Footwear for walking

The two main criteria are comfortable & gripping/non slip soles. In the summer you will likely want sandals most of the time but not flimsy ones for walking, ones with some support are best, I live here & footwear that fits these criteria are all I own!
The above is just for around towns & villages (you often come across cobbles or marble which can be slippery), for more serious walking/hiking you may want a lightweight breathable hiking boot.

I love wearing the Keen brand Rose sandal style for both comfort & it has a wonderful gripping sole. I’ve worn this style for many years, and they’re terrific for cobblestones, for hiking, and lots of sightseeing.

Thank you both! Perfect

I’m a huge believer in the Keen brand. For decades I wore tennis shoes as a film and tv location manager. Developed a bad case of plantar fasciitis. That disappeared when I bought and wore my first pair of Keen sandals. That was over 25 years ago.

Retired but still wear Keens. Now have 4 different pairs of Keen Sandals including the first pair which look great. They are red.

Pricey, comfortable and durable. Love my Keens.
Have Newports in Red, Uneeks in Lime Green and Light Blue. Have blue lace ups as well as my favorite wear nearly every day Targhee lace ups.

Also a pair of black “loafers.” Wear them on my flights to San Francisco and London.

Various pairs have been to Cuba, Europe, NYC, Florida, Grand Canyon, London, Alabama Footills and Mt Whitney, Anza Borrego desert, Palm Springs, Alcatraz, San Francisco, Yosemite, Ashland, Sacramento and Vegas.

Footwear is a very personal choice. High quality sneakers are my typical footwear when in travel mode.

Another fan of Keen’s.

I am another Keen fan. Try sierra.com for discounted Keen shoes/sandals.

I definitely agree with bringing a pair of high-quality, sturdy sandals with good support. Nothing flimsy. I also recommend bringing a sturdy pair of sneakers with good support, too. Depending on what kind of hiking/walking you will do, and where, it is sometimes better to have a pair of closed-toe footwear. Sneakers will also be good if you end up walking in the rain.

My sandals are by SAS (San Antonio Shoes) with built-in arch support. Very sturdy.

I have found a pair of hiking shoes (not boots) to be very useful. They have more support than sneakers on uneven surfaces and have great traction. But then I have weak ankles.

I also bring sandals (Astrex Jullian) but while I own keen rose sandals they do not have enough support for me for heavy walking.

My advice would be whatever you consider bringing, make sure the shoes and your feet get along really well. I have several pairs of sandals I really like and can walk several miles in but not all day.

I bring one pair of quality all-around shoes for walking and hiking.

If you attempt going to the Acropolis then sandals may not be the best, even walking around Athens you'll find sandals may not be suitable.

Walking just about anywhere in Greece either islands or mainland you'll find many areas are hilling especially some of the older villages.

I travel light so I feel one pair of quality shoes works for me to avoid extra weight in a suitcase but if you want sandals make sure you wear them only on flat surfaces and possibly at a beach if you are a beach goer.

It’s funny that people mention Keen sandals, which, while they’re somewhat comfortable, they’re not the best sandals. Those would be the Geox I bought in Italy in 2022, when Condor Air lost our luggage between Frankfurt and Malpensa. Only much later did we learn that our luggage didn’t even make it onto our flight from Boston!! and somehow was flown to India and then Heathrow and finally Malpensa. The Geox sandals, have a memory foam footbed which takes the form of your foot and does not form any blisters. I’ve got six pair of sandals and they’re the most comfortable. I walked, hiked more than 150 kilometers in 2022 in Puglia and many more hundreds since and they’re the pair that I always take with me. I’ve got a pair of Teva sandals, which, while comfortable, are closed toe, and some of the straps chafed against my heel back in 2024 after only using them for half a day. My Keen sandals lasted less than six months in the wild.

I have a very comfortable pair of Merrells which I use in the UK. However they are not ideal for the warmer months (June - Sep) in Greece as my feet get really really hot! I'll have a look at the suggestions given here but any recommendations for reasonably priced open toe lightweight sandals for a very part time walker, not hiker, gratefully accepted. Thank you!

Missymoo, I have 4 pairs of Merrell sandals, the most comfortable I’ve ever had! I walk around all of Athens in them & always take at least one pair when I go anywhere else in Greece. I do have others (Skechers, Birkenstock etc) but they are not used as much.

Thanks salnav, thought I might be missing out with other brands!!

I just want to point out that sandals have the distinct downside of allowing debris and stones under your feet. I loved my Keens for years. I have a photo of everyone on the yacht from our Galapagos cruise, all 18 of us wearing Keens. But inevitably little stones slip under your feet and it isn't easy to shake them out. So walking around ruins with them, where there is no need for their waterproof advantage isn't the best choice.