footwear in Vienna in early December

I understand it can be near freezing temps and wet in Vienna in early December, but am wondering what the ideal footwear would be while sightseeing. I am guessing fleece lined would be too warm, but water proof is certainly necessary. Do I need anything above ankle high? Thanks, KIm

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Kim, the ideal footwear when sightseeing is always something very comfortable. I don%26#39;t think fleece lined is necessary (I%26#39;ve never used them at any time of winter) though you may want to bring some thermal socks. And Vienna isn%26#39;t that wet in December that you need fully waterproof shoes - you just need something water resistant for the wetter days which are hardly monsoon like. If you get snow, which is becoming rarer in December, it is quickly cleared from pavements in all areas you%26#39;re likely to be walking so above ankle height would not be essential. My wife has a comfortable pair of short boots that she often takes, however.

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Any snow would be quickly removed from walkways so a boot above ankle high is not really needed.

Waterproof and with a good non slip surface is good.

Always nice to stop in a cafe for a warm drink to warm any cold feet or stop at an outdoor kiosk for a Punsch or Gluhwein to keep you warm.

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Hi kimhazlip. I visited Vienna in January and coming from a warmer climate was worried about cold feet!

Back here in Australia I bought myself a pair of ankle height gortex lined leather boots. I spent time in the UK as well over Xmas/ New year.

In temperatures in the UK, of about minus 2 to plus 6 or 7 my feet were snug, warm and dry- an not too warn either. In Vienna were there were a couple of days were it didn%26#39;t get over minus 5 with a pair of woollen socks, over a pair of cotton ones my feet were perfect. After I left Vienna I went in search of snow and mountains and even walking over ankle height in snow my feet stayed warm and dry.

Hope this helps.

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Thank you and yes, very helpful. Do you have a brand in mind that always seems comfy that you would recommend? kim

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Thin layers are always a good idea, as although it can be -5 outside, inside it can be +30 (or feel like it!) and if you can just divest of a couple of layers then it is much more comfortable.

Because the city is paved with flagstones, it CAN happen that you get drizzle that freezes immediately and creates a bit of a skating rink, so non-slip is essential.

If there is any snow it is, as mentioned above, quickly cleared - it turns rapidly to slush, though, and it would have to be exceptional for it to stick around.

Of course, if you want to go %26#39;off-road%26#39; then you might want to consider something more substantial ... :)

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I am going to visit in March and I just purchased these: http://www.zappos.com/ugg-bellvue-black I just returned from NY and it was raining. Water on the ground is going to splash. I would recommend something more like mid calf to keep everything dry. I also considered these: zappos.com/romika-mokassetta-220-antik-venez… Another brand I found while looking for shoes was La Canadienne.

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kimhazlip- I went to an outdoor wear shop here in Brisbane Australia to buty the pair of shoes. They were a brand called Ecco- I don%26#39;t know where you are from but I do know they are an international brand.

2 years before I had bought a pair lace-up walking shoes -a little tidier looking than runners. They were so comfortable that I bought the same brand in an ankle boot. They had a bit of good thick tread on the sole so I had a little bit of grip walking in snow. These shoes were more than comfortable walking around all day- in Vienna I walked and walked so they got a good beating and I did not end up with sore feet.

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%26quot;Water on the ground is going to splash%26quot;. Well, yes if you are going to jump in puddles, but this is Vienna in December, not Delhi in the monsoon season! And if it does splash a little it%26#39;s water, not acid. Your jeans or whatever will dry and survive. You don%26#39;t need to prepare for a trek through the rainforest with streams to ford!

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I purchased a pair of UGGs for my trip to Vienna, Munich and Salzburg last year and they were a great investment. I live in a tropical climate and had been to Germany and Austria previously that same time of year and my feet were always cold and sometimes damp. My Ugs solved the problem.

I wore them without socks and waterproofed them with a special spray. I also put in arch supports as I prefer a shoe with good support to a flat last, esp. when walking miles per day on cobblestones and old streets.

They were great and packed for my trip late next month back to Germany.

I also have a pair of Joseph Siebel dress boots which I wear for the evening. That and my running shoes for the gym and morning runs are all I pack.