Footwear for Christmas markets

the best shoe is the one that fits you best and is most comfortable for you. We did the Christmas Markets a couple of years ago and did have snow - so definitely go with 'waterproof' in whatever brand you go with. I took Keen waterproof boots that were very comfortable with good traction (I bought them on Amazon - searched for KEEN waterproof boots). My husband wore Merrell waterproof tennis shoes that came up above his ankle. There are lots of cobblestone and uneven pavement - go with waterproof, good support and traction. We did fine with the waterproof boots/shoes with Merino Wool socks. We are going back in 2016 and can't wait . . . it's so magical!!

In four years of living in Germany, I never wore anything but normal footwear to the Christmas markets, and my feet were never wet. The only adjustment I made were thicker socks for nights when the temperatures were particularly cold. Snow, when it occur, is usually a thin coating that either quickly melts or is soon shoveled out of the way (the Alps, though, are an exception, but you didn't list any Alpine destinations).

Actually, let me expand even further.... in four years of living in Germany and spending a lot of my free time walking around and hiking in all kinds of weather conditions, I can count on two fingers the number of times my shoes got soaked through. Once when I had to jump into a canal to rescue my dog, and once when I got caught in a high altitude Alpine deluge. That's it.

Wear what supports your feet the best and use warm socks. Normal shoes will adequately protect you from most of the environmental conditions you have a reasonable likelihood of encountering.

Mary, you can get Nikwax, rub it on your favorite leather shoes or boots and then, they are waterproofed. That way you are wearing your own comfortable shoes without buying a new pair or taking a spare pair. I ordered mine from Amazon. The type of Nikwax that comes in the tube is the best. It is usually about $8 to $9. One tube should be able to do several pair of shoes or boots.

I did a similar trip, had lots of snow most of the time and melting snow at the end. I wore Ecco low-cut hiking shoes with two layers of socks - regular (thin) ones and very thick wool ones. My feet were warm and dry all the time. You'll be moving around a lot so you don't want to schlep more than you must.

You didn't ask, but you'll need protection from falling snow, similar to what you need for rain. Otherwise, when the snow melts (and it will), your hats, scarves, and coats will be damp and very cold. My rain poncho was very useful on that trip.

Thanks everyone for their thoughtful replies. We would like to just take one pair of shoes/footwear each. My husband has had wet feet on two of our trips to Europe and waterproof shoes didn't help at all - caught in a deluge at Plitvice where we had to walk through streams and torrential rain in Florence. Somehow my shoes stayed dry. Maybe he was jumping in the puddles. Chani, I am still considering taking the rain ponchos. I will have to see how we do on the luggage weight. It all adds up.

The ponchos will be smaller and lighter than umbrellas. You could take the flimsy ones if you can't manage sturdy ones. Chances are you won't have more than a couple days of falling snow, and you might even some rain if it's warm enough. I doubt you'll find ponchos once you're there. I was in Germany in summer, my cheap poncho died on the first day of rain. I looked in just about every possible store everywhere and never found a replacement. When the rain got really bad in Berlin, I ended up buying a rain jacket.

Thanks, Chani for your input. We have really good rain ponchos which came in very handy during torrential rainfall in Plitvice National Park. We also used our umbrellas at Plitvice during the rain because we are serious photographers and needed to protect our gear. We tag teamed - one held the umbrella while the other shot photos. Our winter jackets are water resistant and have separate fleece liners. If the outer shell gets wet it dries really quickly. The ponchos don't weigh much but the umbrellas are essential. I guess I'll look at the weight of the luggage and make a decision at that point.