Women's shoes for cobblestones and arthritis

@ Alisa, forget trying for "cute" and concentrate on comfortable and thick-soled. More than once on my current trip I found myself wishing I had my day-hikers.

Alisa, I also have arthritis. It was recommended to me that I only wear flat shoes with flexible soles. For arthritis, clogs and athletic shoes are not the best. I used to wear Clarks Privos flats exclusively,but they stopped making that original line. Clarks is now making a new Privos line, but the soles are not as spongy and flexible. I have also tried Keen and Chaco, but their soles are too rigid for arthritic joints.
This my new go-everywhere shoe:
http://www.easyspirit.com/hiking-sandals-splash/58450162,default,pd.html
I have worn these over cobblestones (wet and dry), in the heat and in the cold. They are adjustable in the back and across the top. They offer excellent support. Best of all, they look pretty cute on. The way the toe box is designed, they look much dressier than a normal walking sandal.
Good luck to you.

I do not have arthritis but I do have a weakened ankle so am always looking for a comfortable shoe/sandal that gives me support - I have found Eccos to be good for me - they come in a variety of styles.

Like you, I am always in search of cute shoes for serious walking. Although I do not have arthritis, I do have back problems, bunions and flat feet, so finding proper shoes is a challenge. Be sure to purchase shoes well in advance of your trip and wear them a lot before you go....You have plenty of time to find a brand/style that is comfortable and still cute enough for your needs. For a while, I was buying ugly, almost orthopedic shoes at "serious" shoe stores. Soon after, I realized I could still wear cute shoes, as long as they are of excellent quality and have the features needed for my problematic feet. Here are some of my favorites, worth considering for your situation. All are sturdy, quality brands appropriate for cobblestones and are popular in the U.S. and in Europe....Mephisto All-rounders (Less expensive than other Mephistos, as they are made in Asia instead of France)...I have purchased their various Mary Jane styles many times and found them to be very comfortable, even on cobblestones. My favorite style is the Nero, which is a combination walking shoe/sneaker/Mary Jane. I usually buy neutral colors like black or beige. However, they are available in a variety of colors, if you want something more flashy; Keens: Most of their sandals are good because you can wash them in the sink (or washing machine) and air-dry them if you find yourself in a muddy or funky situation. We just got back from an extended trip to Asia & Middle East....Some of the public bathrooms were very funky, so I was glad to have washable shoes!! Keens varied styles are just clumsy enough to be cute. Again, they are available in many colors; Dr. Martens....There are so many styles, some cuter and/or more suitable for your needs than others. My only reservation here is that some Doc Martens are very heavy. However, they are very sturdy and last a long time. I own several styles, some of which are quite clumsy (but cute), others more petite. One pair is 20 years old...They have been in rain up to my knees and survived the ordeal. They still look new! I have also had success with several Clarks styles, although I am not sure if they are quite substantial enough for your needs. I even wore Clarks ballet flats on recent trips and found them to be very comfortable. My husband (and many others) love Eccos for serious walking. I have never found any that are comfortable enough for my feet, but you might want to investigate these, too. My advice is that, even for a relatively short trip, you should bring more than one pair of shoes in a couple of different styles, to give your feet a rest and in case you have to deal with rain or mud. I suggest you go on line, look up the shoes I mentioned, study their features and read customer feedback, then go shopping. Many of these are available on line, although I would hesitate to purchase a style on line I had not already tried on in a store. Although Zappos.com has a very liberal return/exchange policy, they do not always have a full range of colors or sizes. Good luck with your shopping. I hope you find just the right shoes for your trip to beautiful Italy. Be sure to get reservations for the Academia, so you can see the famous "David"...It is breathtaking!

Alisa, as your problem is ongoing, have you considered custom orthotic inserts? The problem with buying ANY shoe is that you can't walk around in them for an entire day - or week - on different surfaces, up/down stairs, etc. before having to commit. There are lots of stairs to manage in Italy! Not every surface will be cobbles but just walking on hard surfaces all day can be an issue.

I'm thinking inserts might allow you a broader range of shoes versus relying on the shoe alone to manage the problem? We always take 2 comfortable pairs of shoes as well, and switch them out as the same pair every day seems to cause us more trouble.

With a specific condition as you describe, I think its a mistake to try and shop for shoes online and expect to tell from online descriptions, how a pair of shoes will fit your feet. Also a mistake to shop in a store with untrained clerks helping you. You should go to a podiatrist and get a real consultation, or at least a shoe store that specializes in problem feet. You may need shoes that provide "cushioning" which is not at all the same as "support" and you're not going to just stumble across the right ones by accident.

I have family with arthritic feet, so its just my opinion but based on experience.

I have arthritis in my foot--hallux limitus is my diagnosis. And counter to the advice above, clogs are exactly what multiple podiatrists have suggested to me. The doctors I have seen have specifically suggested a very stiff sole with a slight heel and a rocker bottom. (This is the opposite of my natural inclination for much more flexible shoes and sadly quite limiting in the "cute" department.). This limits motion in my big toe joint and allows me to walk up to six miles a day with very little pain--which is a substantial improvement over the situation while I was wearing good but flexible shoes.. Dansko marcelle is the most comfortable shoe I have found for me as it has the exact kind of sole my doctors prescribe and a strap that keeps the shoe from slipping. I have not tested them on cobblestone yet though.

My podiatrists have discouraged an orthodic insert as they say it cannot give me the rocker bottom and so won't help much.

I tried purchasing at a local shoe comfort shoe store but their selection was much too limited and I did much better experimenting with lots of different shoes on zappos--not the cheapest price on each pair of shoes, but free shipping and free returns means I can try different things until I get it right.

Depending on your exact condition(s), a stiff soled clog might be just right. Or it might be all wrong. I'd suggest talking with your doctors to get more information about what kind of shoe is best for you if you haven't already. Googling to find suggestions might also turn up ideas. Zappos reviews can be very helpful in getting a better idea about whether a shoe will work.

I used to wear Danskos all the time until I rolled off of them....in my flat, dry driveway. I would not want to try and manage in the clogs on cobblestones.

I do buy most of my shoes online at Zappos as there are few options to try on locally in my area. Zappos has free shipping and free returns and they don't seem to mind if you order and try 8 or 9 pr of shoes, lol. At least they have not blocked me yet!

I am old so I am past the point of wanting cute shoes. I have found Altra Zero Drop athletic shoes work extremely well for me for Europe. I had no problems with my Plantar Fasciitis on an 8 week trip in 2014 or a 5+ week trip in 2015. Last fall I had a FitBit and wound up walking 13,000 to 23,000 steps per day (6.5 miles to 11.5 miles).

I did just buy some shoes locally but have not tried them out yet. They are Aetrex Berries and seemed very comfortable in the store. I have no opinion yet on how they will do for long mileage. They do have a wider toe box that can accommodate my foot and the CorrectToes toe spacers I wear. The fabric on the shoe vamp is stretchy and feels very nice for a short trial but they may be too old lady for you.

http://www.zappos.com/aetrex-berries-bungee-oxford-blackberry

Traveling Mom, I like the looks of the Easy Spirit shoes. Do they run true to size?

Claire,
They do run true to size. My first pair was black, and I walked dozens of miles in them on two different European trips. I subsequently ordered two more pairs on sale from Easy Spirit. (When you find a shoe you like you don't want to take a chance that they discontinue it, right?) If you want to try them in person I saw them last week in stock at the Easy Spirit store at the Nut Tree outlets. (I noticed your Sacramento location.)