Munich tap water and drinking fountains
Munich's tap water comes largely from Alpine aquifers and the Mangfall valley and is considered excellent. Drinking a glass in the city is perfectly normal, and refilling a bottle even more so. Public drinking fountains are dotted around parks, some squares and heavily used pedestrian routes.
The big monumental fountains, such as the one on Marienplatz, are more decorative than made for drinking. For a safe refill, look for a signposted drinking fountain or ask at a café or bakery.
Public toilets in Munich
In central Munich public toilets exist but are usually paid, at a modest price. Stations, department stores, museums and parts of the markets have restrooms, while in parks such as the Englischer Garten facilities are more scattered. During mass events, above all Oktoberfest on the Theresienwiese, queues are long and paid toilets are the rule: plan ahead and keep coins at hand.
In classic venues such as beer halls and beer gardens the toilet is for customers. A round of drinks or a lemonade lets you use it without awkwardness.
A loop through Marienplatz, the Isar and the Englischer Garten
Begin at Marienplatz and the Viktualienmarkt, where stalls and cafés make it easy to refill and rest. From there walk on to the Residenz and the Hofgarten, then reach the Englischer Garten and its famous Chinese Tower. In summer people stroll and swim in the Isar, and along its banks there are equipped spots to stop.
A second easy day combines Olympiapark, with its hill and views over the city, and the gardens of Nymphenburg Palace. Both are big open areas where distances are longer than they look on the map, so a full bottle and a quick look at the nearest restroom before you set off will save you a lot of backtracking, especially if you are travelling with children or older relatives.
If you love hiking, the lakes and mountains south of the city are reachable by train. In that case fill your bottle before leaving, because water points on trails are rarer.
- If you cycle, Munich's bike network is excellent, but note water points in advance.
- During Oktoberfest bring cash for restrooms and do not wait until the last moment.
- In winter some drinking fountains are switched off: use a thermos.
- Check accessibility: major museums and main stations have lifts.
OpenStreetMap data and the PitSpot app
The figures above are extracted from OpenStreetMap for the municipal area of Munich. They can include points inside buildings or in areas with limited access, so read them as a general indication.
PitSpot brings water fountains and public toilets onto a free Android map. If you want to be told at launch, you can join the waitlist from the homepage.