I recently took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel through several countries in Europe with my husband and children, and am so excited to share this AWESOME experience with you… because the scenery is too beautiful to keep to myself and I was also able to see how our grounding shoes fared as travel essentials.
Click HERE if you want to skip directly to Top 7 Grounding Shoes for Traveling.
On our one day in Iceland, we were blessed with clear skies and sun when visiting this gorgeous waterfall. We also learned that “bless” is Icelandic for “goodbye.”
Among other countries, we visited Step in Greece, where grounding is just as natural a part of life as eating or sleeping. On the Greek leg of the trip, we were fortunate to meet up with extended family for almost an entire week. In addition to Step and my family, our brother Drew was there with his wife and children, as was our mother. Our late father’s sister also joined us with her friend, Dawn. It was an unusual reunion (in the absence of a wedding or funeral), as we all live more than a thousand miles away from each other.
Step has been telling us all for the last several years that Greece is a must-visit location, and with the unexpected death in 2022 of our father -grounding pioneer and Cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra, we were painfully reminded of life’s temporal nature. So we all decided to seize the proverbial day and travel abroad. Each of our journeys was centered on the one-year anniversary of Dr. Sinatra’s passing, which we all wanted spend together…why not in Greece?
Of course, we also shared many a delicious meal together (the food in Greece is AMAZING!) and shopped in town. We also hiked in Athens up dusty, rocky trails leading to the Parthenon, where we experienced sprawling city views from an ancient temple (built almost 2,500 years ago) to honor Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. My daughter and I wore Earthrunner grounding sandals on that trek, which later proved to be invaluable in Greece when pouring rain flooded the streets a few days later.
No, that is not Step on the boat :>)
We spent most of the Greek visit on the island Step lives on. It prohibits motor vehicles and even bikes! All travel is done by foot or via donkey or mule. So having good shoes - preferably ones that allow the Earth’s healing energy to nourish your feet - is essential. The roads are dirt, not paved with asphalt, and the city streets (and countless flights of stairs) are constructed of stones and cement, so we had unlimited opportunities to ground. Since the beaches are not sandy, but comprised of small, colorful stones, wearing shoes on them made for a more comfortable dip in the sea.
On the island, we also enjoyed swimming, paddle-boarding and a super-fun boating excursion with Captain Step in the buoyant Aegean Sea. A few of us also hiked a mountain to enjoy breathtaking Greek landscapes and seascapes. Whether I want to admit it or not, Step was right about visiting Greece!
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So let's get into the grounding shoes...
Best Grounding Shoes When Traveling In EUROPE
Greece in the summer is hot! Temperatures range in the 80s and 90s (Fahrenheit) and when you’re walking everywhere, your dogs are going to want to BREATHE. Northern Italy and Paris, which were our next stops on the trip were also very hot. Hence, sandals are an absolute must for a summer vaca in mainland European countries like Spain, Italy, etc.
We packed very light for a two-week vacation and limited our baggage to carry-on only (so, alas, I could not bring all my grounding shoes). I wore my Groundz Jeans Clay Sneakers on the plane and chose to bring two pairs of grounding sandals with me - my Groundz and Earthrunner sandals (my daughters also wore their Earthrunners), as you’ll see in the pictures below.
On a related note, when you order Groundz shoes, they come in a small. repurposable, canvas bag instead of a box. The bag is perfect for transporting shoes in your luggage, and both pairs of sandals in the bag fit seamlessly in the front pocket of my carry-on suitcase.
EARTHRUNNER SANDALS
The first picture above shows me at Lake Maggiore, Italy; I’m wearing Earthrunner sandals. Since Earthrunners are not made of leather, they are great choices for water wear and wet conditions. They also stay on in the ocean waves and dry relatively quickly once you’re out. Earthrunners also makes children's grounding sandals - my youngest daughter has a pair that was white before this vacation.
I especially recommend Earthrunner sandals for rocky beaches and long walks on dirt paths (I trekked up to the Parthenon in Athens in mine). They wash and pack easily, and are fantastic options when it rains. Though I initially needed to rotate the toe strap position for more comfort when first trying them on (my daughters did too), I have walked miles in these shoes and have yet to develop one blister. They are barefoot design and quite comfortable.
GROUNDZ SANDALS
When not trekking through water or muddy trails, I wore my Groundz Canary Retro Sandals. Elegantly casual and handmade with leather, they were perfect for dining out and shopping in town. Their cushioning helped me endure long walks through the stony streets of Greece, Amsterdam, Paris, Switzerland and Italy, as well as just being on my feet all day in museums and on tours. Very comfortable, my feet remain blister-free in these shoes, which I’ve also done a ton of walking (and even some airport running) in. However, it did take a few days to break in the top strap which presses against the toe line.
EARTHING Grounders®
Although my Earthing Grounders® didn't make it on this trip, I also recommend them as a summer travel essential. Grounders® are like regular flip flops except that they are engineered to conduct the Earth’s energy into your feet. They are lightweight, pack easily, and you can slosh through just about any surface in them without worrying about damaging their appearance.
Step frequently had on his pair during our trip when walking the rocky beach or adventuring by boat.
I personally use them for gardening, hanging out in my yard, and beach trips that don’t require a lot of walking. Reason for this is that my feet tend to blister in traditional flip flops and when I tried hiking in these shoes I was reminded of this. That said, I have sensitive feet; if you’re not prone to blistering, Grounders® could be ideal all-purpose summer grounding shoes for you. At $29 each, they are among the least expensive of all grounding shoes.
I got mine for free when purchasing a Grounding Sleep Mat. As of the publication date of this blog, Earthing.com is still offering this special deal: spend $69 on anything at Earthing.com and get 2 pairs of Grounders® for free. Make sure to add the 2 pairs of Grounders® to your cart with correct sizing prior to checking out, though - otherwise you won’t receive them with your order.
HARMONY 783 Grounding SHoes
Step’s and my brother, Drew, opted in Greece to hike in Harmony 783 Leather Walkers. My husband, daughter and I quit the trail long before Drew, who completed it as a Fathers' Day gift to himself. When I asked him later, Drew said the shoes were "comfortable and stylish. Felt quite good (energetic) on the hike." Step also loves his pair, but we’ll cover that in another blog post.
As mentioned earlier, I wasn’t able to bring all of my grounding shoes. Had I visited more of northern Europe or in cooler weather, I certainly would have been donning my Navy Suede or Gray Wool Joggers, both of which are ultra-comfy and great for long days of walking.
SOFTSTAR GROUNDING SHOES
Of course I also have to mention Step's Softstar Roos...they have seen more than their fair share of Greek roads and are the velveteen rabbit of Step's shoe collection. He didn’t want me to post a picture because they are so worn (and loved). Made of leather, they are likely best for strolling through town on dry days.
Groundz EARTHING SLIP ONS
I can't say enough about my soft leather Groundz Jeans Clay Sneakers, which I even wear inside my home, ungrounded. They are barefoot design and incredibly comfortable, almost like smooth leather slippers with lots of wiggle room for the toes. The Clays were my choice on moderate (70s) days in Amsterdam, as well as on most flights we took. I wore them throughout Iceland, as temps were in the 40s and 50s there.
In one picture above, I’m standing outside the Blue Lagoon, where we soaked in geothermal seawater for hours after our red-eye flight (the white stuff in the picture is silica, a naturally occurring mineral). After enjoying the hot springs, we explored Iceland’s rugged terrain, lunched in a charming town, and visited majestic waterfalls. Not surprisingly, my Clays look a little worn in some pictures above because I got too close to sprays at Seljalandsfoss waterfall (I don’t advise wearing these shoes in wet conditions). But I think this next picture was worth it!
Interestingly enough, I passed a woman walking barefoot on a nearby trail at the Seljalandsfoss. She said she was a local Icelander and did it all the time. Impressive!
Sad to leave but so very grateful for our wonderful trip, we returned home to the States fairly exhausted but soul-satisfied. After 15 hours of travel that last day, our bed equipped with a grounding sleep mat and pillows were heaven. Travel can take a lot out of you and grounding while getting a good night's sleep can mean a speedier recovery!
In fact, grounding is becoming well known as a hack for jet lag, especially after international flights. Step certainly makes it a top priority when he lands.
Maybe one day, grounding sleep mats will become a common amenity in hotels and air B&B’s. Until then, I’ll get my grounding fix when traveling by going barefoot when circumstances permit and wearing grounding shoes when they don’t.
Step takes his nephews out on the paddleboard for some ocean air meditation in the Aegean Sea. My daughter, Step’s niece, swims close behind.
I’d like to close with a huge THANK YOU to Step… for bringing us all together (our mom and aunt too) in lovely Greece for an awesome, once-in-a-lifetime family experience!
And to you, reader - thanks for letting me share my excitement and gratitude with you through this blog. Happy trails - they’re better when grounded!