Naked People On The Beach
On my third day exploring Copenhagen with my two friends, we witnessed public nudity for the first time.
At the beginning of the day we rented bikes from our hostel to explore the city. I definitely recommend doing this! While using the bike lanes and managing the busy traffic was a little tough, the experience was well worth it. We wanted to see several spots located in different parts of the city, and we were able to do that with our bikes!
We began our day at Juno the Bakery. Visiting the quaint bakery was one of the highlights of my entire trip. I tried one of their cardamom rolls and it was, hands down, one of the best pastries I’ve had in my life. The line stretched out the door, and we had to wait awhile before we got our treats, but it paid off. After we biked to a different spot to eat lunch, we returned to Juno to get more cardamom rolls for the road.
With our delicacies secured in our bike baskets, we headed to Kastellet. Kastellet is a star-shaped fortress in Copenhagen, and it’s considered to be one of the best preserved citadels in Northern Europe. Soldiers as still as statues were posted at the entrance and exit, creating a more surreal atmosphere. Even with the gloomy weather that covered us throughout our visit, this spot was a powerful sight to see.
After strolling through the fortress and taking in the architecture, we hopped back on our bikes and went to Amager Strandpark, a seaside public park. Located on the island of Amager, the park offers an almost three mile beach. We meandered along the path until our feet hit sand. The day was quickly turning to night, creating a serene ambience.
As we walked closer to the shore, I spotted someone dive into an enclosed portion of the sea. I remember seeing them, stopping my my tracks, and saying, “Is that person naked?”
My two friends, not having seen it, unintentionally gaslit me to believe that the person was just wearing a bathing suit the same shade as their skin tone.
So, the three of us continued walking near the sea, arm and arm, singing made-up songs. This moment felt so special to me. My arms were linked with two of my best friends, and we laughed as we walked in the cold November air. On our walk back toward the path that lead us away from the beach, I was proved right.
“That person is naked.” One of my friends said.
We looked over, still being far enough away to allow for privacy, and sure enough, we saw a trail of two or three naked people taking turns jumping into a sectioned-off portion of the water.
The swimming basin is called Helgoland Badeanstalt. The facility has several sections, with nudist areas and clothed areas. Some portions are free entry, and some require a membership pass to enter. I’d known that nude beaches were more common in Europe, but I wasn’t expecting to come across one! The shock of it made the experience a funny turn of events.
I remember shivering and wrapping my coat tighter around myself, as I thought about jumping into the cold sea, with no clothes on, in November. I applaud the people who are willing to experience that!
We eventually made it to our bikes, grabbed some dinner, then went back to our hostel to rest after our eventful day. Copenhagen has been one of my favorite cities that I’ve explored so far. It’s a beautiful place, the people are friendly, and there are so many interesting things to do.
I plan to share some more stories of my short time there, but for now, they are encapsulated in my red travel journal.
Mags
The red travel journal series