Footwear Help, Please!

Honestly - no one cares what you are wearing on your feet. Wear what is comfortable, will be good for hiking and won't give you blisters. I done some trail walking wearing Teva sandals (the sporty ones) and they've been great. I pretty much live in my Teva when it's hot, and Blundstones the other 8 mos of the year.

Nicole is correct - nobody will notice or care about your shoes. I only take 2 pair of Dansko walking shoes, both black, one that looks like a strapped ballet flat and the other looks like sneakers/running shoes. Both have thick soles for walking on all the uneven pavements, and a wide toe box to prevent blisters. Your comfort is all that matters.

The advice to avoid sneakers in Italy is obsolete. You will see lots of "fashion" sneakers as well as Vans and Converse in prints and colors. Those Nikes would be fine. (Although how well they will do on rugged trails I cannot say).

Ditto to all of the above: no one cares what you wear, and comfort trumps fashion any day when putting sightseeing miles on one's feet. Yes, you will see everything from standard athletic shoes to the 'fashion' sort - Vans and Converse - so wear what you normally would for this sort of exploration.

I wore the same Privos to do the CT trails as I did for city sightseeing but probably wouldn't have if it had been very wet.

Lauren is this part of the trip you are taking in April of this year? If so you might want to check some historical weather data sites like Wunderground to see what is typical for CT and Rome in April. For a summer trip to Italy last year I took a pair of Teva
sandals that looked fine for lots of walking, dinners out, puddles and even trail walking. They would have been fine as beach shoes too.

I have walked the CT trails in the past and I didn't find the going too demanding on footwear. Just recently I bought a pair of New Balance /Rockport sneakers with good arch support and they have an added waterproof feature. I plan to use them for lots of walking in Ireland this summer. They come in different colors.

You've gotten good tips. Comfortable, activity appropriate, well worn in are key. As mentioned, the no sneakers in Europe thing is very over. My wife and I bring our athletic shoes that are near the end of their life and use those for most days-sightseeing, hiking, etc. and have nicer shoes for dinner. The athletic shoes (Asics in my case, Nike's for her) get tossed in the trash when leaving which gives us room for stuff we've picked up on the trip.

Mona - those are the Teva sandals I have as well - I'm going on year 3 with them - got em in 2014 and have lived in them the last few summers - love them - they wear well! I'm sure I'll get a few more summers out of them.

Mona, yes, this is for my April trip! LOL. Can you see that I recently created my RS Europe account and am asking all these questions?! :-D

Thank you to everyone for responding! The last time I was in Europe (Germany, mostly) was 15 years ago, and I'm sure a lot has changed. I'm trying to read up on information again, like clothing and footwear, because I don't remember what I took with me on the trip in 2001.

Thanks again. :-)

Lauren,

I can't provide much advice on ladies shoes, but wanted to mention that "athletic shoes" are not really required for hiking the Sentiero Azzurro trails in the Cinque Terre. Good quality street shoes will suffice, but flip-flops are definitely not advised.

I wear a good quality "all purpose" shoe for both street use and light hiking and so far these have been exceptional - https://www.amazon.com/ECCO-Mens-Track-Gore-Tex-Oxford/dp/B000H73XU0

Hi Lauren,
When I went to Italy 2 years ago, June, I researched and drove myself crazy. I ended up buying a pair of Anu's, and I wore them for a few moths before to break them in. Well, when we got there, they turned on me and I got the WORST blisters and almost every part of my foot was rubbed raw. I could barely walk, and was forced to buy hideous cheap flip flops because of how bad they tore my feet up. I ended up having to hike from Riomaggiore to Manarola in these flip flops, and I do NOT recommend that. HAHA.
My point is, this June when we return, I am bringing my most comfortable flats to walk in, and my Nikes to hike in. and maybe my converse too. I will not repeat that mistake again, and I will not worry about "the best shoe to wear in Europe", like I did last time.
Enjoy your trip! :)

I hiked Cinque Terre in Birkenstocks last summer for hours. No problem. I think converse would work as well.

The attire formalities are not as apparent in CT as it may be in the cities. You're in the 'country' so wear what feels comfortable. You'll see plenty of Americans/British/Germans in athleisure uniform: leggings, tanks, athletic bras and trainers. Those Nike Roshe will be fine, they're good urban trainers but, you'll get them dirty on the trails.

If you're looking for a 'sneaker/trainer type', consider Salomon SA Pro, X or, Speedcross, Hoka One One's Bondi or, The North Face's Ultra 109

If you're looking for more of a trail type, consider Keen Targhee, Merell Moab or, Ventilator

Italian definition of sneaker: handmade 5" stilettos purchased in Milano.

My wife loves her Dansko's for nightly dinner, but when walking she needs ankle support and wears Merrell Moab hiking boots. Whatever you wear, break it in and wear it before you leave with the socks you will be using. Socks are very important. We love Darn Tough socks, she stole my first socks, I would see them in the laundry and then they would disappear and reappear in the laundry! I had to buy my own so she would leave mine alone. My wife says her Dansko's are more comfortable than her tennis shoes.

Both are fine -but for hiking any fashion guidelines go out the window. Wear what will be comfortable on the trail, whatever that is. If it was your only shoe for the whole trip you'd want to balance it with looking ok for going out for dinner - but you have other options for that so your hiking shoe can be whatever you like.

Also, on the fashion front - I used to be in the limit sneakers category but fashion changes. You will see a lot of lower profile or retro ones like Converse, especially on people under 50. Not at dinner, church, or anywhere else people dress up, but out walking during the day. What you won't see as much is big, non-descript bulky sneakers in ridiculous colors.

I have these, but in pink and gray
http://www.zappos.com/p/onitsuka-tiger-by-asics-serrano-grey-soft-grey/product/7695089/color/490275

I wear mine for big touring days when I walk 10-15 miles, but I always have sandals or ankle boots for looking nicer as well.

Which trails are you hiking? I have been researching this a lot because I am doing a hiking trip there this May. Some of the strenuous trails have a lot of incline change and can be slick if it has been raining. I went back and forth on bringing a good pair of cross trainers vs. trail shoes vs. actual hiking shoes. I settled on a Merrell lightweight hiking shoe that has ankle support because we will be doing some of the mountain trails.

I agree that sneakers, especially more fashion sneakers and converse, are very common in Italy and you don't need to avoid them to blend. But I would bring at least a sneaker with a sturdy sole and good traction if you are going to hike some of the more difficult trails. And from what I understand, athletic wear is very common on the trails.

You can look up some of the hikes on you tube if you want to get an idea of the terrain.

The most obvious answer is, wear a pair of hiking shoes or comfortable flat soled shoes that are well-built enough to be good for hiking, to the airport when you fly to Italy. Pick a pair that is black or brown or dark blue if you are worried about style. Do not pack any additional shoes.

In general, always pack lightly. Pack everything you want to take, at home, a day in advance, and then the minute you zip your travel bag or suitecase, unzip the bag and take out half of your clothes and leave them behind. Make do with less than you think you need.

Wear your Nike Roshe shoes to the airport and do not pack another pair of shoes.

You will want a pair of shoes that are flat soled (I own a pair of Altra brand running shoes with a "zero-drop" completely flat sole, a pair of clarks that work for me for walking and most normal environments near home); the sole should be thick enough to protect us from the ground, they should fit good in the store before you buy them, you want something good for a lot of walking or hiking, the style comes last in the decision, pick something dark colored if you worry about the style.

Whatever you do, make sure your shoes are broken in before you go!

I always pack one pair of lightweight shoes and wear a sturdier pair on the plane. Even on a 2-week trip, your feet will appreciate a change of shoes.