RunCity

Munich with kids

Munich works well as two short walks of about 2.5 km each. Day 1 stays in the old town around Marienplatz and Viktualienmarkt, with a playground between the Hofbräuhaus and Isartor. Day 2 goes north to the Residenz, the Eisbach wave and the Englischer Garten, with two playgrounds, one beside the Chinese Tower.

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Munich
Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0 de

Day 1: Old town squares and the market

  • 6Sights
  • 1Kid stops
  • about 2.5 kmDistance
  • 1.5 hoursWith play time

This walk of about 2.4 km links six of Munich's best-known places: Karlsplatz (Stachus), the Frauenkirche, Marienplatz, the Hofbräuhaus, Isartor and Viktualienmarkt. It starts at the edge of the pedestrian zone, stays in the old town and is outdoors all the way.

The kid stop is the Hochbrückenstraße playground, a fenced playground between the Hofbräuhaus and Isartor, after four landmarks. Marienplatz comes early, with fountains, statues and columns that children can climb, and the walk ends at Viktualienmarkt, Munich's oldest farmers' market, around the maypole, where there is room for a snack.

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  1. Karlsplatz (Stachus)

    Karlsplatz (Stachus)

    The fountain and the old Karlstor gate on the pedestrian zone's edge.

    Photo: Tiia Monto · CC BY-SA 3.0

  2. Frauenkirche

    Frauenkirche

    The two onion-domed towers that define the skyline.

    Photo: Diliff · CC BY 2.5

  3. Marienplatz

    Marienplatz

    The neo-Gothic New Town Hall and its Glockenspiel.

    Photo: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0

  4. Hofbräuhaus

    Hofbräuhaus

    The famous beer hall's front on the Platzl.

    Photo: Kiban · Public domain

  5. Spielplatz Hochbrückenstraße Playground

    A fenced playground between the Hofbräuhaus and Isartor, mapped as wheelchair accessible.

    On the map

  6. Isartor

    Isartor

    The medieval gate with its twin towers.

    Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0

  7. Viktualienmarkt

    Viktualienmarkt

    The open-air food market around the maypole.

    Photo: Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa) · CC BY-SA 2.0

Tips for parents

  • Marienplatz has fountains, statues and columns that children can climb, plus street performers. The Glockenspiel on the New Town Hall has 32 life-sized wooden figures on two levels.
  • Viktualienmarkt is Munich's oldest farmers' market, with a maypole and memorial fountains. You can sample local cheeses, meats and breads at the stalls.
  • A public toilet is mapped about 20 m from Viktualienmarkt, at the end of the walk. It is marked as payable by donation.
  • The Hochbrückenstraße playground is fenced and mapped as wheelchair accessible.

Public toilets

Day 2: Residenz, the Eisbach and the Chinese Tower

  • 4Sights
  • 2Kid stops
  • about 2.5 kmDistance
  • 1.5 hoursWith play time

This walk of about 2.7 km goes from the old town to the Englischer Garten and keeps four of Munich's best-known places: the Feldherrnhalle, the Residenz, the Eisbach wave and the Chinese Tower. Two playgrounds break it up, one near the Himmelreich bridge and one beside the Chinese Tower beer garden.

The first stretch passes the stone lions of the Feldherrnhalle and the old palace of the Bavarian kings, then reaches the Eisbach, where surfers ride a standing wave in the middle of the city. After the first playground the walk continues through the Englischer Garten to the Chinese Tower, with the beer garden and a second playground, where it ends.

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  1. Feldherrnhalle

    Feldherrnhalle

    The loggia with its stone lions on Odeonsplatz.

    Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0 de

  2. Munich Residenz

    Munich Residenz

    The old royal palace of the Bavarian kings.

    Photo: Bayreuth2009 · CC BY 3.0

  3. Eisbachwelle

    Eisbachwelle

    The standing wave where surfers ride the river in the city.

    Photo: Harald Süpfle · CC BY-SA 2.5

  4. Playground near the Himmelreich bridge Playground

    A fenced playground near the Himmelreich bridge, a short walk from the Eisbach wave.

    On the map

  5. Chinese Tower

    Chinese Tower

    The wooden pagoda in the middle of the beer garden.

    Photo: Fred Romero from Paris, France · CC BY 2.0

  6. Playground at the Chinese Tower

    Playground at the Chinese Tower Playground

    A playground beside the Chinese Tower beer garden, with separate areas for ages 3–6 and 6–14.

    Photo: MrTux · CC BY 4.0

Tips for parents

  • Surfers ride the Eisbach wave all year, and the Himmelreich bridge is where spectators watch. One guide says the current and cold water make it a place for experienced surfers only.
  • Public toilets that are free to use are mapped about 110 m from the Eisbach wave and about 90 m from the Chinese Tower.
  • Beside the Chinese Tower beer garden there are separate playground areas for ages 3–6 and 6–14. A guide also mentions a sandbox and a carousel nearby.
  • Old chestnut trees give shade at the Chinese Tower beer garden, and one writer notes that playgrounds beside the beer gardens keep children busy while parents relax.
  • The paths in the Englischer Garten are wide, and they are shared by runners, cyclists and walkers.

Public toilets

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Questions

How long is the family walk in Munich?

There is one walk a day: Day 1: Old town squares and the market, about 2.5 km; Day 2: Residenz, the Eisbach and the Chinese Tower, about 2.5 km.

Are there public toilets on the way?

Yes. 3 public toilets are mapped within a few minutes of the walk; this page lists where they are.

Is the walk free?

Yes. The route, the map and the playgrounds on this page are free. Some sights charge for going inside; the walk passes them outdoors.

Sources

The tips were checked on 16 October 2026 against these pages, and the playgrounds and toilets against OpenStreetMap.