Best Travel Sandals for Walking All Day: My Honest Picks After 12 Years
This post contains affiliate links. Every sandal here has passed my 100 Hour Guarantee, which means I’ve personally worn it for at least 100 hours before recommending it.
Quick answer: The best travel sandals I’ve tested are Kork-Ease sandals with a cork footbed. The Myrna 2.0 is my top pick for all-day walking. I bought my first pair in 2014, have worn them across Spain, Morocco, and Greece, and can stay on my feet 10+ hours in them without sore feet. They cost more than a basic sandal, but mine have lasted years of hard wear.
If you want the full story, keep reading. I’ll cover which styles I’ve worn, how they held up on 8-mile sightseeing days, what to look for in a walking sandal for travel, and who should skip these.
Why My Feet Are Picky (and Why That Helps You)
My feet get very tired walking around a new city all day. For years I packed only sneakers for big trips because I couldn’t wear anything else without sacrificing comfort. I wanted a sandal with real support and more breathability, one that could handle a six-mile walking day and still look right with a dress at dinner.
A friend recommended Kork-Ease back in 2014. I couldn’t swallow the full price for a pair of sandals, so I found a used pair on [thredUP](AFFILIATE-LINK – consider internal link to your ThredUp review here). Twelve years later, I’ve bought multiple new pairs at full price. That’s the strongest endorsement I can give a shoe.
The Test: Barcelona, Fes, and Athens
What sold me on these as true travel sandals was our time in Barcelona and Fes, Morocco.
Years ago I spent a few hours walking around London in sneakers and complained my feet hurt. Fast forward to Barcelona: after 8 miles of walking in my Kork-Ease sandals, my husband (in Nikes all day) was the one complaining about his feet. I hadn’t noticed any discomfort.
They’ve also carried me through cobblestone medinas in Fes, up to the Acropolis in Athens, through two pregnancies while carrying an extra 40-50 pounds, and countless park and beach days with my four kids here in Orange County.
My Kork-Ease Picks, Ranked
I’ve worn a handful of Kork-Ease styles and all of them have been comfortable. If you want the most support and cushion for long sightseeing days, choose a style with the thicker cork sole.
[NOTE FOR ELISABETH: Verify current style names and stock on korkease.com before publishing. The Tutsi/Gila may have been renamed or discontinued since 2024. Swap in the current equivalent slip-on if needed, and refresh all affiliate links (the bit.ly Nordstrom links are from 2020).]
1. Myrna 2.0: Best Overall Travel Sandal
The best of the best for a comfortable walking sandal. The Myrna has a supportive cork footbed and a sturdy rubber outsole, and it’s light enough that packing two colors doesn’t cost you real suitcase space. This is the pair I reach for on trips where I know I’ll be on my feet from breakfast to dinner.
Best for: Full sightseeing days, 5+ miles of walking Shop it: Amazon | Nordstrom
2. Canoe: Best Everyday Summer Sandal
If you want less height than the Myrna, the Canoe has a cushioned leather footbed instead of cork, with the same flexible rubber outsole. You don’t get quite the same level of comfort as the cork footbed, but these are still a great option for sightseeing.
I prefer the Myrna for long walking days and wear my older Canoe pair as my day-in, day-out summer sandal.
Best for: Everyday summer wear, lighter walking days Shop it the newer version: Nordstrom
3. Tutsi (updated Gila): Best Slip-On
I bought the original Gila in 2019 and wore it all through a summer pregnancy. These are easy slip-ons that still give real support. For hours of sightseeing you’ll want a style with a back strap, but as a high quality, supportive slip-on for travel days, airports, and errands, these are hard to beat.
Best for: Travel days, airports, pregnancy feet Shop it: Amazon | Nordstrom
Quick Comparison
| Style | Footbed | Best For | Miles I’d Walk in Them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myrna 2.0 | Cork | All-day sightseeing | 8+ |
| Canoe | Cushioned leather | Everyday summer | 3-5 |
| Tutsi | Cork | Slip-on ease, travel days | 2-4 |
The Best Sandals for Walking Around Europe
If you’re packing for a Europe trip specifically, here’s what twelve years of trial and error taught me on actual European streets:
Cobblestones are the real test. Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and the medina in Fes are uneven, hard stone. A thin, flat sole transmits every bump straight to your feet. The cork footbed on the Myrna absorbs that in a way my old sneakers never did.
You’ll walk more than you think. Our Barcelona days regularly hit 8 miles. Whatever mileage you’re imagining, add half again.
Dinner matters. Europe is where the “sneakers with a sundress” look feels most out of place. A leather sandal that works with a dress means you can go straight from the sixth mile of walking to dinner without going back to the hotel.
Pack one, wear one. I bring the Myrna for walking days and the Tutsi as a lighter backup and airport shoe. Two pairs of Kork-Ease weigh less than one pair of chunky sneakers.
What to Look for in a Travel Sandal
After a decade-plus of wearing sandals on trips, these are the four things I check before anything comes with me:
A molded or cork footbed. Flat foam goes dead by mile three. Cork molds to your foot and keeps supporting your arch all day.
A real rubber outsole. Smooth leather soles slip on stone and marble (the Acropolis is genuinely slick). You want grip.
A back strap for long days. Slides are fine for the pool. For sightseeing, your toes shouldn’t be doing the work of keeping the shoe on.
Something you’d wear to dinner. If a sandal only works with athletic clothes, you’ll end up packing a second pair anyway.
Who Should Skip These
I want this review to be useful, not just glowing. Kork-Ease sandals aren’t the right pick if you need a water-friendly sandal for beach hikes or boat days (the cork and leather shouldn’t be soaked), and the wedge styles do have some height, so if you want a completely flat sandal, look at their flatter footbed options first. They also run true to size for me, but if you’re between sizes I’d size up.
If your trip is more athletic than sightseeing, a sneaker still wins. My QC shoes review covers the pair I wear for all-day errands and travel days when sandals aren’t an option.
Where to Buy Kork-Ease Sandals
- Zappos: Free fast shipping and 365-day returns, which matters if you’re unsure on sizing before a trip.
- Nordstrom: Smaller selection but a great return policy.
- Korkease.com: The largest selection of styles and colors.
- Amazon: Sold directly by Kork-Ease with Prime shipping, my pick if you’re leaving soon.
Travel Sandal FAQ
In twelve years of testing, the most comfortable travel sandals I’ve worn are Kork-Ease styles with a cork footbed, specifically the Myrna 2.0. The cork molds to your foot and stays supportive past the 8-mile mark, where foam footbeds usually go flat.
Yes, if the sandal has a molded footbed, a grippy rubber outsole, and a back strap. I’ve done 10+ hour days on my feet in mine in Spain, Morocco, and Greece. Flat slides and flip-flops are a different story; your toes grip to keep them on and your feet pay for it by lunch.
For me, yes. My first pair came secondhand from thredUP in 2014 because I couldn’t justify the full price, and I’ve since bought multiple pairs at retail because they outlasted every cheaper sandal I owned. If the price stings, secondhand is how I started.
Choose a sandal with a cork or molded footbed, rubber sole, and back strap, and make sure it works with a dinner outfit. Cobblestones and stone streets punish thin flat soles. My Myrna 2.0s handled Barcelona, Fes, and Athens without a single blister.
Yes. Give any new sandal at least a week of normal wear before you fly. Cork footbeds in particular get more comfortable as they mold to your foot, and you don’t want that process happening on vacation day one.
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