Topless sunbathing
 

I know it is quite common for women to be topless thoughout Europe at the beach. Are women of all ages topless at the beaches in Spain? I am a 53 year old woman, am in decent shape for someone my age, am not uncomfortable nudity, but I don't want to be the only one on the beach with a bathing suit. Any comments? What about at the pools at our hotels in Madrid and Barcelona?
Thanks so much.
Cindy

You certainly will NOT be "the only one in a bathing suit" at hotel pools. Unless you go to a particular beach which is KNOWN for being very much a "nude beach" then you won't be the only one clothed there, either.

You will not be the only one in a bathing suit. If you think there's even a chance you may change your mind, buy a tankini before your trip. That way, you can slip off the top if you decide to. No one cares. No one will notice. No one will pay attention. But, it sure is nice sunning topless on your chaise for a change. Just a thought...

My only Spain experience was in the Canary Islands, and it may be different, but . . . on the large beach there (Playa de las Canteras) I saw a total of 3 women topless, two of whom probably shouldn't have been.

I was quite comfortable in my one-piece suit.

You can wear whatever you feel more comfortable. Some people likes topless, some not and no one is looking what the others wear or not :) At least here, in Castellon, at the Mediterranean.

The best advise is : When in Rome...if you see other ladies going topless just go ahead , enjoy the new experience and have fun..
Topless is less popular with the young crowds nowdays, I noticed it everytime I go back to Italy and France, as a matter of fact last June when I was in Nice, the majority topless ladies were over 40..

I'm 54, petite and in good shape. I sunbathe topless any time I'm on a beach where there are others doing so, and ALL the time by the pool at my house in France.

I don't think there are that many beaches in Europe where everyone is half-naked; at least I haven't encountered that. If you want to wear a suit, wear one.

In most places in europe topless sunbathing (by women up to and over 80) is perfecly acceptable. If you prefer to keep you swimsuit on - that's fine too. No one really cares.

One big hint. If you go topless be sure you have really good sunscreen - esp for the more sensitive areas.

We noticed that on Capri and at the beach in Monterosso, there were some women who were topless. When I say "we", I really mean that my husband noticed and then thoughtfully shared his observation with me.

But I was able to pry my eyes away more readily than he was and noticed that many women - the majority -had on full bathing suits.

What i also noticed is that everyone had on bikini's - hardly any one piece suits. Even those who probably more in the "bikini challenged" category had them on. So the moral of the story is anything goes.

Something else to think about when deciding to go topless: How tan are you? On our trip to Indonesia, I had been wearing a bikini prior to the trip (both top and bottom). When the thought of removing my top while on the beach was considered, I realized that I was very "white" underneath my top. This put a whole new meaning to "headlights", so I kept my top on!!

<< I saw a total of 3 women topless, two of whom probably shouldn't have been. >>

I'm not necessarily the most likely leader of a debate over feminism and personal values...

...but isn't one view of gender (and other) equality that neither age, nor gender, nor physique are determinants of "should"?

Is anyone tallying how many men "should" (not) be wearing x or y or z?

I also find it curious that a tankini is somehow a preferred swimsuit of choice for the indecisive. I haven't been to the beach in Europe for a year or several now... but I seem to recall that topless sunbathers coped just fine with swimsuits of every kind, include ordinary one-piece suits.

Best wishes,

Rex

Although say there's a lot of topless in Spain, I'm pretty sure it's mostly non-Spanish women on the beach who are topless.

Younger Spanish girls are going topless now but the older Spanish women keep their tops.

The Costa del Sol is full of Europeans topless but when you travel onto the Atlantic area-Costa del Luz-you won't find as many topless.

There are variations but the topless increases on the beach at the same ration as foreigners.

Blackduff

huh?

rex, are you saying that the topless bathers you've seen just drop the straps of their 1 piece and have it bunched around their waist while they sunbathe topless? Talk about uncomfortable.

My experience has been that most remove the top of a 2 piece suit - and if one's bikini days are over, then a tankini gives one a choice. But, I would venture to guess that 99%+ of tankini wearers choose it for other reasons and never take off the top (in the US at least).

<< ... are you saying that the topless bathers you've seen just drop the straps of their 1 piece and have it bunched around their waist while they sunbathe topless? >>

Seen it countless times - - mostly older women, but some that were surely only in their 30s also.

I didn't ask if they were comfortable, nor sense that they were not.

Generally, I've found that at 'family-oriented' beaches, one sees very few women going topless. This also holds true for beaches at which most of the people are Spanish (not necessarily locals).

I can't speak for hotels in Madrid or Barcelona, but I saw a topless lady sunbathing (vere discretely) at a rooftop hotel pool in el Puerto de Santa Maria (Cadiz); at the public beach there, I saw no such thing.

I think Blackduff has the right idea. To be sure, you might ask your Hotel Concierge about the local beaches and opportunities for topless sunbathing.

I've noticed that going topless seems less fashionable than it was a few years ago and tends to be in a minority. It's also more prevalent on beaches, rather than beside pools.

"I saw a total of 3 women topless, two of whom probably shouldn't have been."

Well, one of those two was me - and don't blame my friends, they did try to warn me about that rogue wave..... :)

Sue wins.

I sunbathe topless any time.

I'm a great fan of topless sunbathing. It is fun to watch and educational for children.

"...Nobody will notice you..." probably because a lot of the women are actually looking at the bottomless men.

Right now, I'd be happy if I could walk around in shorts. It's been chilly in this part of the world.

I am going to ramble for a bit, as this is a pet topic of mine.

When I was an exchange student I spent 6 months with 1 family, then 4 with another. The first family was your everyday Spanish family and I never once saw anyone but my little sister in their underwear, much less naked or topless. Then I moved in with family #2. It was March, and even though it was the Mediterranean coast, it was too cold to not wear clothes. Consequently, I did not find out that they were nudists until well into May when my host mother and I prepared the pool, then got in, I with a bathing suit and she without. I was so incredibly uncomfortable that I just froze. Long story short, she got angry with me and all through lunch was snippy. I, of course, assumed I was in the right to be uncomfortable, and didn't understand her upset. When Papa got home later that day I heard him mowing the lawn and I went outside to tell him of Mama's weird behavior. He waved to me and I was mortified to see that he wore a hat, an old pair of Nikes, and nothing else.

So, I thought they were crazy. Then the neighbors started coming over and they would all get naked. Same with their co-workers, and when their children's friends (all grown up) would come for a visit, they too would strip down. All but me. Then one day I decided to do it, so I just grabbed my towel, walked out of the house and left it on the patio, walking all the way to the pool. No one noticed.

Since then I can prance around with the best of them. Mama always jokes that I am the nakedest kid of the bunch when I am there, and now when I am on the beach, I never wear a top. It sounds weird, but it is a complete non-issue. Go as you like and if you are the only one in a bathng suit and feel weird, take off your top and see if it doesn't actually make you feel better.

Excellent story, Laclaire!

Great story! It kind of exemplifies the benefits of traveling doesnt it - getting exposed (in this case literally) to other cultures/ways of living. I applaud your open mindedness.

OK, I'm changing my vote. Claire wins.

If the mood strikes you, you can always don a see-through bathing suit for even more exposure.

Whoa! Good feedback, guys. And yes, chicagolori, it did a lot for opening my mind. Mama always says "we like you more now that you aren't so uptight." Leave it to those Mamas. . .

Claire, what did your family back at home say when they found they had sent you into a den of nudists?! But good for you for adapting.

I have known a few people who have hosted homestay students. I wonder if the screening process involves any questions about the family's nudity practies.

I also think it's silly to talk of who "should" and "shouldn't" sunbathe topless. I'm not interested, in part because sunbathing does not go well with my fair skin, but the fact that I don't have Hollywood-style breasts, or anywhere close, should not be a factor in determining whether I want to enjoy the sun in this manner. (Nor should it stop someone who has had mastectomies, for example.)

Yes, that screening process was broke for sure.

Reminds me of a little french boy I saw on the beach. He was looking at a topless women with very large breasts, and said to his mother (while pointing); mama, elle a des tres grandes .. At which point his mom said SHHHHH!

Will and North- the family had hosted twice before I came, and both times they had requested Scandinavian girls because of their nudist ways. However, I came up on the market for a family and they were near my original host city, so it worked out. My mother was mortified, but we decided that as long as they were good people (which they were), there was no reason to leave.

2 summers after the homestay, though, my dad came to visit and Papa went swimming with him, naked of course, and my dad still claims it was a "cultural man test." Mom was so distracted by the armpit hair that I think the nudity went almost unnoticed.

Do all nudists live in "dens"??????

When I was in Barcelona two years ago, the beach was packed and it seemed like everyone was going topless except the three American college students near my towel. As others have suggested, I'd just go with a flexible mindset...

If you think you want to do it, Cindy, check out LL Bean's new summer sale. I just got an email today.

They have several of their swim suit "bottoms" on sale for 1/2 off - $9.95.

I bought several when renting a villa on St. Croix - with private pool and spa. Just knew I wouldn't need the tops and so had a "wardrobe" of choices to choose from.

The new surf short style is really cute.

Their suits are great if you need a 1 piece - or even the tankini that Rex took offense to :-)

<< ...even the tankini that Rex took offense to ... >>

didn't take offense... just sorta chuckled and failed to understand why one style of swim suit lends itself better than other to removal, partial or otherwise...

Rex,

A tankini looks like a one piece, but is in two pieces. Therefore, you can whip off the top and sunbathe topless easily and comfortably.

Didn't realize you didn't know what a tankini is.

BTW, my guess is more buy them for the ease of "bathroom breaks" than "topless sunbathing" but they are great for both! :-)

No, of course, I realize what a tankini is.

The top... of any two piece suit... comes off equally easily, no?

And as I indicated, I have seen any number of visitors to Europe's beaches whose top came <i>down</i>, even if was a one-piece.

My guess was that the 53 year old woman would not be wearing a bikini. Just an assumption - one that could easily be wrong. Hence, the suggestion of a tankini.