Best Children's footwear for Europe

For kids, I would probably just stick with whatever kids running shoes/sneakers they normally kick around in. They're lightweight, have high arches, good cushioning, great for walking, and are about the most comfortable option. Plus, they're versatile...good with shorts, jeans, whatever.

Same shoes you'd put on them if you were taking them to Disney World and Universal Studios.

We just throw sneakers on our kids, plus an extra pair of slip-on shoes (like Vans) in case the sneakers get wet or extra dirty.

My 7 yr old walked all over Nuremberg and Prague last December and she wore her Stride Rite suede boots and was always comfortable. She usually wears Stride Rite brand shoes on a daily basis.

We took two kids same the ages last summer... Have a great trip. We ordered kids Merrells' from REI and the kids liked them a lot. We felt light weight was important as was breathability. We were pretty frugal with the packing space so they brought one pair only. My son still tries to squish his feet into his pair from last summer even though they are definitely snug after a year of growing. Maybe it's a way of reliving the trip:)

I wouldn't buy special shoes for kids, I would let them wear the runners they like that are comfy.. and bring a pair of teva style walking sandals they can double as spare shoes( in case runners get wet) and are great on hotter days.

I would add the caveat that, if your kids are relatively sedentary here, you make sure that the shoes they take are well broken in. I've noticed a lot of adults who take their "regular walking shoes" to Europe develop blisters and foot pain - not because of the shoes, but because they are simply not used to walking as much as they end up doing in Europe. Same would apply to children, I think. (Except that kids, I hope, are less likely to be sedentary.) For this reason also I would be sure to pack spare shoes, plus nice cushiony socks, and put some bandaids and moleskin in your first aid kit. There is nothing so painful as rubbed raw feet, and having kids who are in pain (and consequently tearful) would not be pleasant on a trip.

Good fitting shoes they can walk in. Like someone else said, no different than if you were going to Disneyworld or some other walk-a-lot vacation. Before we moved to Europe, I bought my girls shoes from Clarks and they have begged for more. My youngest just got two pair of Stride Rite on our recent trip back to the US and hasn't worn anything else since we've returned. Assuming you're coming in summer, I'd recommend one pair of sandals and one pair of closed toe shoes.

Our boys were pretty happy in their light hikers (probably Sketchers). My daughter had a pair of slip on Merrills that I liked; they were sturdy, water-proof and looked reasonable for church or dinner. She also packed a pair of flip-flops.

We took our 6-year-old to France, Italy, and Spain last year, and bought him a pair of New Balance sneakers that we had him wear for about a month before we left. They were very lightweight, and he felt very comfortable wearing them. We also had a pair of sandals for the beach. The biggest thing I would advise is to get your kiddos used to walking. Kids do lots of running, climbing, hopping and jumping on a regular basis, but many don't have experience with the kind of sustained walking often done on sightseeing vacations. Granted, you'll want to break up the day anyway, but we definitely put our son in "training" before we left and made a point to get plenty of walking practice in before we left. It was good practice for the adults in the family as well! Have a great trip :)