The BEST Travel Shoes For Europe (Tried & Tested!)

A month ago, L and I were finally able to go on our European vacation in Switzerland and Italy. This trip was definitely one of my favorite vacations, and I know this may sound crazy… but it’s in large part because of the shoes I was wearing. Hear me out! Wearing the right travel shoes can MAKE or BREAK your vacation.

Back in April, we visited Japan and to be honest, I had the WORST time because of the shoes I was wearing – I chose to wear my On Clouds and they were excruciatingly painful to walk in. I was miserable, cranky, and had to take a few Advils everyday just to cope with the pain. NEVER AGAIN! Because of this horrible experience, I made sure to test out a few walking shoes before our Switzerland/Italy trip.

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I first tested out the viral Tiktok Dr. Scholl’s Time Off Sneakers and found them to be quite comfortable. They had a wide toe box and were very cushiony. I wore these to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, and danced all night in them and felt no discomfort! I would’ve brought these on vacation as a backup pair BUT with my limited suitcase space, they were just a tad chunky to pack. I also saw someone wear them during my wine day trip to Tuscany, and her shoes were covered in dust and dirt. But if you’re good about cleaning them with sneaker cleaners or wipes, these are a solid pair of travel shoes.

I know some people also swear by these Veja Campo Leather Sneakers. I really like the Extra White/Natural Suede neutral combo I chose. I wore these to a full-day wine trip to Napa Valley to test them out. They were a lot more comfy after the break-in period. I thought they looked the most fashion-forward, was easy to match with every outfit — a lifesaver when you’re an over-packer like me! — BUT because of my limited suitcase space, I kept both my Dr. Scholl’s and Vejas at home.

It was these Reebok Club C 85 Vintage Sneakers that won me over. If I had to bring only one pair of shoes on my trip, this would be it! My first impression of them was that they weren’t too white, which I really liked because it had some character and looked more “lived in.” I was nervous buying these because there were mixed reviews on sizing; I ended up going a half size up for more room in my toe box. I’m a 6.5 and the size 7 was perfect. To break them in, I used the trick of filling up ziplock bags with water then stuffing them into the toe box, and sticking the shoes in the freezer. This worked perfectly to expand the toe box.

We walked everywhere in Switzerland and Italy, and I still felt like I was walking on clouds in them. They were lightweight, supportive, and went with practically every outfit! They were a lifesaver on the cobblestone streets of Rome. I even hiked the Eiger Trail in Switzerland with these babies (though I would recommend more technical gear 😅). Best of all is that my quest to find the perfect everyday shoes is over!!! 🤩