National nudist

In the pretty and affluent San Diegan suburb of La Jolla hides this secret nude-y gem. Up in the northwest of Germany, the island of Sylt might be a resort getaway for well-heeled Germans. But you can forget about packing the resort wear when visiting Buhne 16 - the country's oldest official nudist beach. You might have to pick your way along a scrub-fringed path to get to El Torn naturist beach, but that's where the discomfort ends. Get ready to plonk your bare behind on deckchairs, shade yourself under sunshades or simply enjoy the feel of its soft sand.

With a history going back as far as the s, naturism has become a distinctive part of the landscape on the Studland peninsular. Today, Studland has probably the best known official naturist beach in Britain. The National Trust welcomes naturists and has marked out nearly 1km of beach where clothing is optional. We ask that naturists and non-naturists alike respect the rights of others and refrain from behaviour likely to cause offence. Police and rangers patrol regularly and will be happy to help with any concerns. The area is clearly marked with green-topped posts and blue signs. We ask naturists to be clothed if they're outside the designated area.

More than journalists flocked to the region — then part of Yugoslavia — to mark the first time such a meeting had been held in a communist country. For the next seven days, delegates discussed everything from relations with nudist groups in other communist countries, to the dangers to the movement posed by pornographic magazines. Sessions took place in the courtyard of a palatial villa originally built for German Count Lichtenberg.

National Today. Nudism is the act of practicing nudity, or arguing for the right to do so. Most — although certainly not all — nudism occurs on private or specifically designated property.