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SWISS HABITS

Are there nudist beaches in Switzerland and what are their rules?

As the weather gets hotter, you may want to shed all your clothing and go swimming in just your birthday suit. But are there places in Switzerland where you can do that without breaking the law?

Published: 15 June 2023 16:33 CEST
Updated: 21 August 2023 14:53 CEST
A woman bathing in the sea
Yes, you can strip off, if you are not 'indecent'. Photo: Pixabay

If you want to go to a beach stark naked, you will be relieved to know that Switzerland’s, um, penal code, does not ban public nudity — as long as it is not lewd.

At the same time, the country does have legislation against public indecency, so the line here is quite blurred.

But the bare facts are these: as long as nudity is not provocative or vulgar — again, this is all in the eye of the beholder — then bathing naked should be no skin off your back. 

So which Swiss beaches are nudity-friendly (or at least tolerant)?

Here are a few beach and park areas where you can strip down, according to this Swiss guide: 

Werdinsel, Zurich

A little island on the river Limmat is where you can find the only official nudist beach in Switzerland.

It is conveniently located 40 minutes from the Zurich train station and can be accessed by public transport — though you should definitely wear your clothes there.

Die Neue Zeit, Gampelen (BE)

This nudist beach is located on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel, towards the Thielle canal.

Les Bains des Pâquis, Geneva

While the main section of this popular public beach does not permit nudity, its sauna area (which includes two hammams, a rest room, a steam bath, and a space with direct access to water) is clothing-optional.

Naturist Club, Geneva

This vast nudist park has no access to the lake, but has a large salt-water swimming pool for entire families.   

La Petite Amérique, Yvonand (VD)

This stretch of sand along Lake Neuchâtel is not an official nudist beach, but in-the-buff buffs like to sun and swim there nevertheless.

READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about getting naked in Switzerland

Are there rules to be observed in nudist areas?

Other than bringing lots of sunscreen and a towel to sit on benches and other hard surfaces, the etiquette is “to respect the space of others and that nudity be without ulterior motive. Also refrain from judging your neighbour’s physique out loud”.

What about topless bathing?

This practice is very common in Switzerland (and not just for men).

Nothing in the federal law addresses the issue of toplessness; cantons don’t have such legislation either, leaving final decisions in this matter to individual municipalities.

It is perhaps incorrect to say that the vast majority of communes in Switzerland actually authorise topless sunbathing and swimming, but they don’t ban it either.

This means that unless there is a sign forbidding topless sunning and bathing, you can assume that you can do so safely.

In fact, toplessness is a political issue in Switzerland.

“From an equal opportunities perspective, it is clear that the same rules should apply to all genders, including women and non-binary people,” said Helena Trachsel, head of the Equal Opportunities Office in the canton of Zurich.

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TRAVEL NEWS

Your questions answered on the UK’s new £10 entry fee for European travellers

From next year, European travellers visiting the UK will be required to pay a £10 Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in order to enter. The Local answers your questions on what that means for people living in the EU or EEA, including EU spouses and dual nationals.

Published: 13 September 2024 12:10 CEST
Your questions answered on the UK's new £10 entry fee for European travellers

The UK has introduced an electronic travel authorisation scheme known as ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) for people paying short visits such as tourists of those visiting family members.

The ETA – which costs £10, lasts for two years and must be applied for online in advance of your trip – is already in place for citizens of some countries, but in the spring of 2025 it will be expanded to include EU and EEA citizens such as French, German or Swiss nationals.

You can find full details of the scheme and how it works here.

The UK government information is largely geared towards tourists, and readers of The Local had questions – especially on how the changes affect people with residency in an EU or EEA country, on the position for EU spouses of a UK national and the changes for dual nationals.

Does this affect Brits who are resident in an EU/EEA country?

This system all depends on the passport you are travelling on, not where you live or whether you have a residency permit for another country.

So in short if you are travelling on your UK passport, you will be treated like every other Brit and won’t need an ETA. If you are a dual national, it depends on the passport you are travelling on (more on that below).

However Brits who have an EU partner or spouse (who don’t have a British passport) should be aware that the changes will apply to their spouse.

Does this limit stays in the UK for EU citizens who are married to a Brit?

ETA, like the EU’s new EES biometric passport checks and ETIAS visa waiver, does not change any of the existing rules around immigration or long-stay visas.

At present, citizens of a number of countries – including all EU/EEA countries and a number of non-EU countries such as the USA and Canada – benefit from visa-free travel to the UK for short visits. Those people can stay in the UK for up to 180 days per year without needing a visa, although they cannot work in the UK.

This category would cover tourists and people making short visits to family. Anyone who wants to stay longer than 180 days in a year, or who wants to work in the UK, would need a visa or to apply for residency through other routes such as the EU Settled Status scheme. This includes EU nationals who have a British spouse.

What changes under ETA is that the people making short stays will no longer benefit from visa-free travel – instead they must apply online for the ETA visa before travel.

Those who wish to stay longer or to work in the UK must apply for the relevant visa or residency permit type, exactly as they do now.

What about Irish passport holders?

The exception to these rules is for people travelling on an Irish passport. Because of the Common Travel Area between the UK and Ireland, those travelling on an Irish passport will not be required to get an ETA, and in fact nothing changes for them.

The exemption only applies if you are using your Irish passport to travel – if you have an Irish passport but are using another non-UK passport to travel you will be treated according to the passport you present. 

Likewise, UK nationals are also exempt from the requirement – but only if they are using their UK passport to travel.

Do children need an ETA?

Yes, everyone entering the UK will need an ETA, including children and babies. The travel authorisation costs £10 for everyone – unlike the EU’s ETIAS, there is no cost exemption for over 70s or under 18s.

Do I need an ETA as an airline transit passenger? That seems mad if I’m only passing through the airport?

Yes, an ETA is required for everyone, even if you’re only passing through a UK airport as part of a connecting flight. This has sparked fury from the UK’s ‘hub’ airports such as Heathrow, where bosses say the change could cost them up to 4 million passengers a year.

The government says: “Requiring transit passengers to obtain an ETA stops people who may use connecting flights to avoid gaining permission to travel to the UK.”

What about dual nationals?

The key thing for dual nationals to remember is that your passports are not ‘linked’ – so the immigration official that you present your passport to has no way of knowing that you also have the passport of another country.

Dual nationals are therefore treated according to the passport they present. So let’s say you have a UK passport and an Italian one – if you travel to the UK on the UK passport, you will not need an ETA. However if you travel on the Italian passport you will need an ETA.

It is perfectly legal to use two passports while making a trip, so that you can enter the UK showing your UK passport and then on your return to Italy show the Italian passport – this allows you to avoid the formalities for foreigners in both countries. If you are doing this, you will just need to take care when supplying Advance Passenger Information (API) to your travel provider that you are supplying the right information for the passport that you will be using for each leg of the journey.

When does this start?

The ETA requirement is already in place for citizens of certain countries and then will continue the roll-out in two subsequent stages.

Citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates already need an ETA to enter the UK. From January 8th 2025 it will be extended to citizens of all non-EU/non-EEA countries and then from April 2nd it will be required for all EU/EEA citizens (with the exception of Ireland). Find the full list of countries here.

How do I get the ETA?

You apply and pay online before you travel – the UK government says that applications should be processed within three working days but that some could take longer. You cannot enter the UK until your application is processed.

Once issued, the ETA lasts for two years and allows multiple trips – although if your passport is renewed during that two-year period you will have to apply for a new ETA.

Find full details of how to apply here.

Why is the UK doing this?

It’s a security measure and is part of the UK’s plan to digitise its borders. The scheme is intended to reduce queues at the border, “helping to speed up legitimate journeys to the UK”, a government spokesman said.

It is very similar to the EU’s ETIAS visa waiver – due to come into effect in the spring of 2025 – and the US’s ESTA visa, which has been required for all visitors since 2009.

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