Sandals comfy enough for a city break with lots of walking

[LucyTheValiant]

DP and I are going to Italy for two weeks at the end of August/beginning of September. We will be travelling around a few cities and will be doing lots of walking so I need some sandals that will be comfy enough to wear for that. I currently live in Toms which will be too warm I think, or some strappy flip flops which are fine for pottering but not sturdy enough for the holiday.

So far the only option I can think of are Birkenstocks but are they awfully frumpy? And they seem quite expensive too, are there any deals to be had?

My hush puppy sandals were the only shoes I could wear in NYC for walking about in 95 degree heat.

I have walked miles in my Fit Flops they are incredibly comfy!

I love my Saltwater sandals, have walked miles in them yet they still look fantastic. So comfy - I have seriously dodgy feet and thought I'd have trouble as they're completely flat but they're great. Not one blister.

I have navy but am very, very tempted to get the red or the tan as well.

I second the "not Fitflops" comment, I love mine and they are incredibly comfortable but I broke my ankle on holiday when I caught my foot on uneven cobbles

I am going for lightweight trainer type things in future, don't know what yet though

I wore my Madrids for the last few city holidays - walked 20km per day in them last year. Horses for courses I guess!

I love campers they are so comfy and there are some lovely simple red strappy ones on the sale - you can literally walk miles or Hobbs sually have some good onwes

Came across some Timberland sandals today which looked really comfortable ( and Iove their boots for walking in the winter) on the Cloggs website. They looked much better than I would have expected.

completely agree about horses for courses.
I wear fitflops constantly when in the hotel complex/pool area/ at home/even surfaces, just not in the street

I came on this thread to see whether anyone had mentioned Saltwater yet

I have very fussy feet. I rub v easily. Spend my life in ballet pumps and soft flatties.
My Saltwaters are the only sandals I can wear while walking all day round town. If I was hillwalking I'd get proper walking sandals but for towny stuff my Saltwaters are the best style/comfort compromise I've found.

PS. I have them in red - contemplating getting a more worky shade ....

Has anyone mentioned Fly sandals yet? There's quite a range, from more fashioney (and less comfortable, but very good looking) to some highly sensible ones which look a bit like grown-up hiking sandals. It's just that they're slightly more stylish and have a bit of a wedge, which actually makes them more comfortable for walking around in all day than completely flat sandals.

Birkenstocks are the big fashion hit this season, after Celine used them extensively. There are Karl Lagerfeld and Miu Miu copies going for hundreds of pounds. So definitely not frumpy :)

Keen sandals. Bought some for a fest 8 years ago. Still going strong. And wear them all the time, winter (with socks ) and summer.
Soooo comfy.

Saltwater.

My Birki Arizonas rubbed my feet to shreds .

Decathlon have some solid bottomed walking sandals that are actually quite nice in the straps and you can even change the straps. There's a couple of different styles here: www.decathlon.co.uk/C-310050-walking-sandals (look at the interchangeable ones)

What sized feet are you? I wear mini boden, and they're very comfortable!

Clarks used go style free, but stunningly comfortable things called sun seekers. This year their nearest equivalents had plastic lining.

WHY, WHY, WHY. If your going to charge almost £50 for a pair of sandals, pretty please make them suitable to wear when it's hot!

Sandals are comfortable for long distances with socks; without, not. But that's from someone with misshapen hobbit feet who gets blisters in every kind of shoe.

Now even I draw the line at socks in sandals, in public.

I'm in trouble on another thread for suggesting socks with Brogues.

Socks in sandals as slippers in the winter, however is a great way of ensuring your sale purchases are comfortable come the spring.

Always did this with the old Jesus creepers. I suspect it would work well with SaltWater like ones too.

Birkenstock mayari are the comfiest and least frumpy ime. I walk 3 or 4 miles a day on pavements in mine. Get a funky colour, job done.

Saltwater sandals are excellent city-wear for me. Have them in red, gold and green :)

Birkenstocks tend to rub if worn for a long time.

Don't like plimsolly type things for a lot of walking in hot weather - tend to get a bit squeaky.

any fly flots from www.pavers.co.uk I wore these solidly for 2 weeks in Disneyland, I've never had an uncomfortable pair

Saltwaters. Amazingly comfortable and I have never received so many compliments about my footwear as I have about mine!

I was at the zoo today and everyone was in saltwaters, cute enough but my dcs wear them and I swear I had something similar when I was 7. They just look very kindergarten to me.

I love Sam Edelman Trina sandals. They have an inch high heel which suits me fine (I find them more comfortable for walking the totally flat) and I can walk for weeks in them. Those or skechers Bobs that look like superga and have a memory foam inner sole, they took me round 4 days of constant walking in New York this spring (although not sandals).

If you are walking every day, take two pairs of different comfortable shoes and alternate them.

FitFlops! I don't drive so I do a lot of walking around the city. My FitFlops have withstood a lot of mileage and they're still as comfy as they were when I got them 3 years ago.