Barefoot or patent leather shoes – naturism on Rügen
Today we are addressing a somewhat delicate question, but one that is absolutely relevant for visitors to Rügen and Hiddensee and perhaps also helps to better understand what it is all about. Do you prefer to be covered or naked on the beach? Rügen and Hiddensee have a decades-long naturist culture, which was and is not welcomed by everyone.
The traditional nudist culture, which originated in the 1950s in the GDR, stemmed from the joy of experiencing nature, becoming one with nature in the nude, feeling free as a fish in water, without any reference to sexuality.
Due to conflicting opinions about this, the so-called nudist zones were created on the beach. For about 100 years, Hiddensee has been regarded as a pure idyll of nature, which many artists, dropouts and individualists have always been unable to escape, and which is famous for its extensive nude beach. Although swimwear regained popularity after the fall of communism, nude bathing lovers still predominate on Hiddensee.
On Rügen, on the other hand, as on most beaches, nudists have been moved to a secluded part of the beach, usually right next to the dog beach. So if you ever want to try it out, you now know where you can find it and indulge in nature undisturbed.
A little insider tip on Rügen is the fine sandy beach between Lobbe and Thiessow, where naturists and textile bathers live in peaceful coexistence and simply enjoy being. On Hiddensee, the best place to enjoy the beach undisturbed and without day tourists is at the end of Neuendorf, just behind the small lighthouse, or in the north behind the stone wall towards the lighthouse steps.
The centre of the island, the village of Vitte, is usually a bit crowded because it is visited by day trippers and water sports enthusiasts and is mainly claimed by textile bathers, although nude bathing is possible everywhere on Hiddensee because here, too, both parties agree on a harmonious and tolerant coexistence. This is then more a question of one’s own well-being.
Here is an overview of the nude bathing beaches on Rügen.
