The most popular mode of transport for European travellers requires the greatest effort but is too little discussed: feet.

In Europe last year, especially when the heat was on, old feet and ankles swelled a lot, a reminder of the importance of looking after them.

Anyone with a reasonable determination to see anything spends more time walking than using planes, trains or automobiles. It’s best to understand the potential for problems and necessary equipment.

Don’t be the traveller who shows off the holiday photos, adding: “We couldn’t manage to get up there – our feet were killing us.”

For the real adventure, it’s important to walk every inch of every medieval wall.
Europe’s so big, with so much variety. Life’s too short.

March of history

We don’t have to walk the Camino to get sore feet.

Most cities and towns of medieval or Renaissance age have old towns based on narrow, winding street plans, many of which are now pedestrian areas. These usually have the most fascinating buildings, conserved or restored to reveal the place's ancient character.

Appreciating the full flavour of these cities demands solid walking even if there are no listed sites of special interest. These buildings and environments also tend to produce the most intriguing photographs.

These streets usually converge on the medieval market square, the centre for the oldest architecture.

This is not to say that such pedestrian zones ban cars. Local laws differ, sometimes laying down times of day when vehicles are allowed for commercial purposes or residents’ amenity.

The classic case is the walled Franconian town Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a pedestrian tourist centre forced to balance the needs of inhabitants with subsistence on an income from visitors. Residents' or guests' cars can enter or exit only mornings or afternoons.

Rothenburg is not a big town, but there are a lot of streets you’ll want to see. There's a town hall tower to climb. It would be shame not to walk down into the Tauber valley below to enjoy the sights there, too.

Rising to the occasion

It is necessary to climb to almost any castle. Bratislava's is a good case in point. There are in many places shuttle buses, a funicular railway, perhaps a tourist mini-train, which might charge a few euros for the trip up. But why then (unless pressed for time) miss the chance to walk down, along with the photographic opportunities? Prague’s Hradčany is a standout example of this.

Once inside most castles, there’s a lot more climbing to do.

Then there’s cathedral towers. Cologne’s climb has more than 530 steps, Ulm’s minister more than 760.

Last, there are the many, many museums in Europe. Big museums can take at least three hours to explore. In the British Museum, that would be a superficial visit, of course.

All up, distance walked in a European city can reach 15km or more a day. In Raven Guides’ late 2023 travels – 51 days in Austria, Czechia and Germany, plus a couple of days in Bratislava – the step count (as measured by smartphone, anyway) topped 20,000 steps on 11 days. On at least a dozen others it was very close. In Berlin one day in 2013, the smartphone registered 39,000 steps.

Seeing and experiencing what you want often takes this sort of commitment. Your daily time upright easily amounts to 10 or 12 hours.

One way of balancing the effort, apart from the use of Europe's excellent public transit services, is to use hop on-hop off sightseeing buses. These conventionally charge a daily fee and connect key sights with a tourist commentary and allow passengers on and off as desired. Several selected sights can be covered in day but in few places the tickets are valid for longer. However, used shrewdly, such tours can minimise wear on the feet.

In some cities, trams, buses and ferries remain the best bet. But it’s still hard to avoid a solid step count.

The best walking shoes have a close fit

Somewhere in the journey planning, your thoughts must turn to footwear. Make this sooner rather than later.

In 2013 Raven Guides found the perfect pair of shoes. They’ve made seven trips to Europe and are waiting for the eighth. At the time the salesperson made a pitch in favour of shoes that were a fraction lighter (and almost $100 more expensive). But there was a keen feel that the first choice was the best support and this has been confirmed over 11 years.

Don't forget to look for good sole grip.

Lace the shoes up firmly, but not painfully so. Feet can swell, so the laces might need loosening during the day.

Go shopping for a good pair of walking shoes or boots two or three months before departing on a trip. It could prove unwise to commit to weeks of a much-anticipated, long saved-for, otherwise well planned journey in fresh new shoes.

Instead, take some time to break footwear in and dispel any doubts about their suitability for the mission. Remember, the choice should not be about fashion.

Even for summer expeditions, sandals or similar warm-weather footwear are unsuitable, easily inflicting pain on the average walker. Using slip-on shoes can be risky, too.

Some travellers might feel the need to go on a few lengthy walks in the weeks before departing for Europe, just to prepare for long days on foot. Such trips are also ideal for testing and evaluating shoes.

Lightweight back-up footwear is also a good idea. It can be worn on long air hops and days when there is a train or bus trip of several hours, but ideally still adequate a for a few hours’ walking if necessary. Should the main shoes fail, the back-up pair will see the traveller through until replacements can be found.

For many of us getting longer in the tooth (or even artificial hips), a lightweight walking stick is not a bad idea. Raven Guides packs an adjustable metal stick weighing 195 grams.

Inner foot comfort

A practical, inexpensive, lightweight and non-bulky addition to a traveller’s kit is foam rubber inner soles. Pack a spare pair if it's a long trip. They will absorb much pounding on hard streets or cobbles and minimise friction. After several weeks they can be discarded. Higher-tech alternatives are available, but might well be expensive and not much better.

Sturdy hiking socks are a worthy investment, even if they take a little longer to dry on laundry day. Again it’s best to buy them early, wash and wear a few times, especially when hunting for and trying on walking shoes. When buying, check to see that they will tumble dry without problems.

Also useful are adhesive bandages or strips (these may come in handy for the first week or so), while talcum powder is indispensable for many footsloggers. Powder also becomes desirable when it’s necessary to wear the same shoes much of the time.

After a solid day, try to run cold water on your feet, especially if it's been warm. Then elevate them on a hotel bed.

You'll need them again tomorrow, to make more of those priceless memories.