Nude Beaches — All the Skinny: 2006
Europeans are great sun-worshippers — and they seem to worship the sun best in their birthday suits. Nude and topless beaches and parks abound...so sooner or later you'll find yourself surrounded by naked Europeans. We'd love to hear your advice: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do"...or maintain your American modesty? Where exactly do you put a moneybelt when you have nothing else on? And of course, we want to know where your favorite nude or topless beaches in Europe are!
Topless sunbathing at the pool
We are living in Europe temporarily and I am familiar with the prevalence of topless sunbathing and clothing optional beaches. While staying at a very small agriturismo in Tuscany, we were, however, still surprised when another guest removed her top poolside. At the *small* pool were just us (kids girl 7 and son 12) and said woman's party of 3 ladies. My kids had there first experience with such. We later talked to her found out she was an elementary school teacher (which for whatever reason, as Americans we found little amusing) and a very nice lady.
Anonymous
Belgium, BE BE Thu 12/21/2006
Nude Beaches
Since I was old enough to travel independently I've headed to Southern Europe for my Hols (I'm English and our summers aren't so predictable!).
I've always sunbathed in the nuddy. The key is to find a relatively quiet beach. No bars or hotels/houses within hailing distance. Then; if it's early morning and you are the first there - take your clothes off and it's a nude beach!
If you get to the beach and it's already full, walk over to the side. This is usually the clothes optional area. If you don't make a fuss about it then nobody else will!
As for guys leering - there's nothing to leer at! A woman's 'bits' are covered by a furry loin cloth so no big deal! Us guys have more to worry about!
Really, once you have done this a few times, it will be as natural as wearing clothes and you and everybody else won't even think twice about it.
Craziest thing I ever saw was when the pretty French girl who was butt-nekkid stood up to go buy some ice cream for her buddies - she put on a lovely blue and white candy striped bikini and matched with her bleached blond hair and golden tan - THAT set the boys staring! When she took her clothes off again there was nothing to wonder about - she was just another pretty girl on the beach.
Finally - no need to strip if you don't want to! It's not an erotic thing. Some of us just want an all over tan. Keep your clothes on and nobody gives a damn either.
It's a beach! Have fun! You can only visit it each summer for 4 score years and 10 so enjoy!!
Mike Hyde
Warrington, England Wed 12/20/2006
My Experience
My experience is that nearly any beach in Europe (or sunbathing area) can be topless, but nude beaches tend to be much more rare, not any beach tolerates nudity. One exception is that a number of times people have walked up, undressed, then put on a swim suit without batting an eye. The other exception seems to be the Greek islands, while technically illegal, it seems virtually any beach away from a town is clothing optional (You have to love Greece). Most official "nude" beaches also tend to be more "clothing optional"; I never recall anyone being harassed for leaving their suit on, if they were noticed at all.
Paul <email>
IA USA Tue 12/12/2006
Nude Beaches
Ashley....European beaches are generally not nude although some beaches and pools do permit nude bathing. Topless sun bathing is seen more often in Europe than in the USA and some European parents tend to allow little children to be on the beach sans clothing.
George
USA Tue 12/12/2006
Canarian Islands
Was at beginning of November some days at Gran Canaria during the autumn-vacations!
In the middle zone of the beach between Playa de Ingles and Maspalomas there is no restriction for clothes. You can wear what you want. It is very nice to wander around over the great sanddunes there with nothing else on your skin!
You can stay naked whole day long.
Absolutely wonderful.
Claudi <email>
Ludwigsburg, Germany Mon 12/04/2006
Montalivet les Bain, West Coast France
This is a wonderful place for families. The french rent their main home but have holiday homes on the coast. They go there most weekends as extended families, take picnics and just strip off. It was great to see youngsters coming after school in groups and just getting naked on the beach, playing in the sea before going home for tea. The water is cooler here, but the beach stretches for miles. At peak season there can be 40,000, yes forty thousand naturists. You will see people of all ages from babes to teenagers to people in their 90's. There are a couple of naturist camp sites nearby, the biggest is Euronat.
Stuart Lonroe <email>
Leeds, Yorks UK Mon 11/20/2006
Cap D'agde
Cap D'agde
Yes it's a great place, warm sea, great sand and friendly people. Not so family friendly as other parts of France, as you may find coples engaging in sex on the beach in full view of the public. It's amazing shopping and walking around a town totally naked and you soon forget that you are nude.
Stuart Lonroe <email>
Leeds, Yorksh UK Mon 11/20/2006
Cap d'Agde Naturist Quarter in France
One place to think about is Cap d'Agde's Naturist Quarter, which is the largest nudist village on the planet (like a resort, but bigger and more facilities). It is located on the coast in south-western France. Here's some details or just search in a search engine: http://nudisttravel.blogspot.com
Jeff
NY, NY USA Fri 11/03/2006
Provence
Espiguette, near Grau du Roi is one of the best Naturist beaches. Officially it is compulsory to be nude but in practice it is "clothes optional" and there are family groups in varied degrees of dress - usually at least one member of the group will be nude. The delight is that no-one cares. The official zone is a reasonable size but there is then an unofficial tolerated zone which continues for at least a mile beyond that. In the official zone there is a cafe where people buying food and drinks to take away are commonly nude; most people cover their bottom half to eat at the tables in the cafe but I have seen some families eating there in the nude. In the tolerated zone there some gatherings of men in the dunes but on a sunny summer's day the vast majority of people are couples and families and if you stick to the beach and the sea you will not encounter any untoward behaviour. If only all beaches could be like Espiguette!
Vic
London, UK Sun 09/24/2006
nudity in America
America's, a great country -- I would not want to live anywhere else -- ok, I got that out of the way for people who say than move if you don't like it here. We, as Americans, have to get over ourselves -- we can't run the world, and we have to learn to relax, get naked and enjoy life. My wife and I love nudist beaches, but so many of our country men would see to it that the beaches were closed to nudists. Anyone who has had public beach and pool naked experience will truely tell you that bathing suits are a curse on the human body.. Come on America -- get naked, relax, stop taking yourself so seriously...
Ray
Douglassville, PA USA Fri 09/22/2006
nude beaches
I am an american who lives in Germany. Check out the huge swimming pools that can be found all over the place. I am fond of Palm Beach in Nurenburg. The sauna portion is great. The germans do a thing called and aufguss, where for about 10 minutes hot water is poured over the rocks and it is hot. There is nothing better than a aufguss.
andy
germany Thu 09/21/2006
Where are there beaches that are very close to venice??
joey <email>
winkler, canada Sun 08/20/2006
Naturist Beaches
We're 60 something grandparents, but we love to come home with an all over tan. Get this, Americans: NOBODY CARES what you look like. Our very favorite is on the French Atlantic coast at Ile d'Oleron, and the nearest town is Boyardville.
Hilary Thornburrow <email>
Stanwood, WA USA Tue 08/08/2006
legal nude beach in Dover England?
My husband and I are from the United States and are Nudists. We will be traveling to the Dover area next May. Our first trip across the ocean. Is there a local LEGAL Nude Beach. We will have our 4 yr old grandson who loves being able to go "bucked Naked" (his version of being a nudist).
Susan <email>
Reedley, CA USA Wed 08/02/2006
When I visited friends of mine in Spain we often spent most of the day at the beach. Although these beaches weren't classified as "nude beaches" they still had some nudity.
Children are often naked at the beach, but most are no older than 4 or 5 years. Very young girls will sometimes go topless, but not all will. To me it just seemed a matter of preferance - whatever the child was comfortable with. Older children and teens were always wearing a swimsuit.
What surprised me was that the older ladies would sometimes go topless. Not in the usually bikini syle, but they would roll down the tops of their one piece suit. I guess at that age they weren't self concious anymore.
I loved the beaches in Spain. From my experiences at various beaches no one really cared what type of suit you were wearing (one piece, two piece, speedo, shorts) or if the old ladies were topless and the children were naked. I haven't been to a "nude beach", but if there is anyone here that is questioning whether or not to go I'd say give it a try and when you're there wear whatever you feel comfortable in.
trina
USA Fri 07/21/2006
The nude beach in Corniglia in Cinque Terre, Italy is great! If you love to swim in the nude, this is a lovely, laid-back crowd-often including fully clothed tourists and families just looking for a place to swim. The tunnel entrance is a little daunting, but I (single female solo) walked through with a family and felt quite safe and comfortable.
Leanne
Memphis, TN USA Thu 07/13/2006
Cap d'Agde update
Well, we have been back from Europe for about a month and are still missing our travels a lot! Cap d’Agde was a great experience. For those who don’t know, the Quartier Naturiste is a portion of the city where nudity is permitted anywhere (although you should take note that while you can be naked anywhere at anytime within the quarter, that doesn’t mean you necessarily should). It is literally a self contained town, with its own merchants, supermarkets, restaurants, banking and even a laundromat (a relatively unused facility). We estimated the population to be somewhere around 5,000 to 10,000 (as compared to 4 or 5 times that in high season), and most seemed to be either permanent residents or retirees. We spent 4 days in the hotel there (there is only one; the rest of the accommodation options are either weekly rentals of private lodgings, or space at the campsite). Although the hotel is located as far as might be from the beach it still a nice place to stay; as it gives you a reason to stroll through all the shops, etc., on the way to the beach. The hotel also has a very nice pool that is sheltered from the wind if it is blowing; and breakfast in the nude on the rooftop terrace is a great way to start the day. The beach is amazingly clean. Note that people generally do get dressed for dinner. The restaurants are nothing to rave about, especially as compared to the cuisine available in textile areas around southern France, but we did not eat poorly at any time. The pool area in the center of the large Heliopolis complex is currently undergoing a major renovation. The worst part of the experience? Putting socks and shoes and underthings on the day we had to leave; it felt so wrong. We will definitely return sometime.
Robert <email>
Mukilteo, WA USA Wed 07/12/2006
Nude Beaches
For Kyza UK
I like your comments on the speedos and the guys taking pictures at the nude beaches.
I think for the most part here in America it is so taboo , nudity that when we get to expierience nudity we lose our minds because what we can't have or see or expierience, we crave. We are so inhibited in this country.
I long for a free thinking life style like in euro.
Tim <email>
Ann Arbor, MI USA Mon 07/10/2006
Nude at the beach
Orient beach, St Martin, FWI you can wear as much or as little or nothing at all on the beach. Once you spend some time swimming, sunning, or strolling nude at a beach, you will curse the fool that invented the swim suit.
vacationerRobert
USA Tue 06/13/2006
Nude Beaches
I am not against nude beaches and would probably go to one if 1) I didn't have a large family of young children and 2) if there were any in Maryland (there aren't). I just wonder how women feel about being nude and having men leer at them, which is something men do. Men can hide it pretty well but looking over a nude woman is something we are hardwired into doing if the opportunity presents itself.
Derek L <email>
Bennett Point, MD USA Thu 06/01/2006
camera at beach ruined my plans
i must admit i kept my shorts on at the one US clothing-optional beach I've ever been to because there was a guy and his girlfriend videotaping the landscape...i didn't want to be immortalized forever in someone's vacation video.
The only nude swimmers appeared to be European - they weren't modest at all, never covered up, walked around like nothing was different - i admire their attitude!
bobby
mountain view, ca USA Sun 05/21/2006
Tiergarten in Berlin
As someone who enjoys nude beaches whenever I can, I must say I really enjoy the European attitude about nudity. On a trip to Berlin, I enjoyed nude sunbathing in the Tiergarten, the huge park in Berlin. The nude sunbathing area was southwest of the Siegesauele (victory monument). Some observations: Everyone who was nude stayed on the ground--no walking around showing off. A lady came by selling soft drinks. It was the first time I ever purchased a drink in the park, totally naked, from a clothed person! In Berlin, do as Berliners do!
Jeff
Chicago, IL USA Mon 05/08/2006
Nude Camping places in Europe
I would recommend a stop at the naturist resort Euronat, located on the southwest (Atlantic) coast of France a little over an hour's drive north of Bordeaux.
Early June is still considered the off-season, so you can rent a cabin quite cheaply (and you can rent it for only a few days - Euronat's 1 week-stay requirement is only in high season. ie. July and August). Or you can camp there in a tent if you wish.
Euronat has many cabins spread around the grounds, but the place is so large (over 800 acres) that there are far more pine trees than cabins.
The best feature is the beach; over a mile of wide sandy beach (all nude, of course) fronting the resort.
There are some facilities on site (a couple of restaurants, convenience store, bike rental. etc.) but it's cheaper to drive into the nearby little town of Soulac for supplies. (The LIDL store on the way into Soulac has cheap bulk food.)
For more information, visit www.euronat.fr (click on the British flag for the English-language version). But be aware that the "40 daily activities" are only in high season, July and August. However, the indoor (nude) swimming pool was open when we were there (the last week of May), which was great when it got too chilly to be nude on the beach.
(E-mail me for more details. if you wish.)
The other place I would definitely visit is the town of Zandvoort, on the Dutch coast west of Amsterdam and Haarlem. The beach in front of the town is clothing required, but at the southern end of the town, where the beach-front buildings end and the beach is then backed by a high cliff, that's the start of the official nude beach area.
This world-class nude beach (which seems to go on down the coast forever) has several beach cafes.
The only problem is the awful Dutch summer weather - but don't miss this beach if you happen to be there on one of Holland's rare warm and sunny days, because on those days it's one of the best nude beaches in Europe.
I'm afraid I don't know where the closest camping site would be (but there many campsites in Holland).
David Flurrie <email>
Philadelphia, PA USA Sun 04/23/2006
For jeni in Irvine:
See my post of 3/15/06 where I mention a great worldwide reference on nude recreation. Get your hands on one if you can. The best reference we've found on Cap d'Agde is "Cap d'Agde: The Naked Truth" by Ross Velton, obtainable from Amazon and elsewhere. We will be visiting Cap d'Agde in late May and early June for our first time. Being shoulder season, we understand that it is not likely to be very crowded (yet). And the campsite appears to be quite large.
Robert <email>
Mukilteo, WA USA Wed 04/05/2006
nude beaches rock!
nude beaches rock!!!!!!!!! i think that everyone should be allowed to express their emotions with nudity. its their choice and noone should be judged for it. anyone who tries to criticize nudity is immature and shouldnt be able to be so intolerable. thank you for listening and remember boys and girls... nudity is awesome!!!!!!
alex baby!!1
USA Thu 03/30/2006
Nudity is here too.
I have to say, the idea of American modesty is certainly a sliding scale. My husband and I (both 24, and neither of us are immature males) live in So. California and frequent many nude recreation areas. San Diego and Orange County have several nice official nude beaches which are quite popular. More importantly for us, the Western US is home to hundreds of hot springs where nudity is the norm. We have visited dozens of them, and found that virtually everyone who takes the time time to visit such places (clothed or nude) is welcome and also accepting of others. We have also found that those areas are usually the best places for camping.
One of the reasons I clicked on this site was to see if there are any "natural type" settings others would recommend in Europe. We will be car camping across the Continent for approx. 2 months this summer (15 countries), and would love to find interesting places with hot springs, rivers, lakes, etc. for nude recreation. Naturist camping reccomendations would also be great, since I have read those are often the best. Still we can't seem to find a comprehensive resource listing such places. Does one exist?
Also, does someone have info on camping at Cap'd Adge. We want to go, but are not sure when we could get there. Can you just show up and find a camp spot (early June).
Thanks in advance.
Jeni
jeni
Irvine, CA USA Sat 03/25/2006
UK
I havent had the opportunity to visit a nudist beach in the UK but I must say that I have been to many beaches where there are many topless women in the summer season in the South of England. Even on more conservative beaches my girlfriend always goes topless with anyone ever hardly noticing her.
Funky dog
London, London UK Sat 03/18/2006
FOR Kyza, from UK
Kyza,
I read your post and I want to ask you what's wrong with Speedos? I presonally love them and I believe men should show more skin (or butt). Nothing is wrong with them.They look HOT on some men, as long as they have a great body.
No speedos would be like one piece large coverage swim suits for women.
Bea
Cleveland, OH USA Sat 03/18/2006
Personal items, etc.
My wife and I have enjoyed nude recreation for most of our lives and have noted that, as in Europe, attitudes toward nudism vary regionally around the States. We've frequented many beaches, hot springs and other areas in the West that are clothes-optional, including natural wonders such as Lake Tahoe. Sadly, the premier worldwide reference on clothes-optional recreation is now out of print (Baxandall's Guide to Nude Beaches and Recreation).
Someone asked about where to stow personal effects whilst roaming in the buff. A friend of mine recently presented me with a great gift for this dilemma: A zippered pouch, made in Thailand, that can be draped from the neck that is the perfect dimensions for holding passport, railpass, roomkey and a few euros. I look forward to putting it in service at Cap d'Agde, the world's largest nudist colony, in the Languedoc this spring.
If you elect to visit a clothes- optional locale, be it in the States, Europe or anywhere else, leave your libido and camera behind; remember that (nearly) everyone else will be nude, too; and bring something to share. You are bound to discover, as we have, that the vast majority of people you encounter are quite genial. Last tip: Be certain to acquaint yourself with the local ordinances or laws regarding states of dress or undress. They very frequently are geographically specific (e.g., "nudity permitted north of this sign only"). In certain locations, violation of the local laws may land you in more trouble than you want to deal with.
Robert <email>
Mukilteo, WA USA Wed 03/15/2006
No on in Europe CARES
Does it really matter? Most Euros really don't care whether you were wearing a 3 piece suit, topless or nude on the beach. My only wish is that Euro males would get out of wearing Speedos and into shorts or nude - nowt worse than speedos, man. They're just WRONG.
As for American males taking loads of pics on nude beaches...sad, sad sad little boys who need to grow up, don't you think? 'Wow! A pair of real, live breasts in public!!! AMAZING!! Gotta getta shot of that!!!' Pathetic really.
Kyza
London, UK Tue 03/14/2006
The English-speaking countries have always had a more sophisticated and developed view of the individual than the continental. This has led to a stronger belief in and valuation of such things as privacy which in turn makes makes public nudity in its various guises less acceptable. The continental approach is, by comparison, rather more crude.
USA Thu 03/09/2006
Different countries have different standards of behavior about what is appropriate. In some but not all European countries, nudity at the beach etc. is perfectly acceptable. However, in the USA and many other countries, in general nudity is looked upon as a private matter and not something you show to the world.
Who is wrong, Europe or the USA? Neither, it's just about different cultures.
As such, A.Popa, you are wrong for coming to the USA or any other country and calling people paranoid, hypocritical etc. just because the culture and behavior is different than the country you came from. . You need to respect cultural differences in the USA just like Americans are expected to respect European differences and you should have learned what is appropriate behavior in this country before taking off your clothes at the beach.
kjh
Texas USA Mon 02/27/2006
THE FREEDOM IS IN EUROPE …
In 1983 I came to Newport Beach, California. I soon realized how hypocritical USA is when it comes to nudity. Coming from a so called Communist country where nude beach was allowed during the Communist Regime, I found no reason to worry about having my 2 - 3 year old children running naked on the beach in a “free country”. Little that I know that soon after my wife takes her top off; passing people keep starring at us as we were rare animals in the zoo. Beach patrol soon arrived and threatened us with jail time… So much for the double standard that exist in US.
All movies show how easy going people are in US, but reality is that…. When it comes to nudity THE FREEDOM IS IN EUROPE … Americans are flat out paranoid and immediately judje you as a pervert or even worst…
Stick to Europe is my advice if you really want to enjoy the true meaning of FREEDOM.
Also, if passing by the Romanian Blak See, stop and anjoy the true meaning of FUN in any of the resorts and especially the Nude section of the COSTINESTI Youth Village. In my probably bias opennion is the best resort in the world when it comes to Nudist, young crowd and night life. None of the US beaches can match that. NONE.
You could be turned off a little by the lack of professionalism in the hotels and restaurants and a less clean beach…but the FREEDOM you feel wile there is unmatched by any of the world NUDE resort I visited.
The Nude section is located on the north part of the beach, near the ( Epava ) an old sinked sheep. Prices are on the low end…and accommodations still hard to find.
Happy 2006 Naturist Vacations
Anton Popa <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA Wed 02/15/2006
My experiences
My first real nude experience (apart from the Boys Club) was at Mirama (sp?) in Germany. For only a few more Marks one can enjoy the suana garden, which is nude and coed. I remember being asked by the Germans why we Americans had to wear clothes in the sauna - I replied "Ich wise nicht!" - I don't know. I still don't know. Since then I've gone SCUBA diving, running, swimming, played volleyball, and so on nude and love it! I'm glad I tried something new! BTW, in my opinion American modesty is "False Modesty". There is a time and place for all and the Europeans seem mature enough to realize that.
Roger Paul <email>
Bethesda, MD USA Tue 02/14/2006
naked in Stuttgart
Ah so, to be German in Stuttgart is to have the opportunity to take the U-bahn a quick 5 minute ride from central Stuttgart to the mineral baths. Today I ventured out about noon alone, in search of the Bad Leuze, a mineral bath and sauna health spa. Totally bundled up against the cold and wind I changed trams once and then travelled to the 5th stop and got off. In the countryside, clueless as to the directions I had received orally the day before, scanning the horizon for the Nekar river as a supposed landmark. When in doubt follow the tram folks worked eventually.......and a few minutes walking on a trail brought me to the baths.
It's a large complex of indoor and outdoor pools of various temperatures and a sauna section. It cost 7 euros for a two hour ticket of access to the baths. Sounds easy enough..
The first challenge was figuring out how much to pay, in German..........then deciding what to do with the little blue token I was given and where on earth the entrance gate was. A woman who spoke only Spanish came along and showed me how to drop the blue poker-like chip into the slot on the automatic half gate and I entered. Following the signs and arrows (!! ) I descended the spiral staircase two levels and found myself with more mysteries..........individual changing rooms with double doors for both men and woman all together and a series of little lockers for your clothes. Again the Spanish woman showed me to place my blue poker chip in the inside of the locker door which releases the key on a wristband. Oh yea, just like the community pools of my childhood, only high tech sort of. A nice efficient wristband attached to the numbered key gave me hope........
I changed into my suit without incident, locked the little locker and headed out the eingang to the pools.
Lovely pools, 30 degrees and 35 degrees centigrade. The cooler one is a swim in and swim out affair witha plastic hanging door. The outdoor pool had many curves with an island in the middle with a strong current that will propell you around. Perfect if you wanted to float on your back and cruise effortlessly. Yummy. And with a fine mist falling, pure heaven.
Having totally enjoyed my outdoor experience I decided to tackle the sauna. Say it as if you are from the south, saauuuna. First problem, which door is the women's sauna? I asked a German sixty-something man for the sauna dammen. He mutters back something, and I keep looking for my door.
Eventually I ask again and the answer is : gemeinsam. Means both or common. As in men and women together. And from the moment I passed into the room............ total nakedness.
Somehow son Stuart failed to mention this drama........ middle aged men and women sitting naked on their towels in the 100 degree centigrade dry sauna, or the 70 degree centigrade "aromatic" sauna, take your pick. Naked folks wandering around the common area, inside the "sauna" space but outside of the actual sauna rooms.
Stu had told me that towels were optional, but as I sat there in the hot sauna, wrapped in my towel, the only one wrapped in a towel, I was feeling pretty odd...............but I held my ground.
Later, after another round of swimming in the bathing suit part of the facility, I summoned up my courage and went back into the sauna room and tried the aromatherapy sauna one more time..........naked. And "NO ONE" noticed me at all, except for the woman who yelled at me for having my naked feet directly touching the wooden bench. And that's when I learned the golden rule of naked saunas............no skin touches the bench, sit on your towel at all times and that includes the toes. Oh, and don't make eye contact. One man did come in and shout "Gut God" or some greeting like that and the whole room responded in chorus. And other than that, pure silence in the subtly lit room.
The longer I sat there, breathing in the lavender vapors, relaxing my worries away I realized I was probably the youngest woman in the room, and the thinnest. What was I worried about? And the men were in all shapes and sizes too..and most older than me.
Just another day on the travel trail.
When I emerged from the Bads I was shocked to find myself in a blizzard snow storm. As I put on all my layers including a scarf, vest, long coat, wooly hat and boots I retraced my pathway to the U-Bahn stop looking like a little snowwoman. Laughing, laughing about all the surprises of the day. Proud of myself for blending in with the Germans....................
Ann
Bow, WA USA Fri 02/10/2006
American modesty?
Without a doubt, modesty is a cultural traight amongst Americans. I know growing up, it was expected that your 'privates' were just that... a private area that should be kept to oneself.
I personally believe the Europeans have it right. By not making a big deal about nudity (in fact, never even giving it a second thought), it's basically a moot point. We in the States focus, inexplicably, far too much on nudity. Nudity is tha natural state of man. What is so awful about nature?
Perhaps I am just a bit more open-minded and liberal, in a sense, about the facts of nature. I don't see nudity as a 'sexual' thing, but merely as the way of nature.
I'm sure most Europeans, from what I can gather, have no hangups about nudity, in the home or otherwise, and that must stem from the fact that they were reared in an environment that was very much 'non-focused' on the sexual connotations of a naked body. Separating sex from nudity seems to be almost impossible for the majority of Americans. Europeans, on the other hand, seem to have never inculcated such a connection between the two. Bravo to my European brothers!
Steven <email>
Hershey, PA USA Tue 02/07/2006
wondering why
After reading these posts, I get a "slight" feeling of North American bashing. It seems that everyone points at the Americans and their hang-ups with nudity. I will admit that I can not answer for the European indifference or coolness of attitude to nudity, but as an American (Italian American) I do appreciate a beautiful female body and if that beautiful body is nude, it certainly attracts my attention/interest. Maybe it is male hormones. Have the European men surrendered their male hormones?
Now, that doesn't mean that I am going to be rude and stare or consider that nudity as an invitation to approach someone - not at all. But I am sure that the Americans are not the only ones "excited" (pun intended) by nudity.
P.S. we do have several nude beaches and resorts in the U.S. as well.
Mike <email>
Sarasota, Fl USA Sun 02/05/2006
A state of mind
The credible state of mind of nudity. Honestly, we were born nude, and therefore 'some' people that are comfortable with themselves and their self esteem, should have virtually no problems sheding all clothing, if even just for the moment. Americans and Euros alike will either be for it or against it personally. I say, find an environment that is safe and shed those outer layers exposing what god gave you to the elements. Forget the looky loos and just enjoy the moment. Before the ravages of time make the skin you're in, not so admirable. ;-]
Ca USA Fri 01/20/2006
Nudity in the Czech Republic
I posted a statement about a nude swimming area in Prague a few weeks ago and realize that I made a mistake. It was not in Prague but in Pilzen, where the great Pilsner-Urquell beer is made (26 ouncer for 55 US cents at the square there). I doubt anyone rushed to Prague to swim nude but I wanted everyone to know that Pilsen is a good place to visit in the CR also.
Jim
Anchorage Alaska, Ak USA Tue 01/17/2006
Personal Belongings
Where do you put your money belt, hotel key, etc. when going natural?
Michael S.
Stevensville, MI USA Tue 01/10/2006