Um, where are you going and what will you be doing? I personally would not suggest bringing sandals as your only footwear, but I like to hike, and I also like to go out to places that don’t always let in people wearing sandals. If you’re just going to the beach, then sandals sound fine though…

I guess I won’t just be going to the beach, I’ll just have to tough it out and stuff them in my bag.

I would axe the sandals and bring som flip flops as they are lighter and take up more space but definitly bring the sneakers!! Lots of walking!

I agree with the others…sneakers were so nice to wear on days when I was walking a lot. I was also concerned about how heavy they were so on days that I was traveling I wore them instead of my sandals so they wouldn’t take up space in my suitcase or add extra weight for the carry on limit for planes.

I had good Rieker walking sandals and New Balance sneakers on this last trip and I had to alternate between them to keep my feet happy. Flipflops would have been useless to me on this particular trip (but I did have a private shower). Before you leave, try a few 10-mile walks in each choice of footwear to see how it holds up.

Hell yeah, bring em, especially if you’re going to be in a cooler country where it might rain.

I got away with just my Merrell sport sandals and my strappy heels on a trip to Greece in July… but it was Greece, and July, and I knew it would be hot and I’d be spending most of my time on the beach.

This summer in Israel, on the other hand, I took the sneakers and am glad I did – for the hike down Masada, if nothing else.

Nothing’s more comfy for walking over long periods of time than a good pair of sneakers.

all i have to say is that i thought the same thing as you and didnt want to bring sneakers because they took to much room. i got there and ended up buying some because it was cold and my feet hurt. it was an extra expense that i wish i would not of had to spend. so i would say bring them!

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all i have to say is that i thought the same thing as you and didnt want to bring sneakers because they took to much room. i got there and ended up buying some because it was cold and my feet hurt. it was an extra expense that i wish i would not of had to spend. so i would say bring them!

I heard europeans don’t wear sneakers!?!

In my past two trips to Europe sneakers were the only footwear I brought. They are the most comfortable thing to wear as I tend to spend the day on my feet walking around rather than taking the bus. Go for the sneakers. My cousin on the other hand lived in his sandals. If you want to bring both, go for it. It will be warmer in the south and that’s probably where you will want to wear sandals. Plus, you can wear your Tevas in the shower instead of bringing flipflops for the shower. Right now in London it’s 27-29C and I wish I had my Tevas but I was limited to a carry-on bag so had to leave them at home.

remeber you can attach tevas to the outside of your backpack

i wore my running shoes throughout my trip to england and france

they don’t care about your footwear – comfort is what i cared most about

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I heard europeans don’t wear sneakers

They do. Not all the time, and not everywhere, but quite often. I had a waiter in Paris at a crepe cafe who was wearing jeans, sweater, and sneakers (as just one example).

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I heard europeans don’t wear sneakers

It’s exactly this kind of atttitude that really bugs me when I see it.

Do some Europeans wear sneakers? Sure! Do some Americans wear sneakers? Sure! Do some Americans wear other kinds of shoes? Of course! Ditto for Europeans. It’s ridiculous to suggest that all people on a continent wear the same clothes, or have the same styles.

Now, you may see more locals wearing nicer shoes when they’re at home, as opposed to sneakers. Why? Because most of them are not walking around cities with backapacks. Instead, they’re waking up, going to work, and doing local things. Same as at home.

But most of those people will bring comfy walking shoes when they go on vacation… for the same reasons that you should.

Styles vary from place to place, of course, and you can always try to get what’s trendy or popular in a given location. Or you can just bring what you have. You’ll be obvious enough as a tourist anyway wherever you go, so wearing the "right" brand of shoes won’t make much of a difference.