We were in Agde in early
September. What a great place. We camped at the campground. In the morning
we would walk to the cafe and watch the parade of naked bicyclists come to
get their coffee and bread. Spent three days there and enjoyed all of it.
And yes you can walk around and shop, eat, or even go to the bank naked. A
little different than American nudist resorts.
chuck
USA
An American female, I am not at all comfortable nude, and I regret it!
However, I was not going to miss out on a beautiful day in the warm sun on
a beach along the Cote d'Azur. We packed our swimsuits and from the train
window spotted a gorgeous beach with very few people. Enjoying a relative
amount of privacy, we felt comfortable shedding portions of our swimwear.
However, it wasn't long before a weird guy planted himself nearby, then
came over to "borrow" something, and another couple of
exhibitionists about 100 feet away decided to have sex! If this is the
opposite of American prudishness, I'm not sure which is worse. My memories
are torn between the personally liberating, sensually pleasant experience
of lying in the warm, October sun on the Mediterranean listening to the
pebbles clattering in the surf...and the smarmy characters and behavior
that followed. I'm still mixed up.
pocohantas
WI USA
Adge, in southern France, is a full-blown nudist city in the summertime.
But in the off-season, it is a quiet, laid-back place to relax. This being
my first time at a nude beach, I found the atmosphere perfect. Everybody
was very friendly, and my nervousness disappeared after a few minutes.
From the train station, you have to take a local bus to the naturist
section, and then it is a good 15-minute walk from there.
Kevin
Chicago, IL USA
In Greece some islands' beaches are clothing-optional. Try Mykonos where
we went this summer. We were naked on the beach and went skinny-dipping in
the sea. Excellent !
griet verroelstraete
USA
I found the Englischer Garten in Munich to be the best nude sunbathing
area in Europe and it isn't even a beach! Most people stumble upon it by
accident (at least I did!) but are pleasantly surprised.
Robert <G>
If you're near Bordeaux in Southwestern France, try the beaches north of
Cap d'Ferrat. Follow signs for Truc Vert campsite and "plage."
Park anywhere around the one road through or use the cap park near the
campsite. A stroll over the hill will bring you to the edge of the
Atlantic and golden beaches as far as the eye can see. People mix with
about a 50/50 split between those wearing/not wearing clothes.
Dave
nr London, UK
The nude beaches I've been on in Maui and in Mykonos, Greece have had a
lot of both nude and swimsuited folks who mix freely with each other.
Those who are there for several hours may alternate between nudity and
swimsuits as the spirit moves them and it's no big deal. Rick mentioned
Super Paradise and Agrari beaches in Mykonos, but there are many others
along the south coast where nudity is common. You can take a daily boat to
several of them from Ornos Beach for a nominal fee (about $2 to $4 round
trip, depending on your destination). Super Paradise is great if you're
gay and want a friendly, non-threatening clothing-optional environment.
Dave
Alexandria, VA USA
I travelled Spain and Portugal this summer with two girlfriends and we
visited a few nudist beaches which were great. The only problem was the
old blokes who have only one motive for visiting these beaches, and it's
not sunbathing. Many of them sit way too close for comfort and
occasionally make the 'accidental touch' move, which is a little scary
sometimes.
Everywhere else in Europe I have baked nude was completely comfortable.
But to answer the Aussie's previous question, some guys just can't hide
their excitement!
Lucy
London, UK
 No
one can speak about nudism leaving Croatia out! It is the country with the
longest nudist-beach tradition and half of all European
"registered" nudists are spending their holidays there. Just
mention Conversada and everyone knows of that nude-city. The Dalmatian
coast is great but has very few exclusive nudist beaches like in Istria.
But that should not stop you because there are hundreds of isolated
islands where you can enjoy the sun in complete privacy. Also there are
nude-boat cruises where you can cruise the more beautiful side of the
Adriatic.
plasticity
Boston, Ma, USA
I haven't ever been to a nudist beach before, but I'm going to Germany
next year, and I think it sound quite good. One question
though...*sorry*...how, as a young male, do you stop yourself from
becoming aroused? With women passing you totally naked, I'm sure I would
find myself pretty embarrassed!
Sean Martinez
The best nude beach I found was on the small Cycladian island of
Koufonissi in Greece. You have to hike about 3 km along fantastic
cliffside scenery to get there, but upon arrival, wow! Aqua blue waters,
completely natural setting. Most everyone is nude and because the setting
is completely free of any commercialism, man is again one with nature.
Paradise!
Janet Vanderschee, a Canadian living in France
Strasbourg, France
Near Haarlem in the Netherlands is Zandfoort an Zee, a wonderful little
beach town that has both covered and nudist beaches. To be in an
environment where clothing is as acceptable as none was very enriching.
Jonathan Pierce
Seattle, WA USA
Nudity? Think.. CROATIA! Even tourist brochures produced by the state
tourist board on the coastal areas had pictures of nudists! Croatia has
gorgeous beaches, roman ruins, Italian architecture, a rich history at a
great price. Contrary to public opinion, it is VERY safe...has been
trouble-free since 1992. Dubrovnik is a jewel close to being all restored.
peugeotguy
Lake Orion, MI USA
The Europeans don't worry one bit about modesty nor are they worried about
being robbed. When you find yourself at a clothing-optional beach, you tie
your money belt around your neck. When you go into the water use a plastic
baggie and tie it around your waist with the belt. If anyone wants to
"pick" your pocket let him/her.
W. Jacoby
San Diego, CA USA
Do it! Do it when you first get to Europe. It will make the rest of your
trip much easier to accept the other cultural differences. Besides, do you
really think your co-workers or neighbors are going to be there? Do the
nude thing with total strangers. It will loosen you up in no time.
USA
In '96, we visited Costa Natura, a nude resort on the Costa del Sol in
Spain, near Estepona. One had to stay at least 2 nights @ $100.00+ a
night, but between the setting on the Mediterranean Sea and the incredible
floral landscaping, we felt like we had found the Garden of Eden. And we
acted a bit like Adam & Eve, pre-apple. If it wasn't for an angry nude
German volleyball player, enraged at my photography of these strange nude
German volleyball players, all memories would have been pleasant. But it
wasn't like he ended up on USA Today or anything.
m and s
St. Petersburg, FL USA
As a former resident of Berlin, Germany...i saw and did a lot. But my
favorite experience was visiting the Wansee Public Strandbad in southern
part of the city. The Strandbad had two parts...the non-nude side (where
topless was okay) and the nude side. My most memorable experience was
playing nude chess with three-feet-tall chess pieces in the grassy part of
the beach area. It was weird at first, but no one looked at you funny so
after awhile I was able to relax and enjoy myself. If you are ever in
Berlin, try it..you'll like it.
Tara L.
Providence, Ri USA
There is a beautiful lake in Freiburg, Germany. We saw swan hatchlings and
many beautiful flowers there, and a large number of the people we saw were
completely nude. I was there for a three-week grad school class on
European business. One day, our fun-loving German professor (yes, there is
such a being) said, "It's a hot one [weather]. Looks like we're going
to see some naked bodies today, boys." My wife didn't like it when I
expressed my surprise (with a little too much enthusiasm I guess) at
seeing a young lady lying completely unclothed outside her apartment.
Dan
durham, nc
We loved the open attitudes of Europeans about nudity and sought out a
nude beach on the French Riviera. We ended up at the Neptune Beach at St-Tropez,
which was delightful. How refreshing to ask "Ou est la plage nudiste?"
(Where is the nudist beach?) and not have people look at you as if you
were a pervert. By the way, there are nude beaches and parks in the U.S.
too, though not as common as in Europe. Two good sources of info are The
Naturist Society (www.naturist.com) and the American Association of Nude
Recreation (www.aanr.com).
Kira Clementine
Rockford, IL USA
Guvano on the Cinque Terre (Italia) is a fine place for nude sunbathing
and swimming. Even during what I thought was peak time (August) this year,
there were only a few dozen people. The biggest problem? Jellyfish. While
their sting is relatively shortlived (a few hours), you might not be used
to the pain induced in the, er, normally less exposed areas of the body.
YOW!
Michael Horne
Portland, OR USA
On a hot day in Munich, another American and I went down to the Isar River
to swim. I didn't realize it was a popular spot for nude bathing, at least
for older men. I found out when I stumbled out of the woods and smack into
a very naked, 40-year-old man. It didn't bother me after the initial
surprise (or embarrassment, since I don't know how to apologize for that
in German), but after seeing all the tourists ride by on their bikes, I
did wonder how many accidents involving gaping Americans may have occurred
in that area...
Heather
New Hope, PA USA
Having experienced "free beaches" in N. Calif. and select areas
in Florida, my wife and I weren't shocked at all and in fact expected to
come across nude sunbathing in the Netherlands. We were bicycling through
Vondel Park on a warm (for Amsterdam) summer Sunday afternoon and passed
many a partial and complete sun worshipper soaking up that rare
commodity--N. European sun warmth. Typical European attitude vs. American.
Being in a large city park in the middle of an afternoon and instead of
someone pulling out a gun and people dodging bullets, people are nude and
enjoying the afternoon's sun. Ah! Vive la difference, unfortunately.
John L. Smith
Valrico, fl USA
The first day at my European hotel pool, I felt like an oddball with my
top on. So I took it off. It seemed so natural. No one looks at you any
differently than if you had a top on. I found many marvelous semi-private
coves on the Isle of Elba full of nude bathers from all over the world. My
money was safe in my hotel room or in my bag left with my towel and
things.
Cynthia
Yes: "When in Rome...."
My favorite is the granddaddy of them all, Cap D'Agde in southern France.
I've been five times. It's a great pleasure not to have to worry about
getting sand in your clothes. It's also much easier to rinse the sand off
when it's not clinging to a wet suit. One of the best things about a nude
beach is that since no one has pockets, crime is reduced. A clothed thief
running down the beach is real easy to pick out from the law-abiding
crowd. Another great advantage is because you wear fewer clothes, your
luggage is lighter. I generally travel for 10 days with nothing more than
a duffel bag (towels take up the most room).
I suggest you bring a lot of sunscreen. Since you are lathering it on more
exposed skin you'll use more. Plus, it's expensive in Europe.
I'll be honest, not having the body of a Greek god, I was very hesitant to
go to the beach sans clothes. After a little goading, I was talked into
doing so. Now, I never visit European beaches with any clothes.
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