shoe advise?

Would Keen's or Merrill's or something like that be good enough?

Yes, they'd be just fine as long as they had a good tread (no smooth soles) and were well broken in. I might add, though, that Cinque Terre hiking might be too much for a child under the age of 4. Many of the trails are very steep, and some involve managing many steps: could be even more wearing on a tot with short legs than an adult.

You know your youngest child's ability better than anyone else but if he/she hasn't been exposed to several-mile hikes on challenging inclines, I'd be prepared to go easy?

Thanks Kathy. I had read about two 1.2 mile, relatively easy hikes - one from Riomaggiore to Manarola and the other from Manarola to Corniglia.

I figured we would do one or the other and that should be easy enough?

Hi back -
I'm guessing that the 'easy' trail you heard about from Riomaggiore to Manarola is the paved Via dell'Amore of the famous "Blue Trail" (Sentiero Azzurro) and the Manarola-to-Corniglia segment of that same trail? Unfortunately both of those segments of the "Blue" are closed and have been so for some years now due to damage/instability. They'll remain so through this season.

The only two segments of the "Blue" which are open are the segments from Corniglia to Vernazza, and Vernazza to Monterosso. There are many other trails in the park although many of those are also very steep. The "Save Vernazza" website has a couple of suggestions for easier alternatives so take a look? You get to that through a link from this page:

http://savevernazza.com/traveladvisortrailupdates/

And here is the linked page: it does not reflect those two closings so ignore info for Manarola>Corniglia, Trail 2, and Riomaggiore>Manarola, Trail 2:

http://savevernazza.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/trailmap_new.pdf

You do not need to purchase a park pass for hiking any trail which is not on the "Blue" (noted as Trail 2 on that page).

More good info can be found on the park's website:
http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Eindex.php

Editing to add: the Corniglia-to-Vernazza segment of the "Blue" might work for all of you so take a look at that one?

Sorry, one more post.... :O)

Here's the description of the segment of the "Blue" from Corniglia to Vernazza from the park's website:

http://www.parconazionale5terre.it/Eiti_dettaglio.php?id_iti=3577

It is 2.5 miles (4.137 km) but rated easy. I've done it and it wasn't bad at all but, well, you know how much your wee person is able to manage.

Hello,
With our children, they have the Keen's "Hiking" waterproof sandals. No problems with them.

If it was cold, they would slip on a pair of low socks.

Thanks! And they used those to hike in the Cinque Terre in the summer? How old are they?

Don't be cheap on shoes if you can help it. For myself I would buy either the sort of walking shoes they sell in athletic-shoe stores, or perhaps a sort of hiking shoe like the kind they might sell in outdoor or camping stores.

I know your question was about shoes, but in July it will be HOT. Factor this in to your hiking/walking plans.

As for shoes, why not get the kids in their sizes, what is comparable to what you are wearing? Beware, I am a "practical" kind of guy, so this suggestion does not necessarily reflect that of management ( i.e the wife)

You are much braver/adventurous than I to undertake this kind of trip with such young children.

Good Luck and have fun!

It has been a very long time since I've been on the Cinque Terre trails, but in general you'll find handrails and protective guardrails much less common in Italy than in the US. I would seek local advice before heading out for hikes in hilly areas with such young children. 35 years ago I fell off a CT trail, distracted simply by greeting some oncoming hikers. I was 30 years old at the time. Fortunately, the drop-off at that spot was only about a foot and I was not injured. The outcome could have been very different.

I remember shepherds guiding their flock through Piazza Esedra (now Repubblica) in Roma and having my feet traced for a pair of handmade shoes in Napoli, and dozens of other things. I was seven.