Walking shoes in December

great question, we might see you there ? its our first winter trip there.
after some deliberation I decided to buy a 'taller' gore-tex( eg: waterproof) version of the shoes I usually tramp over europe in. with allowance for thicker socks, but still lightweight.
its pretty much useless recommending shoe brand/styles as everyone has a different preference/fit.
that said, I have had great success ( and others have agreed) with salomon 'hiking' style shoes. they seem to just fit well and survive.
please don't get 'hung up' on what you think people are expecting to see you wear. from our experience the locals and tourists wear 'what ever'

hope this helps.

I look forward to what others have to say.

What would you wear if you were going to Boston at that time of year? Wear that.

I would go with leather shoes/boots with waterproofing. thicker soles, and good treads. If you already have hiking boots, they should work. Last year I wore short boots from Costco (with, of course, Costco merino wool socks)

Wear what is comfortable for you. You are likely to be spending several hours on your feet, so don’t wear new footwear that hasn’t been broken in.

I went to Berlin for the Christmas markets 2 years ago and wore my regular lightweight hiking boots that look like trainers (sneakers) but with some ankle support with a pair of thick wool socks, on some cold days adding a second thinner pair. Although my feet weren’t cold, they were cooler than the rest of me, as I wore a down coat, scarf, wool hat and thermal gloves. We had no rain but a short snow shower one day. It was noticeably colder than the UK.

I was on the RS tour last December that went to some Christmas markets in Austria/Germany. I wore my usual low hikers and thickish wool socks. My feet were comfortable--I could have used warmer gloves, and really appreciated my hat. I run pretty warm, and it was COLD!

Last year when I did the Christmas markets, I wore Merrell ColdPak shoes. They’re slip-ons that are insulated. They worked very well! My partner got the men’s version and he liked his. Unlike other Merrell shoes I own, the toe box isn’t as wide because of the insulation, but with thinner socks, they were still comfortable if you have wider feet like me. Enjoy the markets!

When I went last year, I wanted only 2 pairs of shoes. It was early December and not feet of snow yet, but we did have some tiny bit of accumulation in Munich. I took a Merrell Jungle Moc Ice. I have worn the Moc style for almost 20 years, but the Ice was a new waterproof and slip resistant feature. I also took an Arche Bootie (Baryky) that I have had for a number of years. These are pricey, but they last and are waterproof. They can also look dressy. If you like the style keep your eyes open for seasonal online sales.

These two options sufficed for me. However, while there, I did purchase two pairs of boiled wool slippers. Made me feel so cozy in my hotel room!

I also took a pair of cozy wool leg warmers to change up the foot/leg look a bit.

Have fun!