08/07/2026
SO accurate!!! Know before you go! ✈️🇪🇺
Nobody warns Americans about European bathrooms and it genuinely ruins people's days.
I've lived in Europe for 5 years and I still have a moment of panic when I realize I have no coins.
Because here's the thing: free, clean, everywhere-available public restrooms are an American thing. You will not find them here. What you'll find instead:
🚻 Pay toilets. €0.50 to €1, usually coins only, sometimes a turnstile that will absolutely not accept your card. Train stations are the worst offenders — Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands especially. I also carry this and it has saved me so many time!! https://urlgeni.us/amzn/clBoUh
🚻 Café bathrooms that require a code. It's printed on your receipt. If you didn't buy anything, you're not getting in. Buy the espresso. It's €1.50 and it's the price of admission.
🚻 "Toilet" not "restroom." Ask for the restroom or the bathroom and you'll get a confused look. It's the toilet, or the WC. Nobody thinks it's crude here.
🚻 Tap water at restaurants often isn't automatic and sometimes isn't free. This catches people off guard just as much.
🚻 Museums, department stores, and big bookshops are your friends. Usually free, usually clean, usually no purchase required. I will also walk into hotels and act like I'm supposed to be there
My rules: go before you leave, go whenever you're already in a café, and always keep a euro coin in your bag specifically for this. I also carry this and it has saved me so many time!! https://urlgeni.us/amzn/clBoUh
