unusual situation

I know you just said you don’t want to wear tennis shoes in Europe but poorly-fitting shoes can really put a damper on your travels. You have a foot issue and you know that New Balance works for you. I would just wear the New Balance.

I don’t mess around with shoes when I travel. I wear tennis shoes and Birkenstocks and nothing else. I look like a dork, maybe, but I’m comfortable:)

This is NOT an ad - it is my opinion of the three pairs of Dolomite low hiking shoes (they call them lifestyle shoes, in 15 colors) I own (one mostly worn out, one goretex, and one awaiting for the next trip). I discovered them when we were living in Germany. I have 50 years of hiking experience now with multiple brands of hiking boots and shoes they are the most immediately comfortable ones I have ever owned. NOT cheap, but available from Amazon it appears, so one could try them on and return them. My wife has two pairs in colors required for travel outfits.

Good luck.

https://www.dolomite.it/global/en/product/dolomite-54-low-shoe?article=2479501028023

Francesco, assuming you're in the US, just go to a real store and try some on. Eccos are well-made shoes, and pretty widely available. I have about four different styles. I can tell you that they all fit differently, so there's no substitute for trying them on in person before buying them. I need a wide forefoot as well, and use one pair of Eccos pretty consistently for travel. They don't come in half-sizes because they're sized on the European system, so you cant just assume consistent equivalency. They do have good insoles, but you'll have to decide if you need custom insoles. Companies known for wide forefoots are Dunham, Saucony, Altra, and SAS. A black walking shoe from Saucony wouldn't look much different than a dress shoe. SAS are expensive, and look pretty "old man" style, but put comfort over style. Check out the Altra brand online and you'll see they have an unusual forefoot.

I have good luck with New Balance tennis shoes but I do not want to wear tennis shoes in Europe.

Agree with the poster above...why not the New Balance? When I was in Venice this past October, most if not all of the people working on the vaporetti were wearing blue trainers with the familiar "N" on the sides. I saw plenty of other local folks wearing New Balance as well, along with plenty of Puma's, Adidas', and any other brand you'd care to mention.

New Balance makes lots of different types of shoes, in many colors. If the brand works for you, why not find a NB that meets your needs?
New Balance is one of only a few brands that I depend on for supportive, comfortable shoes that I can walk in all day.

BTW, I take the insoles out of shoes I buy, and replace them with 3/4 length insoles that give me good arch support while leaving plenty of room for my toes. Perhaps that addresses your needs.

I find the Ecco toe box too narrow for me (I wear a women's 11W). I agree with the other posters - wear what fits you best and is comfortable for walking. I've had good luck with Altra shoes. My husband loves his Lowa's (the "lo" version), which look like regular shoes and have great support.

It is MUCH more important to keep you feet happy, than to look "fashionable".

Use what ihas proven to work.

40 years of Ortho-neuro surgery and my own Taylor's bunionectomies, IMO, your surgery was not botched. I have never seen a wire or a "rod" place for a Taylor's bunionectomy. In my case, I developed corns on the upper (top) and lower (bottom) of the bunion. Very painful. The surgery corrected that problem. I still have not great feet, but I put that down to all those years of walking on the hard OR floors.
No tennis shoes? Why? How do you feel about skinny jeans? You'll fit right in.
Seriously...good shoes! Forget about style.

My podiatrist put me into Altra shoes: large toe box, zero drop, maximum cushion, plenty of room for orthotics. They're athletic shoes, not tennies, but, as we have been informed in many threads here on the forum, no one in Europe cares what your shoes look like except you. Comfortable, practical, and medically sound shoes are far more important.

New Balance makes leather shoes that do not look like tennis shoes. Find a store near you and try them.

Altra is the only brand I can wear, the wide toe box is the best of any brand,the other features also. Orthotics fit well if you wear them. New Balance, Merrill, even Ortofeet just don't compare.
.

my recent trip was saved by having a very comfortable pair of ASICS walking shoes. Meaning they were technically sneakers I guess, but all black. So they don't really stick out. New Balance makes similar, as does Nike.

Zappos and Amazon have free returns, in case you didn't know. If you live near an outlet mall, Ecco has stores there. Nordstrom also carries them.

Everyone in Europe wears sneakers nowadays, just like the rest of the world. Wear what works for you, no need to impress anyone anywhere.

The only pair of Eccos I have are sandals. They are comfortable, but I can't wear them for really long walks. They would kill my feet (which are not the greatest) if I tried to walk in them all day. I wear athletic shoes with custom orthotics. I used to wear New Balance and loved them, but on the advice of my orthopedic, I tried Hokas. They are even better than New Balance. They are on the wide side. I used to wear wide in New Balance, but I wear medium in Hokas. You might want to give them a try and see if they work for you. They won't win you style points, but as others have mentioned, you won't have a good time if your feet hurt.

Thank you to everyone who has replied or is considering offering suggestions. I need to clarify my point about not wanting to wear tennis (athletic) shoes in Europe. It has nothing to do with fashion and style, but instead about stability on uneven surfaces including cobblestones. I fear that tennis shoes may not offer sturdy stability. I just want to clarify the purpose of my post.

I think any "athletic" shoe is going to offer more stability and comfort than a non-athletic shoe.
I suggest you look for a "walking" athletic shoe.