Alex

Just wondering if anyone out there has just gotten such sore legs and feet that they just can't walk to all the sights to see? People on this site say, "Oh, just walk everywhere." Doesn't anyone just get plain old tired? "Oh, don't buy the waterbus, taxi, bus, or train tickets, -- just walk. Everything can be easily reached! How? When tourists stay 2-3 days, tops, at most of the great cities in Europe, how can you walk to destinations and then tour Churches and museums, then walk back to your hotels? Really, and I'm talking wearing good walking shoes.

janis

First of all - you don't usually walk for hours on end. You "stroll", walk, sit and eat, stop for a coffee, sit down in museums and parks. I can honestly say I can walk all day long (and I am not a big walker at home) on vacation with these little breathers along the way. Almost never feel it in my legs - but I only take comfortable shoes. Not Nikes or "athletic" shoes, but Soft Spots, Mephistos, etc.

cd

Alex<BR>I agree with the above poster. However, if you are experiencing discomfort and even pain, see a podiatrist. Perhaps you have flat feet...High arched, rigid feet, spurs, etc....Your podiatrist can give you orthotics which are not cheap but fit into your shoes and makes all the differance in the world to feet that have pain. It's called Plantar Fascitis (heel spur syndrome) and is common

sandy c

hi alex,<BR><BR>Ok...I'll admit it, I have problems with it and finally adopted the attitude "why walk when you can ride". I will take mass transportation as close as I can to an area, however once in an area I will usually walk around it for the duration.<BR><BR>this last trip to london-paris did me in. I thought I was bringing a good pair of walking shoes but either they were just not right or we just overdid the 1st two days. I spent 3 or 4 days after that in agony. I finally just slowed down and went at my own pace and told the rest of them to go on without me.<BR><BR>Hindsight. I am a heavy lady and store bought shoes just do not do the trick. One of the ladies in our party had her chiropracter take a mold of her foot and sent off for specially fitted shoes with heal inserts and arch supports with extra cushioning. they cost her about $175. not once during the whole trip did she feel pain. <BR><BR>I will invest in a pair before my next trip. I think the shoes plus not giving my body a chance to build up those 1st two days means I need to rectify the shoe problem and the next trip go a little slower the 1st day or two. pace myself.<BR><BR>don't feel alone. I use the underground to get to an area, walk when I need to, use the bus when I want to hop within areas. why wear myself out, I am on vacation!<BR>

Zoe

I second the public transport suggestion. It's a great way to see how the locals live, too. <BR><BR>I always get an unlimited pass so that when my feet start hurting, I just hop on a bus/tram, travel a fair distance, hop off and catch the opposite bus/tram on the way back. It generally works as long as you know the areas of town to avoid.

Susan

I love to walk, especially in London and Paris, and usually overdo it, too. However, my best purchase (expensive!) was a pair of Mephistos -wonderful. I'm going to look for some more next time I'm in Paris, as I hear they are less expensive there.

Lori

Alex-You bet we get tired. I love walking but have a foot problem and have to wear orthodic's in my shoes and neither my husband or I are young kids anymore either! We use the tube and bus a lot in London, Metro in Paris,but yes, we also walk .. you have to pace yourself tho. We just returned from 13 days in London and walked a lot, but we sat a lot too. We had tube/bus passes and rode the bus a lot because there is a lot less walking involved to get on one then up and down the stairs in the tube! We sit in parks to rest up, we sat on the railing of the flower gardens near Buckingham Palace for a good 1/2 hr just watching the tourists taking pictures of themselves! When tired in museums we sit down or go into the cafe and have a soft drink or snack. In dept. stores you can do the same - pop into the cafe's and have a coffee, soft drink, whatever and rest the feet. We go to the theater a lot and that's a sitting down activity at the end of the day! We also rent an apt in London and spend some downtime each day (usually late afternoon). while we are not ancient by any means it is nice to get off our feet and my husband enjoys a hour nap now and then.<BR><BR>We take train trips outside of the cities, sitting down for an hour or two on the train is restful and then you can sitesee the area you are going to. we did walk a lot in Canterbury and at Warwick Castle on this trip, but we also sat a lot in the gardens at Warwick, etc.<BR><BR>We've been to Paris many times and visit with family there too. Paris is a good walking city, but you can still see a lot by taking the bus and saving your feet. Of course you cannot eliminate walking but you can keep it under control too. It's important to realize that you cannot see everything anyway, so make your choices and go with them and the heck with what everyone else things as important to see. Nothing is memorable except sore feet in the end.

Danna

Don't feel bad. My husband and I are both serious cyclists in seriously good shape, and we still walk until we creek and groan like 90-year-olds when on vacation.<BR><BR>Recently we have made a conscious effort to take subway or cab when we have a specific destination and save the walking for just fun exploring.<BR><BR>We are going (God willing - we canceled our September trip) to Paris in May. I plan to, for example, metro to the Pompidou Centre, then amble and explore on the way back. Also, I have bought some Cole Haan loafers that have the little "Nike Air" cushioning bubbles in the heels. Beware of shoes that are merely comfortable for your feet, they may not have the cushioning and support that keeps your hip and knee joints from absorbing too much stress.

lisa

I think it depends on how much you walk in "real life." I have friends who are avid bikers and in great physical shape (better than me) who still get very sore walking on vacation, even in their most comfortable shoes. I can walk and walk from dawn until dusk in the same sandals I wear for running errands at home and it doesn't bother me because I walk a lot in my daily life anyway. The only time I ever get blisters or sore feet is if I'm wearing newish shoes (purchased within the month or two before the trip) that have not been worn enough.

robin-k

I live in a city where pedestrians are a rarity. Most everyone drives, even if it's a short hop. Consequently I love going to Europe and being able to walk. About 2 months prior to any vacation I work on getting my legs & feet in shape. I become a "tourist in training" --- every day, put on my mephistos or sneakers or walking shoes and become that unusual breed known as a walker in Texas. <BR><BR>Additionally I've learned the value of selecting hotels that are close to a metro stop. This is particularly invaluable when visiting London / Paris / Milan or any major city with a good public transporation system. After a full day of trekking about, I want to jump on the metro or bus and be able to emerge, stumbling a few steps to my hotel.<BR>

Beth

Yes, we hurt. By the second day in Paris recently I thought my legs were going to fall off. Whenever we just couldn't go any farther, we hopped a bus or went into the metro. Or, if we knew there was a lot of walking at the other end, we took transportation there, especially if we had already walked that route several times. By the third day my legs did not hurt any more, but the feet were beginning to feel the effects. I should have taken two pairs of walking shoes so I could switch off. It was so worth a little pain though. Paris was glorious.

elvira

I'm one of the lucky ones with sturdy feet and a healthy back, so I can walk for long periods with no discomfort. I find my feet start to get tired if I'm STANDING on marble/stone, like in a museum or cathedral. The best cure is a barefoot walk through grass - seriously, find a park without the signs with red Xes through feet, take off your shoes, and walk in the nice cool grass (note: avoid in winter).<BR><BR>As for shoes, stick with what you know. If you daily wear reverse gravity shoes, then don't switch to built-up athletic shoes for your trip; you will be in agony. Same if you wear high-heels all the time; extremely flat shoes will leave you crippled. Just look for a sturdier, walking version of what you usually wear.<BR><BR>And there's nothing wrong with taking public transportation, or taxis, or horse-drawn carriages...recommendations to walk are not the law. <BR><BR>Everyone recommends renting a scooter on Bermuda and zipping around. Not on your freakin' life would I ever do that (but I would walk all over the island).

Jane

Hi Alex,<BR><BR>You are not alone. I am in my 30s but have some back problems. My last 2 trips to Paris and Madrid were not as enjoyable as they could have been because my back and legs were hurting like hell after a couple of days. By the time of our departure, I was really ready to go back since I could not walk any more. Before my next trip, I am trying to get into better shape and work on strengthening my leg muscles. <BR><BR>Jane

ja

My problem is a little more wierd, in that I live in a VERY dry climate. I powerwalk regularly for exercise, so I do my vacation walking/hiking in my regular powerwalking shoes, but the humidity where we've vacationed is always higher, my feet sweat and swell, and I end up with killer blisters on the smallest two toes of both feet! It is a given when we travel. So, I now am going to tote along a pair of "recovery" (lightweight, loose, unstructured) type shoes for our next vacation.<BR>ja

Tom McClelland

I see lots of good tips here. There is no hard and fast rule about how much anyone must walk while abroad. European trips are made for walking in my opinion, but often overdo it. Taxis, buses, subways...all bail me out. <BR>Just three weeks out of hip surgery and just getting off crutches, I head for the Black Forest and Provence in three days. I hope to walk when I can, but a barstool will be my home if I can't get around.

JOdy

I have loved this thread! It is all so true...love elvira's suggestion to take you shoes off and go barefoot for awhile...I never wear shoes at home if possible!it is walking on even ,continuous surfaces that gets me...I love the cobblestone streets in Rome...you never step the same way twice...so no sustained stress to cause cramping...we take public transp[ortation if we will be covering ground we have covered before...MDH walks 8 miles everyday so he never has problems...but i only do 2 at home so I need to start out slow and warm up&gt;&gt;

Bad Foot

Having sustained a foot injury a year ago, I can now totally relate to the 'too much walking' theme! Previous to my accident, I walked everywhere when traveling (though certainly not as much in my 'real life') By end of day, despite good shoes, my feet felt like bloody stumps! I have now become very wary of the phrase 'walking distance.' I use public transport whenever possible and still find that a spare pair of shoes for evening helps tremendously. A simple change in shoes often provides relief at the end of the day for those aching, tired feet.

Lisa

Despite knowing that dropping some of my extras poundage would help the most, I adopted the "divide and conquer" philosophy: I take three (and only three) pairs of comfortable shoes on vacation, then make a point of never wearing the same pair two days in a row. It seems to help me move the pain around. You might give it a shot.<BR><BR>Lisa

Harriette

Two years ago while in London and Paris during an unusually hot spell { we were told it was the hottest day in London in 100 years { our luck} I developed shin splints although I didn't know it at the time. It started on 1 leg and I thought it was a rash from grass I had walked thru. Shin splints are blood vessels in your shins that break. With 3 pairs of comfortable shoes I was in agony. A word to the wise which I will heed on our upcoming trip to Italy. Don't push yourself especially in hot weather.

Ann

If you do plan on getting real orthotics, do it well in advance of your trip. You need to get used to wearing them gradually, slightly increasing the time each day. Otherwise, you will have foot pain like you've never imagined. And real orthotics from a podiatrist take several weeks to make, and cost around $400. My HMO covered all of the cost.