Ladies travel shoes

The birkenstocks can be too slippery on those church steps, etc. especially if they are wet... however, check the soles and you will probably find they are worn. I always make sure to get new ones a few weeks before going and only had the problem when they were worn out. You can have them resoled also if you want to keep the same straps. I only wear birkenstocks... all the time (weather being warm enough) In the winter I wear Haflingers. They are the only shoes that do not give me problems with my back or knees.

My Roberto Vianni sandals saw me through many miles of walking in Italy and Austria. I also take one pair of hikers for when it's colder or I feel like a change. I find a change is shoes for even a few hours every couple of days keeps my main shoes feeling comfy.

I agree whole heartedly with what a pp said about wearing the shoes and breaking them in now. I love merrell's - they're sturdy, some can be easily dressed up, great virbam soles, etc. But again, it has to be something that works for your wife's feet. I also got a pair of Ugg sandals. The foodtbed had nice support and memory foam in the sole.

She'll need to try several brands to see what fits her foot shape the best, and she needs to buy them now and start wearing them as much as possible to make sure they are not giving her blisters or hot spots. Even still, a wise investment is both of you getting a stick of "Body Glide" from a store like REI or your local running/sports store and apply it daily to the feet before you put on your shoes, and double layer socks are also pretty helpful to avoid blisters. I love Merrell and Keen for lots of walking. But again, it depends on the shape of her foot, not mine. I always travel with just one suitcase or backpack, but I think it's critical to bring more than 1 pair of shoes and switch them out often to give your feet a break. Even a pair that already works well for you in the U.S. can suddenly start to cause problems when you are walking 10x more than you do at home, or you can easily get shoes wet if there is a sudden downpour.

Larry, I like Pumas and have found them very comfortable for lots of walking in Europe.

I take Vasque light-weight hiking boots, but that's because I need the ankle support. I also take a good pair of sandals so I can switch off - I took Ecco on my last trip - and a pair of dressier shoes for evenings in big cities.

I have to pipe in on the ladies travel shoes as I am a shoe a holic myself. For my past 2 trips I used Naots, which had adjustable velcro "ties" so they were good for the plane if I had any swelling of my feet. I loosened the velcro for comfort on the plane. I also have taken a pair of birkenstock sandals with the soft bed, my faves. Expensive, but I use them all the time at home too. It was great to have some slip on sandals to use as "slippers" in hotel rooms; I always have type of slipper on at home. I did wear the birkenstocks some days; it was good to have a change of shoe after long days of being on my feet. I have also had Rockports, which were waterproof; they lasted forever. They were a short shoe type of hiking boot. One year I wore them part of the winter here in Alberta, then wore them through Italy on a RS tour. I agree with other posters that each person has a different fit. I just bought some Keen waterproof sandals; if they work through the summer I will take them to Italy this fall. Have a great trip.

When I'm traveling, if I'm going to be walking on cobblestones I make sure to wear something with a sturdy sole. Some brands I have used successfully are Mephisto, Ecco, New Balance, Rocksports, and Easy Spirits. The Mephistos were the most expensive shoes I have ever had, but they turned out to be the least comfortable. It is an individual matter and you really can't go by price. My Easy Spirits are quite good and they are very reasonably priced. I have a colored pair that are plain and not particularly athletic-looking. I have found that, regardless of the brand of shoe I wear, inserting a simple cushioned footpad makes a world of difference in how my feet feel at the end of the day. I'm referring to an inexpensive air foam pad such as Dr. Scholls. They don't take the place of a good insert; they just give a bit of extra cushion.

"I also have taken a pair of birkenstock sandals with the soft bed" - I used to do that too, until I fell twice in one trip because the soles were too slick. The Ecco's I bought instead had better grip.

Re: Birkenstocks - "check the soles and you will probably find they are worn" - no, they weren't. The steep marble slope down from Aleppo castle was too much for them... If you look at the soles you will see that there is really nothing to provide grip.

I will stick with my Sketcher Shape-ups. Great on the feet due to the really soft, but really thick cushiony sole, good grip on all kinds of surfaces, from rain to snow, and even ice, and they keep my feet warm and dry even in winter. I buy them and can wear them for hours even on the first day, with never a blister. Have 4 pairs now. Fabulous on cobblestones too, as well as climbing up ancient spiral staircases in church towers, or hiking up hills to castles.

@Kathy... if I go there I guess I will have to walk down barefoot!
I was with a friend at the Duomo in Florence and the steps were wet and I had to help her walk down as she was sliding all over... don't know what shoes she had on (not Birkenstock), but we were laughing so hard we made fools of ourselves.

More than you want to know here http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/graffiti92.html. FWIW, I highly recommend getting a pair of insoles from a GOOD walking shoe company (do they have The Walking Company stores where you live?). These replace the inadequate ones supplied with shoes. Made a huge difference in my comfort and energy. (Husband has them too.) They are not-quite custom, but miles above off-the-shelf "Dr. Scholl's" type. Eccos and Keens win out for me. Had Ecco walking shoes and Keen Maryjanes for 3 weeks in Italy. Insoles interchanged with the two pair.

I love my Finn Comfort shoes, but they are pricey. The sandals were adjustable with velcro so accommodated swelling as the day goes on. They had a soft bed. They had a good sole. They were sturdy with arch support so my feet did not get as tired. Pam

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll get her to read the replies.

My wife wore these last summer. They were comfortable and, after a ton of walking, still look new (really amazing how the soles aren't showing any wear). She tends to wear capris, skirts and/or shorts and these went well with any of those. http://www.skechers.com/style/21140/bikers-dream-come-true/ccgy After we got back she bought a second color of the same shoe and recently bought a third.

No matter what she takes, make sure she takes 2 pairs. It's a relief to the feet to switch off day to day, or in the evening. I recommend one closed toe shoe, and one pair of sandals - both for walking. Personally I take my favorite pair of Chaco sandals (8 years old now) and my Puma walkers. I found Tom shoes for my last trip, but I used them mostly just for travel through the airport (easy to get on and off for security, and easy on the plane as well- and I used them for evening outings, not for long days walking)