TRIED & TESTED: My 3 FAVORITE Walking Shoes For Europe

PAIR #1:

Reebok Club C 85 Vintage Walking Shoe in Chalk/Alabaster/Glen Green

I honestly could NOT recommend these shoes enough – they are my ride or die for travel and everyday wear.

I love that the vintage-y color gives them more character and makes them look more “lived in.” AND I don’t have to worry about getting them dirty while traveling since they aren’t too white to begin with.

I’m a 6.5 and the size 7 was perfect – the half size up gave me some wiggle room in the toe box width. Also make sure to try out different types of socks and varying thickness with these and see which ones work best for the season you will be traveling in.

I also highly recommend breaking these in by filling ziplock bags with water, then stuffing those in the toe box and freezing overnight to stretch the width. This method worked wonders for doing the painful part of breaking in the toe box for me.

PAIR #2:

Reebok Women’s Club C Double Sneaker in White/Cold Grey

Call me crazy for choosing such a similar look as the ones above, but I wanted to keep the comfort level but mix it up with a whiter, crisper aesthetic AND with a small height boost.

Ya girl ain’t too tall, so any extra height that adds some length to my legs are a BIG bonus in my eyes. And if you like the platform shoes look, you’ll LOVE these.

I will say that the unexpected bonus with these shoes was that the platforms really protected my feet when walking on the uneven cobblestone streets in Europe and surprisingly, they didn’t get too dirty even from all that walking we did. Though, the tradeoff there is that they may feel a little chunkier and heavier on the feet vs the Club C 85 Vintage above.

I also wear these in a size 7 on my 6.5 size feet, and have no complaints. I’d also recommend the same ziplock freeze method as above to stretch out the toe box prior to your trip!

PAIR #3:

Birkenstock Women’s Arizona Sandal in Habana Oiled Leather (Soft Footbed)

These are my go-to sandals if I want to give my feet a little breather from wearing socks and shoes all the time. I loved them so much, I got my husband a matching pair too. We both wore our Birks on the warmer days of our Lake Como, Italy trip and they were perfect for our busy ferry-hopping journey.

The color is the perfect neutral for matching with so many vacation outfits and the “lived in” scuffed leather look makes them extra low maintenance. I highly recommend the soft padded ones (suede lining) as the footbed comfort is truly underrated.

I wear these in a size EU 37 (US 6-6.5) Regular Wide and they’re nice and wide in the width fit, and easily adjustable by tightening or loosening the buckle.

Big word of caution though – I highly recommend breaking them in many weeks in advance before wearing these on your vacation. It takes time for the footbed to mold itself into your exact feet shape. But once they do, it’s like walking on clouds.

BONUS! HONORABLE MENTION PAIR #4:

Dr. Scholl’s Time Off Sneaker

I just had to squeeze in this trusty pair of sneakers onto the list! If I wasn’t such a serial overpacker, I’d fit these into my suitcase too.

These babies went viral for a good reason – they’re an all-around great pair of shoes to have in your arsenal. They have that classic white sneaker look that have a small height boost AND roomy toe box.

I wear these in a size 6.5 and find them true to size. The roomy toe box is a huge win for me!

When we visited Italy in 2023 and 2024, I saw so many people wearing these everywhere! And they worked well with so many different outfits!

I will say though, the downside to these is that they DO get dirty more easily than my other sneakers. But cleaning them up isn’t too bad if you have these Sneakerasers ready to go!

Dr. Scholl’s Moleskin Padding Roll, Flexible Cushioning & Pain Relief

I really like these because they stay on my feet and are super easy to cut to the exact size I need. I like to stick mine on the edges of my pinky toes so they don’t rub against the toe box.

I also always pre-cut some patches and keep them in my travel belt bag so I’m prepared to fix any feet discomfort while out and about.

Care Science Fast Healing All-Purpose Hydrocolloid Gel Bandages

These are wayyy better than your average bandage. If I feel a blister coming on, I use these to help cushion the sore spot so it doesn’t get even more aggravated from all the walking.

They’re also a general nice-to-have in your emergency kit in case of any injuries on the trip.

Lumi Outdoors Natural Shoe Deodorizer & Foot Odor Elimination Spray

This spray is amazing especially if you’re traveling in the summertime and your shoes get stinky from all that feet sweat and dirt.

I like using this because it smells good, is super portable, and is pretty effective (even on my husband’s extra stinky travel shoes)! We like to spritz our shoes with this at the end of each day to keep the freshness going throughout our trip.