as the alternate pair. Just make sure, if you take 2 pair, that both go with everything in case one pr. gets wet. Or lost.

kswl

questions about shoes are <i>never</i> silly, as they can make or break your trip!

jgg

I agree with kswl. For 3 weeks I would consider bringing 3 pairs of shoes. We were in Italy for 3 weeks this June. I had brought 3 pairs of shoes, and one pair broke one day while siteseeing in Alba. It was helpful not to have to rely on only one pair of shoes. I really like wearing the Dankso shoes for travelling(they were not the ones that broke). They are very comfortable but a bit more dressy than rubber soled sandals and go great with skirts and capris. These are the ones I wore - in the pink patent leather!!
http://www.dansko.com/Product_Detail...0&amp;VID=1201

PurpleNeon

Thank you very much for your replies.

Funny how you get an idea in your head and don't stop to think of other ones. It never really occurred to me to bring 3 pairs of shoes (duh....).

Erie03: you will love Greece. We had a wonderful vacation there.

kswl: I appreciate your reassurance on my question!

Anyway, I'm planning to head out shopping this weekend so if there are any more opinions out there I would appreciate them!

Thanks

JandaO

this thread many help.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34842634

LoveItaly

PurpleNeon, you will be wearing one pair of shoes on the plane, so packing two other pairs in your luggage will not be an overkill. I too always have two pairs of daytime/walking shoes and one pair of dressier shoes for evenings. I also pack a pair of leather flipflops (Clarkes) which can be used a slippers or just for casual. Have a wonderful time in Italy!!

PurpleNeon

Thank you again for your help.

Janda: I appreciate you posting that thread. I guess, though, in a nutshell my actual question is: should I bring summer or fall shoes?

Thank you LoveItaly (I plan to do exactly as your screen name suggests!) - I am getting the feeling that the actual answer to my question is BOTH!

suze

I'd take 3. One the best looking dark color sneaker type I could find. One pair of comfortable but nice sandals - I've had good luck with Ecco, Naot, Rockport. And one slip-on like a Merrell loafer maybe. Oh and flip flops for slippers and around (guess that's technically 4)!

suze

My idea agrees with the poster above to have two pair that are comfortable for daytime walking. Switch back and forth. I hate to put on the same pair every morning, when you'll be walking walking and walking some more.

Tess_Durberville

Another vote for taking a trio of shoes. And definitely take 1 pair of closed toe sturdier shoes (daytime) AND an open-toed, sandal type. And as for the sandals, make them a sturdy, &quot;sports&quot; type .... for example, Ryka (for women) or Teva. A full day of walking at that time of year can get hot --- I was very glad to have sandals as an alternative option to closed toes shoes when out doing the tourist trek.

Dayle

Hi purple,

My last trip was mid-Sept and I took 3 pairs. 2 pairs of walking sandals, 1 Mephisto (which I love and they get more comfortable every day!) and 1 pair Teva &quot;City Sandals&quot; that don't look too sporty. At the last minute I took a pair of Trotters flats in woven leather. Good thing, because I did run into 2 days of very cold weather in Tuscany, and a couple days of heavy rain in Rome!

My best advice to you is: since you are already buying shoes far too late to get them broken in -- take moleskin and a tiny pair of scissors you can carry in your purse. It will save your trip!

Buon viaggio!

Girlspytravel

I just bought some Born closed toe shoes that APPEAR to be comfortable, however, I'm not holding out any hope that I can wear anything in Italy (and I better start packing today) other than my very cushy two inch foam rubber flip flops-which is exactly what I wore last year to Italy, and I did just fine. Otherise, I'll just end up with blisters, no matter how comfortable the shoe!

nytraveler

Bringing only open-toed shoes is asking for tourble. So is bringing only 2 pair.

First - in 3 weeks you will definitely get at least a couple of days of rain. So shoes must be closed and waterproof. And you need two pair of walking shoes - since there is nothing worse than having to spend the whole day walking around in shoes still damp from the day before. Also - wearing the same pair of shoes every day for 21 days is not good for either the shoes or your feet.

Make all 3 pairs closed and the evening pair either flats or low wedges to allow for walking on cobblestones.

Openn toe shoes are adorable - but bring only if they are extras to the basics - or you don;t mind water running through the shoes as you walk.

mjdtravelers

I just returned from 3 weeks in Italy. Like most of the others, I suggest bringing 3 pairs. 2 sandals and 1 sneaker. I brought a pair of Puma track shoes and they could not have been more perfect. They are very light weight &amp; made of mesh so your feet can breathe. At one point I even threw them in the hotel tub with detergent and washed them. They dried over night.

I know this is totally unrelated to your question, but I suggest bringing Huggies un-scented wipes. They get the sweat and dirt off, which is very refreshing. Also, if you do not have any tours planned, go with &quot;ICON TOURS&quot; (www.icontours.com). The groups are small, the guides are AMAZING and the prices are great.

Enjoy!

Girlspytravel

If going to Italy, I would never suggest only close-toe shoes-that doesn't make sense to me, given all the walking, your feet need to feel cool-if you have comfortable sandals or flip-flops you should wear them-flip flops are definitely in in Europe, and sandals of course, as well as sporty, smart looking designer athletic shoes.

I couldn't even conceive of less than 3 pairs of shoe for that long a trip-I normally bring around 7 pairs-a variety of flip-flops, sandals, dress shoes, maybe an athletic shoe-but the emphasis must be on letting your feet breathe, with that all that walking.

suze

I'll say what I always say here on Fodor's to this kind of question... shoes (besides passport and money) are the most important thing you take with you. You can wear the same t-shirt over and over, rinsing it out now and then but if something goes wrong with your footwear, you're screwed.

I recently bought a pair of Naot sandals (dressier birkenstocky) and a pair of Tsubo (puma like sneakers) at The Walking Company. Both immediately comfortable and would be perfect for a trip.

Mimar

When I was last in Rome, it was early October and the temperatures were in the 80s. So I wore my walking sandals. I usually bring 2 pairs. (Shoes are heavy.) One pair of black sturdy walking sandals that are nice enough for restaurants in the evening. These have Velcro closings and I wear them on the plane with black socks. (When my feet swell, I can adjust the Velcro.) The other pair of shoes are closed walking shoes, also black. I haven't had foot trouble in years.

italiangirl

I have just returned from a three week vacation in Italy. We went as far north as Venice and as far south as Positano. I brought four pairs of shoes - a pair of skeechers, naot open toed slides with excellent support, flip flops and dressy evening shoes. All the shoes were black. I purchased the naot shoes approximately a week before my trip and did not have any problems whatsoever! I did not bring any shorts and only wore sundresses and capri pants. The naots were slightly dressier than your average birkenstock or sandal type walking shoe and looked quite smart with dresses.

I also took Band-Aid blister cushions and a new Band-Aid product which I believe is called a blister stick just in case. It looks like a very small deodorant. You apply it to your feet in order to prevent excessive friction.

I wore the naot shoes every day. The weather during our trip was very hot and sticky and I appreciated the open toe and the fact that I could slide my feet in and out of the naots when I needed more ventilation.