I Wore One Pair of Shoes On a 5-day Trip to Madrid
I love shoes—so much so that my husband questions me when I buy a pair because he can’t imagine I need another pair. When I travel, shoes are the bane of my existence, as they take up the most luggage space (travel hack: pack your socks in your shoes to add space). I recently traveled to Madrid, and wanted to save space in my suitcase. Typically, for a 5-day trip, I’ll take 3-4 pairs of shoes - two casual pairs for sightseeing and one or two dressier pairs for evening activities, plus whatever shoes I wear on the plane (usually one of the casual pairs). On a recent trip to Madrid, I decided only to bring one pair of shoes. I had a new pair of Vivaia Functional Claire Walkers that I thought would be perfect to test out as my one-pair-of-shoes trip. I got them in black, figuring that it would go with everything, and I opted for the “functional” ones, which are waterproof in case of rain.
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Vivaia Shoes for Airplane Travel
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The Itinerary
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Did They Match Every Outfit?
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Comfort of Vivaia Shoes
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Versatility Score: Day to Night, Rain or Shine
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Pros:
- Lighter luggage
- Easier outfit planning
- No risk of losing/breaking an extra pair
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Cons:
- No backup if something happens or they hurt (only an issue if they are new).
- Less fashion flexibility
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Would I Do It Again?
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Tips for Picking the Perfect Travel Shoe
I love to wear these shoes on an airplane—they're comfortable, easy to take off, and not bulky. Thanks to my TSA Pre-Check status, I don’t have to take my shoes off when I go through security, but if I had to, they’d be easy to take on and off. I was flying JetBlue’s Mint service, so being able to easily slide them off was important when I converted my seat into my bed. I slid them off, tucked them into a small cubby in my little cubicle, and slid them right back on before we landed.
We walked a lot in Madrid. I was with a group, and we all felt that walking was the easiest mode of transportation throughout the city.
Day 1: Arrival - walking through the airport, tour of the hotel
Day 2: Train on the Tren de La Fresa to Aranjuez, a lot of walking throughout Aranjuez, the Prince’s Gardens, Royal Riverboat Museum, walking to the town for lunch, and to the Royal Palace, back to the train.
Day 3: Walking to the Royal Palace in Madrid, through Plaza De Espana, to NH Hotel Suieta, to the restaurant.
Day 4: Walking to the Teatro Real, up Gran Via, back to hotel, around Plaza De Espana Day 5: Short outside walk, Airport walking
It was mainly sidewalk walking, so we aren’t talking rough terrain, grass, or dirt. But shoes tend to take a beating on pavement. And, it was hot. There was no rain (although I specifically picked waterproof shoes just in case.)
I tried to be strategic in the shoes I picked, opting for a neutral black, knowing that it would pretty much go with every outfit. I wore pants, dresses, rompers, and outfits in green, turquoise, and black. In other words, apart from an evening gown and a suit, I wore every type of outfit, in almost any color you can think of. Black went with every outfit.
I was slightly nervous wearing a brand new pair of shoes that had only been broken in at the airport, but the boots prevailed. Our first full day was jam-packed. We took the “Tren De La Fresa” to Aranjuez and walked around the gardens, to the Teatro Real in Aranjuez, and around the town, covering well over 3 miles of walking. The comfort never faltered. The second day, we did more walking, and I started to get a blister on one foot, but that's very typical for me when breaking in new shoes. I put on a Band-Aid, and it did the trick. I never once felt like I had to sit down to rest my feet the entire time we were there. The days were hot, and my feet stayed cool- they weren’t sweaty or hot.
I would give the versatility of these shoes a 7. I wore them with dresses, shorts, and rompers, but I knew nowhere we went was going to be overly fancy. If you know you're going to have a fancier evening out, you'll need to bring another pair of shoes. The only rain test I had for them was when I went to the airport, and it was pouring. I only went from the house to the car, to the airport, and I will say that my feet weren’t soggy or wet at all. I had no socks on, and it was a hard, heavy rain. As I mentioned before, it was over eighty degrees, and my feet were happy in the heat. The one fashion issue I had was on the airplane - I wear compression socks, and they aren’t exactly fashion-forward with leggings. If you want to wear socks with them, opt for the no-show style.
The Pros and Cons of Traveling With Just One Pair of Shoes
I would do it again, especially for a shorter trip. The hassle of figuring out what shoes to bring and wear once you're there is lifted, and I saved a lot of room in my luggage. If you’re going somewhere for a few days, I highly recommend not packing any shoes. I did wish I had something slightly dressier for dinners, but honestly, they worked with what I was wearing, and it’s not like they made me look dressed down, which is something I loved about the Vivaia’s.
If you are considering bringing only one pair of shoes the next time you travel, there are a few things to consider:
Types of activities- if you are planning on doing a lot of walking, consider thetypeof walking you’ll be doing. Is it mainly city walking? Do you think you’ll be doing any hiking?
Climate- Are you going somewhere cold? Extremely hot? Does it look like it is going to snow or rain?
Color- Choose a neutral color, such as black, brown, tan, or white. If you want to go with something bolder or brighter, just make sure the clothes you pack will go with it.
Break them in -I need to take my own advice on this one. Make sure you wear them a few times before your trip so you can iron out any blisters where they hit your foot where other shoes you own don’t.
I highly recommend any of the Vivaia shoes as your “one pair for a trip shoe.” They offer a vast variety of styles, including sneakers, heels, sandals, and flats. Many styles are available in waterproof materials, making them ideal as travel shoes.