Cheryl: One pair is black suede (MaryJane style) and the other is a beige suede. Both have velcro straps which made it really easy to take off in Thailand where I visited in February (you have to take your shoes off in every temple). Before you decide, just try a pair. I got mine at the Walking Store.

Cheryl, yes, the Dansko Professional is the one I recommend. Get a pair in black and I can almost guarantee that you won't be disappointed. My mother has very high arches and thought she wouldn't be able to wear them. She tried mine, bought herself a pair, and now practically lives in them. I hope you enjoy them!

I have just returned from Rome, Florence and Venice. I purchased a pair of Timberland clog-type shoes. They were excellent for climbing through the ruins of Rome and are a little more conservative than sneakers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all the help/suggestions.<BR><BR>By the time I'm done --- I will have "happy feet" !

Cheryl--I swear by my Aerosoles! I manage a retail store,(not shoes) and frequently I am on my feet for 12 hours; I wear several styles, but the loafer-type is what served me well in Italy, and we walked a lot. Most important is to break them in before you go--no new shoes on a trip.

The only comfortable shoes I've found are the ugliest I've ever seen: SAS, the kind with the shoestrings. I'm embarrassed wearing them, but have no foot pain!

<BR>Cheryl what a great subject. I really have many problems finding comfortable shoes and this subject gives me many good ideas. Thanks for bringing it up.<BR>Please let us know which, of the many,<BR>shoes you ordered ended up being the best one's for you.<BR>Oh, when will you be going to Italy?

<BR>I, for one, really have no problems but my wife and daughter only wear Dansko.

I have to go with the merrells as I have a terrible Back problem 3 disks fused together and numerous ortho problems and Merrells make it possible for me to live a normal life. I reccomend the jungle mocs open and closed back. Also like the bella luna sandles and another pair i just got can't remember name. try onlineshoes.com as they have an arrangement with merrell . merrell ships didrectly to you if they don;t have them in stock, as here in the ny metro area it can't be a 3-4 month wait for certain merrell stykes

Cheryl, <BR><BR>I just got back from Sweden and can report that I had fabulous luck with a pair of black Rockports "Valencias" with built-in gel inserts in both the heal and under the ball of the foot. They are also both light and flexible. I have found Eccos comfortable for ordinary walking, but they aren't nearly as cushioned as these, and after a day of pounding the pavement the cushioning is a godsend. <BR><BR>I got them at Zappos.com, which offers both free shipping and free return shipping if they don't fit. (No, I have no affiliation with Zappos. You can also get them at the Rockport site, but there you pay shipping costs.)<BR><BR>Here's the link<BR><BR>http://shop.zappos.com/n/p?dp=155518&c=110

Cheryl and all other Pedestrians:<BR><BR>I,too have contributed many,many pairs<BR>of 'good' shoes to the Sally Ann over<BR>the years. And each trip finds me with<BR>achier feet!<BR><BR>They've gotten so bad I *had* to see a<BR>podiatrist and get orthotics. I'm <BR>leaving in two weeks for France and I<BR>picked up my insoles two days ago! I<BR>thought I'd left it too late (so did<BR>the doctor) but I've done two 1 l/2 hr.<BR>hikes over the past two days and much<BR>to my (happy) surprise - pas de probleme! I've gone right to wearing<BR>them 6 hours a day.....so, take heart<BR>(or foot) you may not need months to<BR>'break in' orthotics and they've sure<BR>stopped the burning, numbness and PAIN!<BR><BR>Happily, I can take them to Paree and <BR>buy some snazzy l/2 price Mephistos <BR>(o joy)!<BR> <BR>

I use Eccos all the time and love them.

I have never been to Italy, but leave in 3 days. I have a difficult time finding shoes for my narrow feet with a bone-protrusion. (Not a bunion really, just the bone is there) So I tried on everything - even sneakers. Dansko's don't work for me, they are too wide and feel like they will fall off. They also felt sort of hard. I ended up with a pair of Josef Seibel, style is called Giselle. They are so comfortable I forget I have them on. I have worn them to the playground with my daughter and on long walks through town to test them out. I got them at Nordstrom, but have seen the style online too. My second pair, for evening dinners with a skirt is a Naot sandal with a soft footbed. My runner-up, (No pun intended) was the Nike Presto running shoe - the most comfort my feet have ever experienced - but they don't go with the nice tencel pants and jacket I bought at J Jill. Have a comfortable trip! Caio.

I can walk for miles (and I do) in any shoes, as long as they have a square toe box. Anything rounded or pointy or narrow in the front will give me bunions, corns, ingrown toenails, and the like (yuck). And I also put insoles in every pair of shoes - just the drug store "air pillo" type - to prevent any heel pain. I walk about 10 miles a weekend in my shoes (mostly bowling shoes, boots, and oxfords) and never have foot problems. Of course, I wear them down like crazy! So I usually get the kind where you can replace the heel...no rubber bottoms.<BR><BR>A guy at the shoe store showed me a neat trick...you know when the backs of your shoes dig into your achilles tendon, or your ankle? If you put insoles in your shoes, and stack a couple of round makeup remover pads under the insoles, you can raise your foot up enough to prevent digging!

That is a great idea about the make up pads !<BR>Thanks for your input.<BR>Cheryl

I always wear my Birkenstock sandles when hiking/walking in Europe with or without sox. I have tried other shoes and tennis but always manage to get blisters after the 5th mile ...

willi, my vote goes to SAS as well. I have the ugly, lace-up pair and a half way attractive pair of SAS sandals for my Wales trip in September. I haven't tried many well known brands except for Ecco and Rockport -- they didn't come close to SAS for comfort!

ttt

Hi Cheryl:<BR><BR>I have agonized over this for years! <BR><BR>Here's how I solved my problem: I threw vanity aside(very tough for me!), I did not look at price tags and I tried on dozens of pairs of shoes until I found the right one for MY feet. This took almost two hours so try not to shop on the weekend. Mephisto, the rolls royce of walking shoes, are horrible for me. Many other suggestions on the fodors site were also horrible for my feet. Everyone is different, obviously, and I sure don't recommend you shop online<BR><BR>A retail store chain with a huge selection is "the walking company". Here is their website to find retail locations near you. Some designers such as Donald Pliner and Stuart Weitzman and Cole Haan make a few pairs each season but they are few and far between.

Cheryl-<BR>Found this post and I'm wondering if you ever found comfortable walking<BR>shoes?