Naturism and the Beautiful People in Sylt

Beach Essentials

Where: Sylt, sandbar off north west Germany
When: July – August for sun lovers, in October surf is up on windy Sylt
Happenings: Nude bathing, windsurfing and swanky upmarket beach life
Remember to bring: Not a stitch to wear!

Sylt lies five miles off the north west coast of Germany. It is usually referred to as an island, though in fact this giant great big sandbar is tenuously attached to the mainland. Jutting out 25 miles into the North Sea, Sylt is the longest continuous beach in Germany.

Sylt’s incredible beaches and spas have made it a popular retreat for Germany’s rich and famous and it is sometimes called the ‘Hawaii of Europe‘. Since members of the Naturist movement began flocking here in the 1920s, however, it has also earned its reputation as the German birthplace of modern nudism.

Climate

The North Sea location of Sylt means that winds on the west side of Sylt are strong all year long. On the eastern side the dunes and rugged cliffs make for a much more tranquil beach experience.

Highlights

Whether you’re up for a game of nude volley ball, after the exhilaration of skinny-dipping freezing North Sea or simply want to perfect your all over tan, Sylt is the place to let it all hang out. People don’t tend to come here to check out the opposite sex but there’s an easy going atmosphere where you can just relax and be at one with nature. If you do need something to warm you up a little, best head for the beach sauna!

Sylt’s wind-buffeted location make it an excellent place to go windsurfing. Every October the world’s finest windsurfing talent comes to this tiny island to take part in The World Windsurfing Championships.

Where Germany’s elite head off on their holidays, you can be sure to find some fabulous shops and restaurants on Sylt. Though they may be somewhat pricey for the budget traveller, be sure you don’t leave without sampling some of Sylt’s famous fresh oysters.

In Westerland, the capital of Sylt, you can pamper yourself with cleansing spa and beauty treatments. Some may sound a little strange – such the ‘Cleopatra Treatment’, which involves being anointed with milk, oil algae and herbs and then placed in the Kraxenofen packed in heated hay – but we’re assured they have unrivalled purifying properties.