Are you traveling to Europe and are a bit worried about what shoes to wear for the miles of walking? Understandably, you may also be looking for a pair of sneakers that match your outfits. The good news is that I will help you find stylish women’s sneakers for walking in Europe and hopefully save your feet from the cobblestones. I have been fitting women’s shoes for many years and there is one specific model that women love as it provides excellent comfort and support while being stylish.
Sightseeing in Europe can feel like a serious workout so get ready to embrace the active time by taking the most scenic routes while also having the right sneakers to fully enjoy your European adventure!
Choosing the Best Shoes for Your Euro Trip
Most certainly you are looking forward to finding the perfect shoes to go for countless strolls through the picturesque towns, narrow alleys, vintage buildings and hidden gems through all of Europe, which are all perfect spots for photos. One thing you need to be aware of if this is your first time traveling to Europe, is cobblestone streets, these are present in many cities, specially in the charming small towns.
Cobblestone streets aren’t always the easiest to walk on, depending on the town or city, these streets can be uneven, slippery when wet, and even hilly. Therefore, my strong recommendation is to prioritize function over fashion and instead of wearing cute flats or sandals, to choose functional yet stylish sneakers. After a long day and still a full itinerary to go, the last thing you want is to have tired, injured, or soaring pain in your feet and legs.
While it can be hard for your feet not to feel tired or sore after walking all day, if you follow my recommendations you’ll be able to enjoy and explore like a local!
My Experience Fitting Women’s Shoes – Over a Decade of Shoe Fitting Experience
One of my key takeaways from my many years of experience is that many women tend to associate foot problems with wearing shoes that are small, however, wearing shoes that are too big can also bring all sorts of foot issues! Thus, the utmost important thing is to wear any kind of shoes in the correct shoe size. You can’t imagine the number of women walking around with shoes that are either too short or too loose for their feet. What’s even worse, shoes that are the wrong size (too short or too long) can create a myriad of foot issues such as blisters, calluses, or corns.
The Importance of Wearing the Correct Shoe Size
Did you know that there is a study by the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society that showed that 88% of American women wear shoes that are too small?
There is nothing more uncomfortable than wearing the wrong size shoe! Be aware that your foot shape and size can change overtime. This can happen because of pregnancy, aging, and weight gain or loss. The ligaments and tendons also lose strength due to aging and make our arches decrease which can flatten and lengthen the foot and toes. Because of this, I recommend you get your feet measured every 6 months.
Additionally, when it comes to sizes you don’t only need to only look at the length of your foot but also the width! Quality measurements start with expert consultation, so let me help you retrieve your exact foot length:
How to Measure Your Foot Shoe Size – The Most Simple and Effective Way!
New Balance Sneakers — Comfortable and Stylish!
New Balance shoes are nowadays trending for their vintage look, but mainly because of the comfort and support they offer for your feet. Without a doubt, my top recommendation is the New Balance 327 style. These are available in a wide color palette, but my personal favorite is the silver birch/black neutral color. I love how these versatile these are to wear with all outfits!
“The 327 sheds new light on the ‘70s as a time of innovation by boldly reshaping classic design elements with a thoroughly contemporary outlook.”
— New Balance
As shown in the images below, the following are the characteristics of the New Balance 327 style sneakers:
1️⃣ Traditional design inspired by models from the 70s
2️⃣ Suede, mesh and nylon upper
3️⃣ Adjustable lace-down closure for a custom fit
4️⃣ Oversized ‘N’ mark and style (a bonus)
5️⃣ Rubber heel wrap and lugged outsole
Stylish Women’s Sneakers for Walking in Europe — My Top Recommendations
Make sure you look at the description below each image of the shoe to find out the materials the shoes are made of and to find out the size you should order to prevent your longest toe from rubbing or touching against the front part of the shoe. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Finally, take a look at the links below. NOTE: Unisex styles are in men’s sizing.
Woman’s Version of the Shoes
Unisex styles are in men’s sizing. so you will have to translate the men’s shoe size to your women’s shoe size.
In general, if you’re a woman buying men’s shoes, you should go down 1.5 sizes. So, if you’re a women’s size 8, you’ll be a men’s size 6.5.
- This style is unisex and available in both men’s and woman’s sizes.
- This style is unisex but only listed in men’s sizes so make sure that you go down 1.5 sizes to retrieve your woman’s shoe size.
- This model is listed in woman’s shoe sizes
Kids’ Version of the Shoes
You can choose from the models below as long as you wear a woman’s shoe size 8 or smaller.
The magic formula: Your women’s shoe size – 1.5 = Your kids’ shoe size!
If your foot size measures a size 6 1/2 you will get the kids size 5. If you measure a foot size 5 ½ you will get the kids size 4. Makes sense?
New Balance shoes are not cheap, so if you are going to make that investment, you want to make sure that the shoes are going to properly fit and support your feet. That is going to be the only way that you will get the full benefits that the shoes have to offer.
My final advice to you is to try to break into your shoes ahead of your trip. This is mostly for your feet and shoe to get acclimated, and it also serves as a way to confirm that the shoes fit and feel well.
On a different note, if you are looking for the best walking shoes for a little one in your family or for a friend’s family, you can find helpful information on our partner website:
Thank you for reading! We hope you found helpful this post on the stylish sneakers for walking in Europe, and wish you enjoyable and safe travels! Please feel free to share this post with your community on social media as well as your experiences in the comments section below. If you have any questions or need any assistance, you can also contact us via e-mail and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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