Attractive walking sandals for summer Europe trip

[twowhat?]

I have the discontinued Teva Zirras (which have been replaced by the Verras - you can get the Verras on Amazon and see reviews there). They are strappy and the most comfortable shoe I own. I wear them in airports too, and have been known to wash them in the hotel sink before bed and put them near the A/C to dry by morning. Airports gross me out Part of the reason I love them so much is because they have that thin strappy look and are just as comfy (if not more so) than the chunkier sandals. For my feet anyway, less material to rub works better for me. Unless I'm going hiking where I'm likely to get dirt or sand into my sandals, I LOVE my Teva Zirras and wish they would bring them back - the straps were even thinner and there was no velcro! If you're lucky you could get a pair off ebay or score one from Nordstrom Rack (I found my second pair at NR a few months back and snapped them up!).

[gatorsmom]

I think there was a thread on this last summer and I posted the same thing I'm going to post today so forgive my repetition. We went to France the last 3 summers in a row and I wore Fitflops for walking all day. They saved my feet. Last summer I saw they were carrying the exact same Fitflop as mine (except different color) at the French department store Printemps. The summer before that I saw a different Fitflop model in another boutique in Avignon. I bought mine from Amazon.

This summer we went to Disney World instead and I tried out some Fitflop ballerina flats. I love them so much I bought a second pair. I don't know what it is about these shoes but I can walk all day and my feet don't hurt. They are the only shoes that have ever been that comfortable for me. Ymmv

[Kindra178]

I wore these pikolonos all around NYC last weekend. We walked for miles. Comfortable and look good good with dresses, skirts and shorts. (And they don't scream ugly American!)


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[HannaAddict]

Ellen Fisher sport style at Nordstrom.
http://m.shop.nordstrom.com/s/eileen...sandal/3620624
Walked ten plus miles a day in their predecessor style (super similar) in Italy and this year's version is very comfortable and stylish too. Most compliments of any shoe I think I've had, both in Italy and the USA. Don't judge it on the picture, very flattering on. My then eight year old stylist picked them out and I had my doubts but she was right and great shoe. Had good luck with Eccos too as a brand for a walking sandal.

ETA While pricier, the pair from 2 years ago wore like iron and lasted through two summers of hard, almost daily use and I could still be wearing them (they are now in back-up status). The current pair linked to have the same fit and feel and anticipate they will last too.


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[basil]

Ellen Fisher sport style at Nordstrom.
http://m.shop.nordstrom.com/s/eileen...sandal/3620624
Walked ten plus miles a day in their predecessor style (super similar) in Italy and this year's version is very comfortable and stylish too. Most compliments of any shoe I think I've had, both in Italy and the USA. Don't judge it on the picture, very flattering on. My then eight year old stylist picked them out and I had my doubts but she was right and great shoe. Had good luck with Eccos too as a brand for a walking sandal.

ETA While pricier, the pair from 2 years ago wore like iron and lasted through two summers of hard, almost daily use and I could still be wearing them (they are now in back-up status). The current pair linked to have the same fit and feel and anticipate they will last too.


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I have these and wore them to Florida last week and they were awesome. Totally could wear these for miles. They feel like sneakers.

[Dcclerk]

I have these and wore them to Florida last week and they were awesome. Totally could wear these for miles. They feel like sneakers.

I have and love these, too! (Mine are the spree and have amazingly comfortable mesh in the front.). As I was pondering what I would bring for our trip to New York City and Washington DC this summer, they were the first shoes I chose. I am a big fan, although they are quite heavy relative to other shoes. I will also bring Olukai Wana flip flops and Paul Green Cayenne heels/wedges to round out my comfort footwear. All are ridiculously comfortable. I can even walk several miles in the Cayenne's, but I try not to walk too far in heels very often.


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[citymama]

Hi folks! I'm back from an amazing trip and boy, did we walk a LOT! I'm going to summarize my tips in this post for future posters looking for answers to a similar question. FYI, NONE of the shoes in my initial post would have worked for me!

1. July in Europe is HOT. You want breathable, open sandals. That said, you will want a lightweight sneaker or closed shoe for long flights where they crank up the a/c, for train rides and some locations (e.g. Pompeii, where my feet hurt in sandals because of the uneven surfaces but it was too hot for the light hiker Merrells I wore on the flights).

2. Take shoes that you have seriously broken in and know you will be comfortable walking in. Don't do what I did and try out sandals just the week before leaving. I'm SO glad I returned the Keen Rose sandals rather than carried them and hoped they would work. a) it would have been too hot for me to wear the closed toe shoes most places (even though my kids were happy wearing their Keen Newports everywhere, my feet get sweaty!). b) more importantly, they were uncomfortable at home, meaning they would probably have been more painful while wearing on days where we walked 8-10 miles (which was almost every day). c) I couldn't afford any dead weight in the luggage - I ended up taking *just* my old faithful Ahnu Maias and Merrell light hikers and wore the Ahnus almost daily. While they're not perfect, it was great having something that I knew didn't irritate any part of my foot and allowed me to stick to just 2 pairs of shoes. In an ideal world, I would have had a second pair of shoes that was fully closed but very breathable.

3. At least when we went, there were incredible sales on in France and Italy, and Italy in particular had some fantastic footwear. Save room in your luggage for new sandals but don't expect those to be your workhorse shoes. (I didn't buy new sandals but I got some beautiful clothes and a purse!)

4. If you did what I did and purchase new sandals before your trip, either go to a local store and try on many pairs, or order like 5-6 pairs from Zappos to try on - not just one that you think will be right based on reviews. And do that about a month before you travel. I recommend REI in person because they have a good selection of walking sandals and you can return shoes within a year if they don't work for you. Zappos and amazon returns are just unworn shoes, and amazon has a 30 day return period.

I noticed that Birkenstock Gizehs were widely worn in Italy - I tried them on in a store and they felt fabulous. I am thinking about getting a pair, although now that I'm back in the Bay it's too darn cold to wear them! I also wish they came with a backstrap for stability.

[MMMommy]

These won't win any style prize, but they are very comfy, well made and inexpensive. Our family of four all got the Khombu River sandals from Costco. The women's pair is reduced to $9.97 now on the Costco.com website with free shipping. The men's is still $14.99, and the kids pairs are $9.99. I have fussy feet and find that most sandals or shoes dig and chafe. These have been issue free and wonderful so far. The women's pair comes in black or light gray.

https://m.costco.com/Khombu-Ladies'-...100312156.html