Croatia is probably one of the best destinations in Europe for sunbathing and skinny dipping on holiday. There are plenty of naturist beaches in Croatia - both official ones and hidden corners of beaches where people have made a habit of swimming naked. There are also plenty of naturist campsites.
Croatia - a naturist-friendly destination
The Croatian coast is considered one of the most naturist-friendly destinations in Europe. Croatia has a long history of naturism and according to Cronatur.com, the first naturist beach in Croatia, Paradise Beach on the island of Rab, opened back in 1934. On the site Adrigate you will find a list of 100 naturist beaches. In other words, there's a lot to choose from!
Nude swimming at Zlatni Rat
We are currently at the famous beach Zlatni Rat in Bol on the island Brac Zlatni Rat is of course not a nude beach, but you don't have to go far from the famous beach to find signs indicating where you can swim naked. It's also low season in October, so the beaches aren't very crowded at all.
We took the opportunity to sunbathe and swim naked for a few hours today in the absolutely fantastic weather. Here in October you are more or less alone on the naturist beaches and it is easy to find your own little hidden corner among the rock formations, if you want to. What are your views on nude bathing and naturist beaches? Do you like to swim naked whenever you get the chance or is it completely unthinkable to set foot on a naturist beach?
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4000mil says:
Hey, a straight question requires a straight answer as they say! 🙂
I think it is a tremendous feeling of freedom to bathe naked in privacy.
But unfortunately, I find it quite disgusting with other unknown people's (men's) naked bodies close to me, so unfortunately there will be no naturist bath for me.
23 October 2015 - 18:45
Åsa says:
We swim naked as often as we can! There is a nude beach at Cabo da Roca! 🙂
23 October 2015 - 19:04
Role o Carina says:
Ha ha, we like to bathe naked just me and the wife then want to say! 🙂
In Gran Canaria at Maspalomas there are naturists!
But we are happy to pass by quickly, ha ha, but they look like they are enjoying themselves 🙂 .
Take care and enjoy...
23 October 2015 - 19:56
BP says:
Let's put it this way. Have been to a few naturist beaches and frankly I found it aesthetically extremely disgusting. Most of the middle-aged to old nudists were men who had passed their sell-by date at least 20 kilos ago. Almost got the feeling that they did not want to lie dressed on a "normal" beach. Agree to some extent with 4000mil there.
I have bathed topless many times, it was in vogue in the 1980s and 1990s here in Sweden, but has completely disappeared here at home.
The few times I've sunbathed naked, I've burned myself completely in the place that is usually covered by the bottom part of the bikini, if you know what I mean.
23 October 2015 - 20:05
admin says:
4000 miles, thanks for a straight answer! 🙂 I can absolutely understand what you mean. I like sunbathing and swimming naked, and on some naturist beaches, but not on all. I also don't like it if it's too crowded or too many men. This is perfect right now. Almost completely empty. (Just us today and a lonely elderly woman who lay down behind a rock crevice).
Åsa, sounds lovely! 🙂
Rolle and Carina, we also prefer a bit of privacy. Quite ok that there are other people, but not too crowded and not a lot of lonely men 😉 October is a perfect month, we promise! 😉
BP, haha, I see what you mean. We have visited some that do not fit your description! Here and now it is perfect because they are almost empty (can come some others, but it is very sparse and often rocks in between, so it feels more like you are alone). I sunbathed topless in France because that "fashion" has apparently remained there, but in Italy and the Balkans it is usually not ok on the usual beaches. (I have also happened to burn myself once, but now the sun is a little weaker and we are not completely white either;))
23 October 2015 - 20:51
Mr Steve says:
I didn't realise I was such a prude, or whatever. I have never bathed naked, not even in my solitude. I have simply never thought along those lines, but now that I think about it, I realise that it must be very nice. So it's time now, when I have finished bathing.
I've never thought of myself as being overly decent as a person, but I have a few times experienced naturist beaches with, as BP writes, men who have passed their best-before date by several kilos, loudly making noise and bucketing BEER and then not feeling attracted. Rather discouraged.
It sounds very nice to take a bath in October, both with and without clothes, and I understand that you are taking advantage of the last of the bathing season....
24 October 2015 - 9:44
Ama de casa says:
I don't mind swimming naked, but not with strangers...
Saw a report from a nudist/naturist campsite in a camping magazine. I had to chuckle a bit. They went shopping for food in the supermarket naked? I'm laughing again now. Didn't feel entirely hygienic, I must say...
🙂
24 October 2015 - 10:03
Across the board says:
I can imagine it but in privacy. We ended up on a beach in Varnemunde, Germany this summer and it was very mixed and I was not entirely comfortable in that situation. On the other hand, it can be nice to sunbathe topless, but I can't walk around ..... maybe the feeling would be different if you don't have whales everywhere :p
24 October 2015 - 11:05
Ditte says:
I don't sunbathe so that part is not relevant. But when we had a boat, I liked to jump in from time to time without clothes and have done so in various places around the world.
When we sailed in Krioatien, I liked to swim without textiles, but there was no real beach.
24 October 2015 - 11:17
Veiken says:
I like to swim and sunbathe naked wherever I feel comfortable! No problem at all with that! I do not have more than what is in the biology books. Well, that's not entirely true! Some kilos of expiry dates are unfortunately available! 🙂 Have fun!
24 October 2015 - 13:03
Motorhome couple says:
We have travelled around a lot in Croatia and especially on the Istra Peninsula we have stayed at naturist campsites, great!
For us, a naturist campsite is the perfect campsite. No hassle with clothes when bathing, showering, etc.
A&A
24 October 2015 - 13:40
Lena in Wales says:
Love to swim naked in a Swedish lake, without other people.
Have not had the opportunity to follow you, work a lot here in Spain, but will make up for it later.
Take care!
24 October 2015 - 14:05
admin says:
Steve, it can be a bit different on naturist beaches. I've felt uncomfortable at some naturist beaches in Sweden, but most of the time I think they are quite normal and respectful people. And yes, it is fantastic to extend the summer with sun and swimming in October!
Ama de casa, I know there are places like that but usually it's not like that. I would never shop naked and would not appreciate if others do it either... 😉.
Across the board, you can get a slightly different feeling in different places, and maybe it's a matter of habit too. I often sunbathed topless in France (where it is common) but usually put on the bikini top if I was going to swim or go somewhere etc. But the French women seemed more used to it: they played ball with the kids and kayaked topless 😉.
Ditte, when you travel around by boat you are often a bit lonely and in secluded places, nice to be able to swim naked then 🙂.
The road, but isn't it? Most people know what naked people look like, so it's no surprise. Then you have to choose places where it feels comfortable and ok.
Motorhome couples, that sounds lovely! We have also stopped at some naturist campsites, although we usually choose "regular" campsites.
Lena in Wales, yes it is a wonderful nature experience!
24 October 2015 - 16:08
Ruth in Virginia says:
Was on St Maarten /Martin, an island that is half Dutch and half French.
What a difference! The Dutch section is all honky-tonk like Las Vegas, while the
French is, well, what can I say, more French. On the French side is Orient Bay,
an incredibly beautiful beach, which is completely "nude beach". Saw many incredibly beautiful,
tanned bodies walking on the beach.
The mother-in-law had a summer cottage on one of the Fingerlakes in Upstate New York, and the...
where we used to swim naked in the evenings. It feels like velvet against your skin.
Greatest memory of skinny dipping: 1949 on Gotland. 21 years old and newly engaged.
There were no other people around. Yes, that was it! Fun to remember now in the rocking chair! 🙂
25 October 2015 - 0:29
admin says:
Ruth in Virginia, but oh so fun to read about your memories and experiences! Interesting this difference between the Dutch and the French part. We have also experienced that the French have a very relaxed attitude towards nudity. Even on "normal" beaches, we discovered that there was very often a "naked corner" often with a little floating border to the rest of the beach.
25 October 2015 - 7:46
Linnea Edmark says:
When I read this post the first time I forgot to comment but can now announce that it made an impression in my brain 🙂 I dreamt that I ended up in a hospital for naturists. Both patients and staff were practising naturists while I lay in my white hospital gown. I don't remember having any problems with their nudity except that I wondered about the hygiene and that it looked a bit cold! 🙂
Greetings Linnea in Bavaria
26 October 2015 - 10:28
admin says:
Linnea, haha that was pretty funny! Interesting to hear that we make an impression on people's dreams! 😉
26 October 2015 - 13:26
Petra says:
Hey, awesome article Helena and Peter.
We wrote about top 3 beaches in Istria here https://villsy.com/blog/nude-and-happy-top-3-nudist-beaches-istria-93/ so please let us know your opinions on this list 🙂 .
Cheers.
22 April 2020 - 22:31