As the Med is now practically a bath, it’s high time we visited the spots where bathers can bare all and be at one with the elements. Spain has many nudist beaches along its 8000-km coast line offering everything from remote coves to wild beaches. The only thing you need to wear is your sun cream! Here are the top 10:
1. El Puntal (Ribamontán al Mar, Cantabria)
Nobody is immune to the charms of this beach, which is located smack in the middle of Santander but is only accessible from the city by boat, or after a 40-minute trek from Somo. The pier is just across the construction site for the new Botín Center. Once there, the beach bar El Puntal is a living testimony of how this sandy spit has grown in popularity: 45 years ago it occupied the end of the beach, and now only 300 meters separate it from Punta Rabiosa. Beachgoers still fill the chiringuito at lunchtime because of its popular Rabas (squid strips) and albóndigas de bonito.
2. Els Muntanyans (Torredembarra, Tarragona)
This superb chain of dunes stretching for nearly two kilometres has an area of 200 meters reserved for the Adam and Eve types, who can lie here with the sound of the crashing waves in the background. This may well be the most relaxing spot in the entire Costa Dorada. To get there, park the car near the Cal Bofill Environmental Activity Center and take the boardwalk located behind the magnificent dunes —The Mountains, as they call them around here — until you reach the nudist area, which entails around a 10-minute walk.
3. Playa de los Alemanes (Foz, Lugo)
Translated as Beach of the Germans, this is just one of many strips of sand named after the European pioneers of bathing in the nude. This particular strand evokes the Germans who used to work at the nearby kaolin mine, which is still in operation. It is the most dazzling of the nudist beaches in all of Lugo province and is also referred to as Area Brava. Bathers form a large family within the 135 meters of fine sand backed by a shield of cliffs where pine and eucalyptus trees are reflected in the water. Los Alemanes, which lives up to ISO 14001 and EMS environmental standards, is better enjoyed when the tide is going down. To get there, drive by Cangas de Foz, take the exit to Burela and park in Areoura. The path leading down to the beach is tucked in between a cluster of homes at various stages of construction.
4. Chiringuito Bananas (Matalascañas, Almonte, Huelva)
Sitting atop a tall fossilized dune with no other buildings in sight, the Bananas beach bar flies its rainbow flag
to announce the friendly and alternative lifestyle that rules along a 25-km stretch of untouched coastline between Matalascañas and Mazagón. Chiringuito Bananas is Andalusia's gay beach bar “par excellence,” and a living tribute to the original owner and soul of this place, Salvador Jordán, who has since passed away. The nudist area is located around 150 meters from here. The bar serves coquinas (small wedge clams), grilled choco (small cuttlefish) and for dessert, shots of rum, whipped cream and cinnamon. Patrons can sit back and enjoy the sunset to the sound of chill-out and bossa nova.
5. Roques Planes (Calonge, Girona)
On the Costa Brava, seekers of nudist havens must take the side roads. In Sant Antoni de Calonge, leave the car at the free parking lot near Martina tower, then walk south for 15 minutes to see for yourself that it is still possible to find a virgin stretch of coastline dotted with nothing but pine trees. There isn’t a lot of sand to go around, but there are lots of flat rocks and other spots to lay down a towel and enjoy views of the bay of Palamós. Erosion has created the Roca Foradada (Hole-drilled Rock) and the Espalda de Ballena (Whale’s Back).
6. Guayedra (Agaete, Gran Canaria)
Now here is one of those pieces of Canary Island heaven that have yet to be truly discovered. A dirt path veers off the GC-200 road linking Agaete and La Aldea, shortly after Kilometer 5. This 900-meter stretch takes you down a ravine that was once a major settlement for the aborigine people of the island. We are inside the Natural Park of Tamadaba, where the contrast between the green hue of the palm trees and the harshness of the rocks creates a unique charm. From here, it is necessary to continue on foot a further 15 minutes before reaching the most enchanting nudist beach in all of northern Gran Canaria, a place of pebbles and volcanic sand under the imposing presence of the Faneque, with its 1,000 meters of free-fall. Swimming here is dangerous.
7. Siete Playas (Mutriku, Gipuzkoa)
The well-defined beach of Saturrarán is an excellent place for a stroll over to the crags of Atxeku and the country house of the Count of Motrico. A footpath bypasses the estate on its sea-facing side and leads down a flight of stairs to the wild area of Siete Playas, known for its black flysch sedimentary formations. Old Neptune is always a menacing presence around here, so experts recommend coming on days when the sea is calm, and two hours before low tide if possible. After that, consider another stroll down the newly refurbished seaside promenade to Ondarroa, to sample the creative tapas at Bar Cantábrico.
8. Ponzos (Ferrol, A Coruña)
In El Ferrol, large but dangerous beaches are the predominant physical forms along the seafront. A concrete
ramp leads down to this wild setting, where spots for sunset-watching are at a premium. There is nothing in Ponzos quite like walking along the water at low tide and gazing down at the ojos vidales, seashells used to make amulets. There used to be a gold mine here, and a cylinder-shaped tower that is still standing marks the beginning of the nudist sector. Swimming here is dangerous, and experts recommend doing nothing more than “poking the wave,” or touching it and quickly jumping out again.
9. Son Bou (Alaior, Menorca)
The longest beach in Menorca is slightly over two kilometres long and boasts fine sand that feels very satisfying under your feet. To reach the nudist area, leave the car back at the hotel and walk around 300 meters. This area is also accessible from Santo Tomás. The dune’s vegetation slopes down in a great display of beauty, as it blends in with the bright green of the prat, the second most important wetland on the island and a watering hole for numerous bird species. Bathers should heed the flags alerting to the swimming conditions.
10. L’Ahuir (Gandía, Valencia)
Now here is a true prodigy, a piece of surviving nature — dunes included — in southern Gandía, where untrammeled development is not exactly what one would associate with conservationist values. Yet the success of this two-kilometre strip of untouched coast has led to a conservation effort that includes long wooden boardwalks to protect the dunes. There is a nudist sector and another one for pets, with complimentary doggy bags.