The Best Gay Nudist Beaches in Europe

Europe is famous for its comparatively liberal culture, so it’s no surprise that some of the world’s best gay nude beaches are found here. In many parts of the world, gay nudist beaches would be unthinkable at a conceptual level. In Europe, it's not a big deal.

From the Mediterranean to the North Sea, you’ll find sandy stretches where clothing is optional and LGBTQ+ sunbathers feel totally at ease. These beaches aren’t just about getting a tan without lines – they’re social hotspots with scenic views, and often a dash of cruisey fun in the dunes. Below, we highlight a few must-visit gay nudist beaches in Europe, from Ibiza to Mykonos.

Es Cavallet (Ibiza, Spain)

This ever-popular nude beach on Ibiza’s southern tip is a gay sunbathing paradise. By day, you’ll see guys recovering from Ibiza’s nightlife, lounging by the turquoise water at Es Cavallet’s gay section. There’s even a popular beach chiringuito (aptly named Chiringay) serving food and cocktails right on the sand​. To reach Es Cavallet you take a bus from Ibiza Town then walk 20 minutes through salt marshes and dunes (don’t worry, everyone on the trail is heading to the same place, instant camaraderie!)​. A rainbow flag marks where the gay area begins, and beyond that lies a clothing-optional stretch that’s often full of naked sunbathers and a bit of cruising in the bushes​. Insider tip: July and August are peak season when the beach is packed with gorgeous guys – for a quieter scene visit in June or September.

Elia Beach (Mykonos, Greece)

Mykonos is virtually rite-of-passage for gay travelers, and Elia is its most famous gay beach​. At the far end of Elia Beach, you’ll spot the rainbow flag fluttering where gay travelers congregate​. This section is clothing-optional, so many sunbathers work on all-over tans. Elia’s vibe is chic and social – think chillout music from nearby beach bars, groups of friends chatting, and couples relaxing in the crystal-clear Aegean. It can get very busy in high summer (XLSIOR, Mykonos’s huge gay festival in late August, brings even more crowd)​. If you wander beyond the main cove, there’s a smaller cove frequented by nudists and cruisers looking for a bit more privacy​. After a day of sun and sea, you can head back to Mykonos Town for the island’s legendary nightlife, but many say an afternoon at Elia is the highlight of their trip​.

Kiosk #7, Maspalomas (Gran Canaria, Spain)

Maspalomas is a gay nude beach in the Canary Islands and it may be the most liberated gay beach in Europe. Gran Canaria is a sex-positive party destination where people leave judgment at the airport. The beach itself is huge – a golden Sahara-like expanse with rolling dunes that provide plenty of secluded spots​. The main gay area centers around Kiosk #7 (a small snack bar) about a 20-minute walk east through the dunes from the main resort​. Don’t be surprised to see hundreds of gay men here, some in tight Speedos, many stark naked, all enjoying the year-round sunshine (Gran Canaria’s climate is warm even in winter)​. The scene is friendly and fun – people take dips in the Atlantic, socialize under beach umbrellas, and if you’re feeling frisky, the labyrinthine dunes behind the beach offer cruising areas. By evening, everyone heads to the Yumbo Center in Playa del Inglés for nightlife, but by day the action is all about Maspalomas’s dunes.

Lecciona Beach (Tuscany, Italy)

Hidden in a protected natural park between Viareggio and Torre del Lago, Lecciona is Italy’s most famous gay nude beach​. It’s an undeveloped, un-signposted stretch of sand backed by pine forest – totally free in every sense (no entrance fee, no umbrellas for rent, no bars – you bring all your own supplies)​. The reward for making your way here is a beautiful, untamed beach where gay sunbathers flock, especially on summer weekends​. Lecciona is clothing-optional and attracts many nude swimmers due to its privacy​. There’s also a long-running gay beach club called Mama Mia nearby, which sometimes gives Lecciona its nickname “Mama Mia Beach”​. To get here you’ll likely need a car or bike, then walk 15 minutes through the woods and dunes – but that remoteness keeps Lecciona feeling like a queer slice of paradise.

Beach 19 (Costa da Caparica, Portugal)

Just outside Lisbon lies Beach 19 (Praia de Bela Vista), an expansive naturist beach that’s a magnet for gay sunbathers​. As part of a protected reserve, Beach 19 has miles of sand and dunes, so even though it draws big crowds in summer, it never feels jam-packed​. Historically a clandestine gay cruising spot during Portugal’s conservative years, it’s now totally open and proudly gay-friendly​. You’ll find a mixed LGBTQ+ crowd here, mostly men, enjoying nude sunbathing and swimming. The beach has a cruisy vibe in the dunes (especially later in the day), but it’s also just a gorgeous place to relax by the Atlantic. Note: there used to be a little train to reach Beach 19, but it no longer runs all the way, so a car or rideshare is the easiest way to get there nowadays. Pack a cooler with drinks and snacks (there are no facilities on-site), and enjoy one of Europe’s largest natural nude beaches where the rainbow flag flies freely.

These are just a few highlights – Europe has plenty more gay nude beach spots, from Brighton’s clothing-optional beach in the UK (pebbly but popular, especially with gay men in summer)​ to Cap d’Agde in France, a famed nude resort where one section of the beach is predominantly gay and known for raunchy fun in the dunes. Wherever you go, remember the etiquette: respect others, keep the fun consensual, and don’t forget sunscreen in all those easy-to-miss places!