Anybody going to Germany, Austria, Belgium, etc. can wear their comfortable shoes and blend right in...the majority of women in those countries have a sensible attitude toward shoes and you won't see as many tripping around in high strappy heels (except for fancy occasions) as you might in the style centers of Italy.
German/Scandinavian brands work well...Rieker and ARA for example.

Stuart Weitzman also makes some stylish low heeled shoes and slides. I bought a couple of pair in London and they do well overall, although I probably wouldn't want to wear them all day every day on a trip that involved a LOT of walking on cobblestone streets.

Geoxx is also popular, but try them on to see how you feel about that "bump" in the middle. A friend really wanted a pair of Geoxx until she actually tried them on and found she just couldn't get comfortable with them.

I also vote for Mephisto All-Rounders. They are less than half the price of the Mephisto "Rush" style (which is not attractive but a great walking shoe).

Alright...I did it...I finally got my "walking" shoes. As a few people suggested, I tried on the Skecher Step-
Up and I love them! So, I bought those along with a pair of Aerosoles that lace up and are surprisingly pretty cute (with pants you can only see the toe). I am going to throw in a pair of cute black flats for dinner/dress-up and I am down to three pairs (including the pair I wear on the plane)!

FYI: I tried on a pair of Soft Walks that had the most amazing cushioning inside...seriously like walking on pillows! They didn't quite fit me right, but I suggest you give them a try! (They were not the most stylish shoe I have ever seen but for that insole, I would have sacrificed!)

P.S. I found both pairs at DSW and even though the Skechers were not on sale, they were still five or six dollars cheaper than normal. Definitely worth it if you have a DSW near you!

ding ding ding! we have a winner here.
I looked up Rieker shoes and they are cute! and look comfortable! Thanks!

re. Birkenstocks,
They make shoes too: their Footsteps line, which have a birky-type cork sole and come in 2 widths, narrow-about a B, and regular about a C. You have to break them in, but then you can walk all day.

Just returned from Amsterdam and Paris with the TN Trio of Terror. The cobblestones are a killer in Amsterdam. Took two paris of SAS (yes the old nurse shoes) one in red leather and one in black nubuck (tied oxford style) and did fine interchanging their footbed with my orthotics. Also took a pair of Birkenstock clogs that I used in Rome two years ago and once again, I was glad I had them. Just kind of changed up among all three pairs. My feet still hurt after Amy's forced marches but they were always recovered by the next day.

vanw - took your advice (and that of a few others) and bought a pair of the Keens Barcelonas through Zappos - I LOVE them! They're totally adorable, yet feel like my running shoes.

Zappos needs to pay this thread a commission! :-)

OK, all you people out there - my problem is a "Neuroma", which I had operated on, but still can't ware shoes. All I seem able to ware is New Balance sneaker & even they hurt sometimes. Need a walking & dress shoe plus I have a wide foot. Any ideas?

schatzie, what about a sandal? I've had operations on my feet as well and sandals seemed to be the best shoe to wear.

A vote from me for Softwalks. I bought a pair of Softwalk mary janes last year before our trip to Amsterdam and Germany and they're great! They go well with pants and skirts and have the eggshell cushioning which makes them very comfortable.

I have large feet for a woman (size 12), so even if I wanted to try Mephisto or Ecco, I can't find any. It's a shame because they seem to be really comfortable.

shatzie8:
I've got neroma woes myself - had the
op. last year and really, all it did
was alter the symptoms!

Anyhoozy, found Aravon sandals "Lena"
style. Made by New Balance but really
cute (even daughters noted the improvement in my footware!).

Not cheap (at least here in Canada)
but I have been loathe to take them
off my deformed footsies - and my
Merrills, Naots, Eccos, Wolkys,
Geox....on and on and on are all
relegated to 'back of the closet'
status.........

schatzie8, with a neuroma you may need an orthotic. Or try those "donut" shaped pads for your forefoot, the kind that support your foot around the neuroma without putting pressure on it.

Dress shoes will be hard because the incline of a high heel puts even more pressure on the tender area. Ouch.

You might look at the Cole Haan shoes that have Nike Air technology built in. Pricy, but effective.

thanks so much, llamalady - some of the aravon styles are pretty cute, and they have removable footbeds. May even work with my orthotic!!

The munros have been pretty good for an oxford-type shoe.

I highly recommend Camper Shoes. The styles are really cute (both flat and higher heel styles are available) but more importantly, they are extremely comfortable. Camper Shoes are available on Zappos as well. I've walked in my Campers for hours and hours and hours all over Europe without a bit of pain or suffering. The shoes are a bit pricey BUT they are comfortable and will last you for years.

I did 3 weeks walking in Italy wearing Privo Opanka Clogs (Made by Clarks). They were amazingly comfortable and I even was able to hike in them! They were also stylish enough, due to the 2.25" heal, to wear to dinner, etc.

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/16232625/c/3.html

http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7236880/c/6209.html

I just bought these Skecher "Biker Sightsee" MaryJanes for a trip to Italy in July, and they offer good support but are extremely comfortable! I live in flip-flops all summer but wanted something more substantial for lots of city walking. These have mesh which I hope will be a bit cooler than traditional MJs.

Zappo's has them for $59, but I got mine at DSW for $49

I just got those same Skechers (the Sightsee) for my upcoming trip! I think they are very comfy & cute. I get very hot feet but they've been fine when I've worn them to work all day. I'm a teacher so I'm up and running around all day - looks like they will do well traveling.

Well carolinabelle, you will look fashionable! I also work in a school; wearing my new Skechers from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and still feeling good was a true test of how they will work in Italy. Where are you going?

I absolutely love these Skechers too! Last year I bought a pair of these and a pair of shoes from the Walking Store. The shoes I paid a ton of money for at the Walking Store I only wore for 1 day and that was it. They just didn't cut it. So I put on the Skechers I bought and low and behold I wore them 12 - 14 hours in London walking and taking the stairs everywhere and they were fabulous. So much so that when I go to Paris in a few weeks I bought an updated pair in two different colors. Then found two newer ones that don't have the velcro across the top, but slip on. So now I am not sure which ones out of the 4 I am going to bring - definitely two pairs tho. Ah, such a dilemma LOL.

http://www.shoebuy.com/skechers-bike.../182474/410532

Carolinabelle Suzeeq57 and Keepmoving I am leaving in two weeks to spain and france and I bought 6 sckechers okay I will only take 3 pair but the others are for work. I am a Pediatrician and I am on my feet all day. I bought the ones that are http://www.skechers.com/catalog/brow...p;prodId=20658

My question is if you use the maryjane types with socks.?? I saw the ones with mesh and I suppose you don't use socks but what about the other ones? My feet sweat alot in closed shoes without socks so I prefer the sneakerhttp://www.skechers.com/catalog/browse.do? The callies are made of rubber and super comfortable. But I don't think they are appropriate for Europe function=displayProductList&gender=W&catId =5&index=0&viewAll=false&sort=popular& amp;prodId=8259&styleCode=21479
I bought 3 pairs of the sneaker type that slip on and don't have laces, but I plan to wear socks since I am a pants person. Except maybe at night I will wear some sandals I bought at nauralizer. This is a computer question how do I copy the link to the shoes so all you have to do is click on the site? I am very new to writing on these forums. thanks

When traveling, I never wear sneakers (so I don't call attention to myself) and I only wear mules (slip-on shoes) to avoid blisters on my heels and to make it easy to casually slip them off when I sit down for breaks during the day.

In the summer, I usually wear skirts and capris, so I bring:

1 pair of black-leather closed toe mules (Clarks)
1 pair of cushioned flip flops (like Born)
1 pair of low-heeled black-leather dressy shoe.

I wear the closed-toe shoe on the plane, so the other 2 pairs fit tightly in my suitcase.

And don't bring many shoes, so you haave room to bring some home!

timetraveler -

I would definitely wear socks with those sneaker type Skechers. Very cute by the way. My friend that is accompanying me on the trip got shoes like that, but not Skechers and I am sure she paid a lot more.

I've walked around in the other Skechers without socks with no problem.

If you have a problem with your feet sweating get socks made of Coolmax. I have run in these socks for years and they are great. Cotton socks should be outlawed!
http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/WWU102/

Sorry, but I do not believe wearing sneakers "calls attention to myself".

Suze, I generally live in Europe for stretches of 1-4 months at a time every year and it has been my experience that Europeans in my age group (30s-40s) don't wear sneakers outside of the gym (or fleece, shorts and clothing with printed text). They do wear those stylish sport shoes like the sort Diesel puts out, but by "sneaker," I meant the kind you typically find in the athletic section of a shoe store. There are many Europeans who wear athletic sneakers when walking around, of course, and I don't mean to suggest that "standing out" as a tourist is a bad thing anyway. Comfort is key to enjoying anything you do. I just prefer to steer toward comfortable non-sneaker, black leather shoes like a cute pair of Clarks, and for men I recommend I recommend Rockports and Eccos.

Hi ladies - I wanted to post a follow-up to my post about buying the Keens as suggested by many of you. I just spent 2 weeks hiking up and down subway stairs, streets and hills in Japan and my Keens were AMAZING! My feet never hurt, even though I did more walking this time than on any trip before. Best of all, they kept their shape, never got dirty, and managed to keep my feet dry in a total deluge. I'm buying pairs for my entire family... these shoes are magic!

cshellen
which KEENS did you get?

I just got a pair of Mephisto Helens... my mom had a pair many years ago and loved them, and I love my new ones. They come in a variety of colors (mine are a distressed gold), and after an initial break-in are absolutely comfortable and look pretty good on the foot too! I will be taking them to Egypt/Turkey in a few days so we'll see how they fare over there!

For a sandal, also try the Merrell Gardena (last year 3 weeks in Greece/Italy I wore these). Very comfy, but they pretty much wore out from use!

My mom swears by the Munro thong sandal.

Oops - sorry Timetraveler - I wasn't checking my email!

I brought the Sydney IIs with me (http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/15370442/c/3.html). They're so comfortable and sort of asian in style (they're actually cuter on than they are in the picture... I usually prefer heels, but these made my legs look surprisingly good). When I came back, a very style-conscious friend of mine actually said, "Ooh - those are cute!" yet they're more comfortable than my running shoes.

I also bought the Barcelonas (http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/23122557/c/21095.html) which I'm going to try out in Europe this summer. They're not waterproof, but they feel just as comfortable.

Seriously - during my last trip to Europe, I was almost crying my feet hurt so much, and I was wearing tennis shoes! But those Keens are magic. I'm a total Keen convert.

Just before this trip I bought a pair from the Privo line (Clarks). Just about the most comfortable walking shoe I've ever tried - especially right out of the box. I took a pair of Born sandals last year which were OK for about 4 days then gave me hellish blisters for the rest of the trip. A lot of support and cushioning - but big blisters.

These Privo shoes, on the other hand, were grand. No problems whatsoever. I did pack my Borns (never wore them once) and a pair of Ferragamo loafers which only came out for dinner (a little too stiff for all day walking).

I agree with the Privo suggestion! I just returned from a two-week trip to London and Paris. I was the only one out of the family of four whose feet weren't killing by the end of the day. The famliy was ready to quit, and I could keep going. I bought them for my daughter as well (but she wore them without socks, which gave her blisters). Here are the ones I got from Zappos.
http://tinyurl.com/2mzptz

Just an FYI about shoes. I am sitting here in a pair of very comfortable Mephisto sandles that I got 2 years ago in Germany for E 115. I just saw them in a Mephisto store near Washington for $240.

Not sandals, but the most comfortable pair of shoes I've worn. They're Aerosoles, one is called Handsem, another is called Semi Circle. Love them both. And they're great for walking on cobblestones (the front of my building is cobblestone central, if I can walk and not teeter precariously and w/o pain, the shoes see action at work).

At the risk of sounding like na advertisement, I got mine on sale at the Aerosoles store, but you can find them also at zappos.com.

I just got some nice looking Pumas at Nordstroms and have been trying them out around town before my trip. They feel pretty great and the hip, young receptionist in my doctor's office said, "Cute shoes, where'd you get them?". So I'm feeling pretty confident. Also got some Clark's Artisans that look more girly and are very comfortable, and Picolinos with a little heel. Not quite as comfortable but very nice looking Spaniosh shoes that are sold in some specialty shoe stores. After a few very difficult years there finally seem to be good-looking comfortable shoes out there.

Since this thread has been revived by a spammer, why not...

I bought these SOFTWALK shoes from Nordstrom for my last trip, they have a little heel which I need and they feel like you're walking on air. I bought the flat black not the patent black.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/softwalk...esultback=2166

I wouldn't mind a new thread on this. I thought I had it all figured out (loved my Mephistos), but styles and colors have changed, along with my season of travel. So what's new out there for early Spring 2011 with closed toes?

Even an old thread can be useful:)

I read through this thread again and made note of a few shoes. On our trip in 07, I ended up buying a pair of Naot Ashley's the day before we left, as my mother insisted they were heaven. They were! Took them back to Paris in '09 and they were so comfy I wore them to Versaille. Big mistake. Comfy yes, but their sole with the stairs were not good and I slid down a bunch and ended up with knee surgery. So, this summer, as much as I love them, I am obviously afraid to take them at all, even though I know how well they worked for most of the trip. I mean who knows, I could have fallen wearing tennis shoes too.

After that fall, the only shoe I wore the rest of the trip was a Teva sandal. Very comfy, but my feet got so dirty.

Anyway, the one shoe that has been consistently comfy on these trips are the Munro brand. So guess it is time to check the shoe closet and see what will work and if I need to head to Nordstrom.

So as elnap said, any new ideas are appreciated!

DW swears by Wolkys and rarely buys anything else. You can sometimes find a good buy on them on the Sierratradingpost.com site.

Are Wolkys available in stores or just online?

I have these in suede and wore them on my last trip. Very comfortable.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/54072...#ppMoreDetails

They are available in stores, but not too easy to find. They seem to cost less, sometimes a lot less, online and DW says they run true to size, usually given in european sizes since the company is in the Netherlands.