Russians and naturism

[Xen]

Does anyone have any experience of being naked in Russia ? I've been to a bath in London which has quite a few visitors from Russia, Ukraine and the other ex Soviet states.

They're all men working in costruction so relatively young and in good shape - unlike the majority of locals who are older and fatter. In general they are naked - there's a big wet area so it's usual to leave towels outside and go into the steam/sauna/seating area without anything - which is totally liberating. Occasionally though a small group comes in who keep their shorts on.

I wonder what its like in Russia, is it like Finland where everyone goes naked or are people less keen to strip? Would be interested to hear from anyone who has been there.

[Sauna]

Does anyone have any experience of being naked in Russia ? I've been to a bath in London which has quite a few visitors from Russia, Ukraine and the other ex Soviet states.

They're all men working in costruction so relatively young and in good shape - unlike the majority of locals who are older and fatter. In general they are naked - there's a big wet area so it's usual to leave towels outside and go into the steam/sauna/seating area without anything - which is totally liberating. Occasionally though a small group comes in who keep their shorts on.

I wonder what its like in Russia, is it like Finland where everyone goes naked or are people less keen to strip? Would be interested to hear from anyone who has been there.

Russians and Finns are always naked in sauna. In Finland in public saunas you have to be naked it is a rule but usually public saunas are separared for females and males.

Nudism is popular in Russia and normally they are not shy at all.

[Naturist4Ever]

>> Russians and Finns are always naked in sauna.

I am not sure what you mean by "naked", in the sense that we're all naked underneath our clothes. In that sense, using a towel isn't naked. I am not a purist but "always naked" can mean a lot of things.

Customs might also differ between single-sex sauna's vs mixed sex, even in finland.... Possibly the ONLY country where it doesn't matter is germany with netherlands and austria on a 2nd and 3rd place. However, even in Holland - which has more sauna-cities per sqkm than anywhere else - swimwear days are getting more common at some places. Presumably to attract the crowd of women who are reluctant to shed it all in presence of the opposite sex. Unlike Finland I guess, in the germanic countries sauna's are all mixed gender.

[vapaa]

Now nudity isn't restricted there (as it was in the SU), so nowadays many clubs and societies as places in Russia too, one of it is a beach of "Dunes" on Finnish Gulf beside St. Petersburg, where in sunny summer day you may see hundreds of people. Good beaches on Black Sea. Sauna is right, that country also belongs to natural world.

[Gunther Netzer]

I am not sure what you mean by "naked", in the sense that we're all naked underneath our clothes. In that sense, using a towel isn't naked. I am not a purist but "always naked" can mean a lot of things.

I think you're nit picking here. We all know what is meant by "always naked" as used in a context on a naturist message board

[nudd]

Now nudity isn't restricted there (as it was in the SU), so nowadays many clubs and societies as places in Russia too, one of it is a beach of "Dunes" on Finnish Gulf beside St. Petersburg, where in sunny summer day you may see hundreds of people. Good beaches on Black Sea. Sauna is right, that country also belongs to natural world.

Comparing to Holland or German nude and c/o beaches, "Dunes" doesn't look very friendly (poor ecology, female/male ratio, atmosphere etc). In Russia public pools have no nude swimming hours.. In aquaparks and sport clubs saunas are separated and you only can go naked to small saunas with your own friends..

[Sauna]

Comparing to Holland or German nude and c/o beaches, "Dunes" doesn't look very friendly (poor ecology, female/male ratio, atmosphere etc). In Russia public pools have no nude swimming hours.. In aquaparks and sport clubs saunas are separated and you only can go naked to small saunas with your own friends..

That is mostly true, but they are coming. They have also naturist clubs with winter activities. The other thing is that they are not shy to tan naked in the miidlle of the city in Baltic countries where are wide nude beaches.

[birdie]

i guess we are in Holland pretty liberal concerning nudity in saunas all on coed base. However swimsuitdays become more often...

[Naturist4Ever]

>> I think you're nit picking here. We all know what is meant by "always naked" as used in a context on a naturist message board

Actually i wasn't nitpicking. Those familiar with the dutch sauna culture know there is a certain resentment by the nudist/naturists towards the towel/bathrobe wearing masses, let alone those that opt for the bathingsuit-mandatory days (that's even aside the hygienic aspects). Similarly, nudists get sometimes (depending on the locality) critisized for their "open" nudity.

That's what I meant - yes we maybe "nude" but if that means wrapped in a toe-to-head towel then it isn't statement of being comfortable with nudity. As we're all nude underneath our clothes. That is all I meant.

[Capricornus]

In Russia, the situation with naturism is worse than in the Northern Europe, but the larger city - the better (Moscow is the best city for naturism in Russia, dur to its "Serebryannyi bor" beach).

In saunas people are usually totally naked, but they have different departments for ladies and men.

A very good place for naturism is Crimean peninsula, esp. places like Ordzhonikidze and Koktebel with their large nude beaches.

[Danee]

http://www.naturism.ru/WebFKKbeach/eng_Koktebel.htm is a nice site with a good deal of information on those areas. I would love to travel all through that area and Eastern Europe too! Comon yankee dollar! Climb!

http://www.naturism.ru/WebFKKbeach/K99_325622.JPG