Traveling Lightly

In a little less than a month, I’m going to be traveling to Spain to visit my little sister and her husband along with Nick, my parents and my older sister.

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I cannot WAIT for this trip! I have never been to Europe, and I am so excited about the things we’re going to see and experience together.

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Needless to say, this is all I’m going to be thinking about for the next few weeks.

chocolate

What to pack in.

What to pack, period.

How much money we’ll need.

What books to bring on the plane with me.

What shoes will be the most comfortable.

What purse to carry.

And on, and on, and on :)

So I want some help from you!

I know that many of you have traveled MUCH more than I have, and I’m hoping to get some suggestions between now and when we leave. Some may be totally random/dumb questions, but I’ve never had a trip like this before so I need all the help I can get!

 

First question:

What are YOUR most comfortable shoes / shoes you take for traveling that could involve a lot of walking?

I would like to just take 1 pair of shoes to wear most days, and then maybe one pair of flats (thin, a bit dressier) in case we go to a nice place for a meal. I know we’ll be walking a good deal on the trip – between the towns, train stations, to our hotel/hostels, etc, so the big thing is to have lighter-weight shoes that are super comfortable.

 

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35 comments

  1. I am very jealous of your trip! The best walking shoes are some Puma’s I bought…they are kind of a hybrid walking show but still fairly presentable. I highly recommend them!

  2. I normally pick a color scheme (black or brown) and travel with my loafers accordingly. They are usually pretty comfortable unless you are talking miles and miles of walking.

  3. I’m so jealous of the pictures. On big thing I noticed while living in spain is that gym shoes are only for the gym. So cute little pumas are great for walking around. And a pair of flexible flats are good for dinners.

  4. If you’re going to be sight seeing you’re going to be walking. When I was in Italy and France this summer, I went with Chaco’s and then dressier Born sandals. If I were going at this time of year, I’d probably invest in Birkenstocks. I agree with picking a color scheme.

  5. I just take my regular running/walking shoes. Maybe it’s a different situation for a guy. You’re going to have a blast!

  6. KEEN’S! I wore them every day for a two week, walking intensive, trip around India. They are lightweight and incredibly comfortable. My husband bought a pair too and loves them. You can get them at Zappos online.

  7. Definitely wear sneakers.
    If your feet hurt in the tinest bit, its going to ruin your trip.
    (Who cares what you look like,
    Your ganna look like a tourist anyway with that huge camera around your neck)
    lol

    Can I take care of Maggie?

  8. How exciting! I’ve always wanted to go to Spain – can’t wait to see your pictures!

    Sketchers has a ton of good walking shoes – they’re what I wear when I’m going to be walking!

  9. I took my running shoes (Asics) to Japan when I went, along with a pair of black flats and a pair of heels, since I knew we were going out one night. I just based my outfits around those. Just check the weather prior to your going so you pack correctly. I mainly wore jeans and tee’s since we did a lot of walking and sight seeing! I’m sure you will be fine!!!

  10. jealous of your trip!! i’d take a pair of running shoes (or maybe an older pair of running shoes) for walking around and one nicer pair for going out. but i’m not exactly one to give advice because i ALWAYS overpack haha

  11. You are going to have so much fun!

    When Andy and I went to Italy for our honeymoon, I brought running shoes. There were days when we walked ten miles and they really came in handy!

  12. When we were in Barcelona last Aug-Sept, I wore sneakers and flip flops. I’m sure that you’ll be doing a ton of walking, so I would take a pair that you can walk all day in.

    I noticed that shoes I thought were comfortable didn’t end up being comfortable after a full day in them!

  13. Flats for dinner, and sneakers or flip flops (depending on weather) for during the day. DEFINITELY comfort should be a priority, I’ve made that mistake before ;-)

  14. If you buy new shoes to take, you need to do it NOW! then wear them a couple weeks before you go to break them in. Padded soles for sure; tie closures give better support.

  15. What an exciting trip! You need to have shoes with a sturdy sole and good support. I got a pair of slip on sandals that are SO COMFORTABLE for my trip to Germany last year… I want to say they’re Earth, but I’ll have to check when I get home.

  16. I bought a pair of Dansko clogs for my trip to Spain and they were sooo comfy. If clogs aren’t your thing, they make lots of other great styles that are equally as comfy.

    I’m jealous that you’re going and I can’t wait to see pictures. It’s an amazing country and I long to go back someday.

  17. I had a pair of Diesel sneakers that I wore all over Europe when I studied abroad. They were cute so they don’t look like gym shoes and they were also really comfortable.

  18. sneaks, for sure. Perhaps not the most fashion forward — but I’d much rather be able to enjoy the sights than whining about my blisters.

  19. Spain, how exciting!!! Sneakers definitely. Whatever you take, comfort is more important than fashion :) You can always bring a cute pair for after all the walking!

  20. I recommend a shoe like this (except maybe you could get it in black so it will pass as dressy in certain cases): http://www.whatapair.com/wp~aspx~iid_RD-ANTIX~dim1_SDE~dim2_Brown~pw~itemDetail.htm

    Sorry that link is forever long.

  21. Oh I heart Spain and really want to go back! Where all are you going?

    I wore my Adidas Rod Lavers all over the place b/c they can be worn with shorts/capris/jeans and are super comfy and then I would do a dressy flat/sandal for evenings.

    How exciting!!

  22. haha the words traveling and lightly don’t go together in my vocabulary!! I had to buy space bags just to go to Arizona for a couple of days!

  23. I have a pair of those grey New Balance shoes that were cool….oh, about 5 years ago. I love them though. I wear them when I’m in a comfy mood. I also wore them all around Europe and they were great!

  24. How exciting! When I went to Europe I got a pair of slip on Vans. They are great for walking around in (or at least I think so), but they are also great for the plane because you can easily slip them off and on for security check-points and for when you just want your shoes off on the plane!

  25. How exciting! I can’t wait to read all about it.

    Try to pack as lightly as you can… trying to get a large suitcase around on a train is not as easy as some people make it sound like. I wouldn’t wear running shoes… I bought a pair of tennis shoes looking shoes from Cohl Haan that have nike air in them and they were amazing.. that’s all I took with me.. I am not sure what they are called but I guess not white running shoes.. if that makes sense.

    Layers are your friends. On the plane there will be plenty of movies to keep you busy… so you might want to bring just one or two things to read on the train… as you don’t want to take up space in your luggage or add weight with books.

  26. your sister lives in spain?!?! how lucky are you!!!

    my most comfy shoes are birkenstocks, or any type of clog – but thats a bit too casual for a lot of people, hehe

    Since you sister lives there, I assume you can do some laundry – so I would definitely count on re-wearing some clothes/outfits.

    I would also bring a smaller rather than a larger purse – a larger purse just means that you’d fill it up more and have to lug around a heavier bag – or thats probably what I’d end up doing at least. Anyhow, I’m so excited for you and can’t wait to hear about it!

  27. Wow, that will be such an amazing trip! If I’m going somewhere warm I always wear flip flops around. But if it’s colder I’ll do tennis shoes or flat boots.

  28. i wear “nicer looking” sneakers everywhere and flip flops for when i need to dress up (if it’s warm enough). havianas is the only brand i can wear for long periods of time.

  29. How exciting! Unfortunately, I haven’t traveled much at all and probably won’t be helpful to you in this period of time. But I do wish you a large amount of luck and am sending your positive travel energy!

    Lots-O-Love!
    -Lex

  30. How exciting! (and great to have someone local to stay with and show you around–I think this is one of the best ways to travel.) I don’t suggest tennis shoes–while you are going to look like a tourist no matter what, I still think trying to fit in just a little bit made me feel better in Europe. I have a pair of super comfy leather mary janes by Keen that are by far the most comfortable and supportive shoes I own. I highly recommend Keen, Merrel, Dansko and the like…they make highly functional and supportive shoes that still manage to look classy. I say go for brown or black, depending on what you prefer, as they’ll be versatile on this trip and beyond!

  31. Keen’s! Specifically the Sienna Mary Janes. So cute and comfy! (I have them in “Mineral Blue”.)

  32. Oh wow that trip is going to be amazing!! And yes, packing for Europe can be stressful, but if you prepare in time and find out what will make things easy on you, it will all work out!

    When I’ve traveled to Europe, I like to wear shoes like Merrill’s brand, Puma’s, or Rocketdog. They have that “tennis shoe comfort” but look kind of cute and stylish. And if you can find some with straps rather than laces that would be convenient :)

  33. Try Keen’s! They have several Mary Jane styles that are cute & comfy… great arch support… looks good with pants, skirts, & shorts.

  34. You are so SO lucky to have the opportunity to visit over there–I can’t wait to follow along on your trip!! I bet you’ll get your hands on some REAL good food! :-D

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