Nudist Camp: What It Is, How It Works and Why It Is Attracting More and More People
When someone hears about a nudist camp for the first time, the reaction is almost always the same: a confused smile and a series of questions no one asks out loud. This is understandable, because the topic of nudity still carries the weight of prejudice, even in parts of Europe where naturism has a tradition more than a century old. And yet, according to data from the Tourism Review portal, more than 20 million Europeans regularly practice naturism, placing this phenomenon far beyond the limits of a “niche” hobby.
The very idea of an organized stay without clothing dates back to 1903, when Paul Zimmermann founded Freilichtpark near Hamburg, the first space of its kind in the world. Since then, the movement has grown into a global network. According to the International Naturist Federation (INF-FNI), there are now 40 national federations with more than 1,000 clubs across all continents. To put that into perspective, in France alone, naturism employs more than 3,000 people and is worth around 250 million euros annually.
Despite these numbers, places like this still raise more questions than almost any other form of tourism. What does everyday life look like in such a space, who comes there and why do they return? We answer those questions below, with a special focus on Ada Bojana, the only nudist camp in Montenegro, which has been attracting visitors from across the region for decades.
What Is a Nudist Camp?
A nudist camp is a fenced, organized space designed for staying and relaxing without clothes, with complete infrastructure for multi-day accommodation. Unlike an FKK beach, or nudist beach, which refers only to a section of the coast designated for swimming without clothing, a camp functions as a self-contained complex with bungalows, restaurants, sports courts and shared spaces. You may sometimes also come across terms such as naturist settlement or naturist resort, but there are differences between them and it is worth knowing them before your first visit.
How Is a Nudist Camp Different from an FKK Beach?
You come to the beach, take your clothes off, swim and leave the same day. In a camp, you spend your days in a space where nudity is the norm, with everything you need for a holiday lasting several days or weeks at your disposal.
There is also the question of rules. On most naturist beaches, there is no formal control, which can sometimes lead to unwanted situations. A camp has clear regulations: nudity is mandatory on the beach and in open recreation areas, while minimal clothing is required in indoor spaces such as restaurants, reception areas or shops for hygiene reasons. One of the strictest rules, which often surprises beginners, is the obligation to carry your own towel, because no one sits on public chairs, benches or sun loungers without first placing a towel underneath.
How Does a Nudist Camp Work?
For many people, everyday life in a camp is surprisingly similar to staying at any other seaside resort. You check in at reception, receive the key to your accommodation, go to the beach, eat at the restaurant and use the sports courts. The only essential difference is that you spend most of the day without clothes, in a space where no one comments on it and where it is completely normal.
What Rules Apply in a Nudist Camp?
In addition to the rules about nudity and towels that we have already mentioned, a nudist camp has an entire code of conduct designed to ensure that all guests feel safe. Taking photos without the explicit permission of everyone present is strictly prohibited, staring is considered rude, and any sexual behavior in public areas is sanctioned by immediate removal from the camp. According to Cypress Cove, one of the oldest naturist resorts in the United States, these rules exist precisely because naturism has nothing to do with sexuality, but with freedom and comfort.
There is one more thing beginners should know. Most camps apply a quiet tolerance toward new guests who are gradually adapting to the environment, so no one expects you to undress the moment you walk through the gate. Likewise, if it gets cold or starts to rain, you dress completely normally, because nudity is never an absolute requirement.
What Facilities Are Available Inside the Camp?
Most nudist camps offer much more than a beach and sun loungers. A typical camp has a restaurant with a terrace, often on a half-board basis, sometimes also an à la carte restaurant, a bar, sports courts for beach volleyball, tennis and five-a-side football, while some also offer water sports schools such as kitesurfing or windsurfing. There are also facilities such as outdoor massage, bicycle rental, horseback riding and mini-markets for basic necessities.
Everything is designed so that guests can spend their entire holiday inside the complex. From morning breakfast on the terrace, to a game of table tennis, to dinner by the sea, every part of the day is covered without the need to leave the camp.
Who Visits Nudist Camps?
If you imagine a nudist camp as a place reserved exclusively for older couples, you are not alone, but that picture is incomplete. According to a 2022 Ipsos survey, as many as 14 percent of adults in Great Britain described themselves as naturists or nudists, compared with only 2 percent in the same survey from 2001. Couples still make up the largest share of visitors, but families with children, solo travelers and younger generations are increasingly present, especially in camps across Western Europe.
What has changed is the profile of the guests. According to the naturist blog Naked Wanderings, more and more young people are visiting naturist spaces, but they do not identify with the term “naturist” or join organizations. They come because the atmosphere suits them, not because of the ideology. At the same time, the British organization British Naturism is recording its fastest membership growth since 1964, confirming that nudism is no longer a matter of one generation or one profile, but something that attracts an increasingly wide range of people.
Why Do People Choose a Nudist Camp for Their Holiday?
The reasons are more varied than you might expect, but essentially they come down to two things: a sense of freedom that is difficult to experience on any other type of holiday and contact with nature that most modern resorts no longer offer. The two are connected, and together they explain why people return to nudist camps year after year.
Freedom and Relaxation Without a Dress Code
When you take off your clothes in an environment where everyone around you is doing the same, something unexpected happens: you stop thinking about your body. Research by Dr. Keon West from Goldsmiths, University of London, published in 2017 in the Journal of Happiness Studies, confirmed exactly that. The study, conducted on more than 849 respondents, showed that people who practice naturism have a more positive body image, a higher level of self-esteem and greater overall life satisfaction.
This is neither a coincidence nor a placebo. In a camp, there are no designer swimsuits, no comparing brands and none of that quiet feeling that someone is judging you by what you are wearing or how you look. The bodies around you are ordinary, different and completely untouched by filters, and it is precisely that normality that feels liberating in a way that is difficult to explain until you experience it.
Nature and Digital Detox
Most nudist camps are located in places where nature dictates the rhythm of the day: river mouths, sandy beaches and forest belts far from city noise. This is no coincidence, but part of the philosophy of naturism, which from its beginnings in Germany developed as a movement inseparable from living in harmony with nature.
This isolation makes the camp an ideal place for a digital break. With no need to “get ready” for anyone’s camera, no constant Wi-Fi signal and no urban noise, guests naturally return to simpler things: swimming, walking, reading and conversation. For many people today, that is a greater luxury than a five-star hotel.
Where Are the Most Famous Naturist Camps in Europe Located?
Naturist camps exist across the continent, but the highest concentration is found in four countries: France, Croatia, Spain and Greece. Each of them has a different tradition and a different type of offer, from large settlements with thousands of guests to smaller camps surrounded by untouched nature.
France is the undisputed capital of naturism, with the largest number of camps in Europe, including entire naturist settlements on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts where you can live, shop and eat without clothes. Croatia is the second major hub, especially along the Istrian coast, where some facilities welcome more than 100,000 visitors a year. Spain attracts naturists on the southern Mediterranean, while Greece offers numerous smaller locations scattered across the islands of the Aegean Sea.
Ada Bojana: The Only Naturist Settlement in Montenegro
In the far south of Montenegro, 15 kilometres from Ulcinj, the Bojana River flows into the Adriatic Sea and forms a triangular island covering 4.8 square kilometres. According to legend, the island was formed in the 19th century when the ship “Merito” ran aground at the river mouth, and river sediment gradually created land around the wreck over the following decades. The naturist settlement was founded in 1973, during socialist Yugoslavia, and according to numerous sources, in the 1980s it welcomed up to 3,000 guests a day during peak season.
Today, Ada offers three kilometres of sandy beach, accommodation in villas and bungalows, restaurants, sports courts and kitesurfing schools on the river. What sets it apart from most European camps is its location: the river on two sides, the sea on the third, and nothing around it except sand, reeds and silence. This is not a nudist camp trying to look as if it is in the middle of nature, but a place that truly is.
How to Prepare for Your First Stay at a Nudist Camp
Your first time in this kind of environment may sound like a bigger step than it actually is. Preparation is simple, most of the things you need are already at home, and the rest comes down to common sense and a few practical details.
What Should You Bring and What Should You Pay Attention To?
The most important item in your suitcase will be a towel, and not just one, but at least two: one for the beach and another to carry with you for sitting on public surfaces. Sunscreen with a high protection factor is essential, because the sun reaches parts of the body that are not usually exposed. As for footwear, comfortable flip-flops or sandals are enough for moving around the camp, while on the beach they are often not even necessary.
For the stay itself, relax. No one expects you to feel completely at ease from the first minute, and most regular guests remember that same feeling of insecurity from their own first day. The best advice is simple: undress when you feel ready, do not look around too much and behave the way you would on any other holiday.
Short Packing List:
- At least two towels, one for the beach and one for sitting on public surfaces
- Sunscreen with a high SPF
- Comfortable flip-flops or sandals
- Light clothing for indoor spaces and cooler evenings
- A small bag or phone case to avoid taking photos unintentionally
A Nudist Camp Is Worth Experiencing, Even Just Once
Now that you know what to expect, how to prepare and which rules apply, only one question remains: are you ready? If the answer is “maybe,” that is more than enough, because most of today’s naturists started with exactly that dose of curiosity and healthy skepticism. Nudism is not an ideology and it does not ask you to change your way of life, only to try something different.
Ada Bojana, with three kilometres of sandy beach at the mouth of the Bojana River and an atmosphere that large European camps no longer offer, is a good starting point for that “maybe.” Whether your journey takes you to the south of Montenegro or to another destination from this guide, one thing is worth remembering: once you spend a day in a nudist camp, you will understand why people keep coming back again and again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Have to Be Completely naked in a Nudist Camp?
On the beach and in open recreational areas, yes, nudity is mandatory. In indoor spaces such as restaurants, reception areas or shops, minimal clothing is expected for hygiene reasons. If it gets cold or starts to rain, feel free to get dressed, because nudity is never required at all costs.
Is Photography Allowed in a Naturist Camp?
As a general rule, no. Taking photos without the explicit permission of everyone present is prohibited in almost all camps of this kind. It is best to keep your phone in a small bag or case to avoid even accidentally taking a photo.
How Much Does It Cost to Stay in a Nudist Camp?
Prices depend on the destination, type of accommodation and time of season. In European camps, they range from around twenty euros per night for a camping pitch to 100 euros or more for accommodation in bungalows or villas with half board. For specific prices, we recommend checking the official website of your chosen destination.
Can I Visit a Camp If I Have Never Tried Nudism Before?
Absolutely, and that is actually the most common scenario. As we mentioned earlier, most camps are tolerant toward new guests and give them space to adjust at their own pace. There is no requirement for previous experience. All you need is the willingness to try.
Are Nudist Camps Safe for Families with Children?
Yes. Most naturist camps in Europe are family-oriented and have strict rules of conduct that ensure a safe environment for all ages. Sexual behavior in public areas is prohibited, photography without permission is strictly sanctioned, and staff regularly monitor compliance with the rules.
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