Travelling light vs. travelling wisely?

Question

I'm heading to a few countries like Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Czech. We're just backpacking so I was thinking about packing as little as possible, but it seemed that i have to pack a pair of boots to Switzerland when in places like Italy and Prague, I need really comfortable shoes to walk on cobblestones. Maybe I pack a pair of comfortable shoes with thick, woolen socks to keep warm? Would that do in Switzerland in late January?

Answer 1

I would definitely veer towards carrying one good hiking boot with ankle support over shoes with warm socks. With all the walking you will most likely do -- and the fact that you may want to do some hiking while in such gorgeous countries as Austria and Switzerland, your feet will thank you.
There are some great hiking boots out there that look great with a pair of jeans out at night -- my husband was able to get into all best clubs in Switzerland on our last trip with his brown polished hiking boots - get discreet laces on them and no one will know the wiser.
Have a great time!

Answer 2

I use waterproof Rockport hiking/walking boots in all those places. No need for a second pair, but be prepared to spend $200. You can always buy another pair of shoes in any of those places if you really need. Particularly in Prague, shoes are cheap and there are many Bata stores.

Forget about wool socks. Just use cotton; they're easier to clean and won't make your feet sweat in your boots.

Answer 3

If you're doing lots of heavy walking, particularly around mountainous areas, get boots with ankle supports rather than shoes. If you have a good pair of walking boots, they should be able to handle both environments.