Below are 10 of the best beaches for baring all. All details are taken from Bare Beaches, which lists over 200 other popular spots for nude bathing around the world.

1. Leucate Plage, France

Mediterranean coast, north of Perpignan

This superb bare beach has 1 km of fine golden sand, the classic Mediterranean beach. The water is normally calm and the shore shelves gently into the sea making it popular with families. Three naturist resorts share the coastline but the beach is open to all and there’s plenty of space for first-time skinny-dippers and lifelong nudists alike.

Go north from Perpignan on the main N9 and turn right on to the D83, signposted Port Bacares. After 9 kms turn left on to the D627, drive through Port Leucate and the bare beach is on the right. Park on the road - easy public access between Aphrodite Village and Club Oasis, the naturist resorts.

2. Playa Es Pregons Gran, Balearic islands

Majorca south coast

This wonderful little bare bay has a perfect crescent of fine yellow sand, washed by a sea so transparent it looks more like the Caribbean. There are no beach bars so bring your picnic and drinks. It’s the jewel in the crown of the popular Es Trenc beach area.

The route to the beach is a pleasant 15 minute walk along the shore, heading north from the resort town of Colonia Sant Jordi. Start at the Hotel Marques Del Palmer, and it’s the third bay along. The fourth bay, if you walk further, also happens to be a bare beach, part of the much larger Es Trenc beach.

3. Haulover Beach, Florida USA

Sunny Isles, north Miami

Situated in the south of the ‘Sunshine State’, this bare sandy beach has a huge following of visitors from across the globe. With glorious weather for most of the year and the vibrant city of Miami on the doorstep, it’s not difficult to see why. The bare area is more than 800 yards long and has its own lifeguards and unobtrusive police patrols. Refreshments, sunbeds and umbrellas are available.

The beach is at Haulover Beach Miami-Dade county regional park, on Collins Avenue (A1A), just north of fashionable Bal Harbour. There is a large car park ($5) right by the beach.

4. Vera Playa, Spain

Costa Almeria

This is Spain’s capital of bare bathing. The long wide sandy beach is popular in summer and has a big choice of naturist accommodation. Beach bars, sunbeds, pedalos and yes, if you really want to try the naturist cliché, beach volleyball are all available. Almeria has the hottest and driest climate in the country, so the beach season is almost year-round. Most European nationalities park their bottoms here, giving it a cosmopolitan and friendly atmosphere.

Take the coast road north from Garrucha, through Puerto Rey, and Vera Playa is well signposted after a further 1.5 kms.

5. Banana Beach, Greece

Skiathos, near Koukounaries, on the south-west coast

Banana beach is the collective name for three lovely sandy bays well loved by nude bathers. Before you ask, the name refers to the fact the beaches are yellow and curved.

During peak season bare bathers mainly use Little Banana, one of the smaller coves, as clothed holidaymakers descend on the main beach. Little Banana is often called the best bare beach in Greece, although there is plenty of competition for the accolade. There is a bus terminus and car park at the end of the Koukounaries road, coming from Skiathos town. The footpath to Banana takes 15 mins through olive groves.

6. Valalta, Croatia

Istria, near Rovinj

If you feel the need for a truly naked de-stress, Valalta is everything you could wish for. It’s so good the nudist campsite here was voted the best in Croatia last year - among all sites, not just bare ones. With two miles of sand and rock beaches, including secluded coves, lined by olive trees and vineyards, this nude beach and village are well loved by bare beach connoisseurs.

The beach is on the Istrian peninsula, 60 miles south of Trieste and five miles from Rovinj.

7. Playa de Maspalomas, Canary islands

Near Playa del Ingles, southern Gran Canaria

Hundreds of acres of sand dunes, looking just like the Sahara, frame the beautiful beach between Maspalomas and the popular resort of Playa del Ingles. It’s 3 kms from one end to the other and over 1 km deep. The bare areas, like the swimsuited ones, have sunbeds and umbrellas for hire. For a quieter spot, walk into the vast expanse of dunes, but be careful not to get lost!

You can walk to the bare beach areas from either end, although the walk from Maspalomas town is slightly shorter.

8. Euronat, France

Atlantic coast, north-west of Bordeaux

The south-west coast of France is almost one vast nude beach, stretching over 100 miles from Biarritz to the Gironde. Among stiff competition, the nude resort beach of Euronat stands out for its clean golden sand, supervised swimming and friendly atmosphere. Thousands of happy families gather here, and the beach is open to both nudist campers and day visitors alike. Other highly regarded resort beaches heading south are Montalivet CHM, La Jenny and Arnaoutchot.

From the seaside town of Montalivet-les-Bains, drive north on the D102 coast road. After 3 kms the road turns sharply right inland. Park and walk on to the beach - the main bare area is to the right.

9. Plakias Beach, Greece

Plakias town, south-west Crete

A fabulous setting of cliffs, mountains and a huge sweep of golden sand make this beach a wonderful place for all-over tanning and fine snorkelling. The sea shelves gently, making it suitable for families, and there are showers available. Refreshments are brought to the beach in season, and umbrellas are available.

The nude area is the last section of the beach, to the left as you face the sea, and unsurprisingly it is often the most popular part of the whole bay.

10. Les Grottes Plage, France

Ile du Levant, Mediterranean

This gem of a beach on the magical island of Levant is reached by an easy coastal footpath 10 mins walk from the quayside. A small natural cove of white sand slides gently into the turquoise sea, providing excellent swimming and snorkelling. The easiest way to get here is by ferry from Le Lavandou, between St Tropez and Toulon.

Seventy years ago Ile du Levant was the birthplace of nude leisure in France. Today, there is a tiny resident community and lots of holiday accommodation. Minimal clothing is normally worn in the village of Heliopolis, but the rest can be enjoyed as nature intended.

Nick Mayhew-Smith

Venice could use a bailout. The city built on water has too much of it.
A tourist walks through an inundated square in Venice, which is suffering its worst flooding since 1986.

Residents and tourists waded through knee-deep water Tuesday as they navigated the city's narrow streets and alleys, and its historic St. Mark's Square was inundated. Boxes of tourist merchandise floated inside the flooded shops around the square and even the city's famed pigeons sought refuge on rooftops and windowsills.


One of the highest tides in its history brought Venice to a virtual halt, rekindling a debate over a plan to build moveable flood barriers in an effort to save the lagoon city from high tides.

City officials said the tide peaked at 61 inches (156 centimeters), well past the 40-inch (110-centimeter) flood mark Monday, as strong winds pushed the sea into the city.

Alarms went off at 6:37 a.m. to alert citizens, but many residents were taken by surprise because authorities had initially not forecast such a high water level.

In St. Mark's Square, one of the city's lowest points, tourists tried to stay dry by hopping on cafe tables and chairs sticking out of the water. The water was so high that someone rowed a small speedboat across the wide square.

"It was quite an extraordinary experience," said Michel Gorski, visiting from Brussels with his wife. "We got stuck in the hotel for half a day but we didn't suffer. We were sorry for the restaurants and stores around, but there was no panic and everyone worked really hard to clean up quickly."

Workers were unable to install the traditional raised wooden walkways used during flooding because the water rose so high the platforms would have floated away too.

"There are very few streets that are water-free," admitted city spokesman Enzo Bon.

In an ironic twist, the flooding also idled the city's water buses because their boarding platforms were underwater.

Bon had no reports of damage to the city's architectural jewels, and the Culture Ministry was monitoring the situation.

It was the fourth highest tide since 1872, when the city started keeping records. The last time Venice saw such high waters was in 1986, while the all-time record was 76 inches (194 centimeters) in 1966.

That flood forced 3,000 people to evacuate and damaged many historic buildings, but largely spared the city's art -- which had long ago been removed to upper floors because of frequent flooding by tides.

"In Venice, we know how to live with high water," said Bon. "Of course there are some problems, because today's was an exceptional event."

Giancarlo Galan, the conservative governor of the surrounding Veneto region, criticized Venice's center-left administration for failing to prepare for the flood and for allegedly stonewalling a long-planned system of barriers that would rise from the seabed to ease the effect of high tides.

The $5.5 billion project, called "Moses" after the Biblical figure who parted the Red Sea, has been under construction for years and is expected to be completed by 2011. The company building the barriers said, had the system been in place, the city would not have been flooded Monday.

Venice Mayor Massimo Cacciari insisted the city's experts had done a good job and had revised their forecasts well before the water came in. Cacciari, who has criticized the barriers, said the government-backed project would be completed.
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With low tide setting in and waters receding Monday afternoon, some tourists were charmed by the water wonderland.

"The hotel had to turn off the gas and the electricity, but they made us a nice candlelit cold lunch," said Yacob Laurent, a visitor from Paris. "They gave us boots and my wife and I went for a walk. It was a lot of fun."

www.cnn.com

How can I protect my health when I travel?

If you have any food allergies, learn the names of those foods in the languages used in the countries you’ll be visiting. This way you’ll be better equipped to stay on the look out for them.

Find out what types of diseases are common to the area you’ll be visiting and take actions to prevent your exposure to those diseases.


Find out what types of vaccinations you will need to enter the country, there may also be medications you’ll need to take before, during and even after your trip. Get your vaccinations early in case you have a reaction and need some recovery time.

You should consider a dental appointment if you haven’t had a check up in a while.

Be careful what you eat and drink.

Carry complete health information with you on your trip.

www.alltraveltips.com

Fall is probably the best time of year to experience all things paranormal. Many of our favorite gay-friendly destinations have year-round ghost tours, and when you round up a group of friends, it can be a frightfully fun experience taking you back to the days when we sat around the campfire and told ghost stories at summer camp. Here is a sampling of the best ghost tours around the country. Happy haunting!

Baltimore Ghost Tours
Join a slew of costumed characters under the cover of night for a guided tour of many haunted pubs, shops, and residences. But don't stray too far from the group because you never know when you'll find yourself face to face with the unknown.

Chicago Hauntings Ghost Tours
Ursula Bielski's Chicago Ghost Tours are conducted aboard the city's only "Ghost Bus," visiting an array of authenticated haunted sites throughout the city. This is not just a driving tour where you'll ride for hours and simply look out the windows of the bus. Rather, they depart the bus several times throughout each tour at some of Chicago's most actively haunted sites, inviting guests to investigate a particular haunted Chicago location for themselves



Key West's Original Ghost Tour
The Original Ghost Tours of Key West provides nightly walking tours through the shadowy streets and lonely lanes of historic Old Town Key West -- Florida's second oldest city and home to a history of pirates, wreckers, smugglers, and a variety of colorful characters.

Fort Lauderdale Ghost Tour
Discover the hauntings, mystery and ghostly history of Fort Lauderdale's dark past on a lantern-led tour along the New River.



San Francisco Ghost Hunt
The San Francisco Ghost Hunt visits the most notorious historic haunted places. You hear thrilling ghost stories based on documented research, touch eerie haunted artifacts, frequently feel a fearful chill, get ghosts caught in cameras, and many other ways experience spirits at enchanting SF haunted mansions.

Austin Ghost Tours
The Austin Ghost Tours' Halloween 2008 Tour will explore the city's fascinating history through downtown's shadowed streets. Relive Austin's unforgettable history, legends, murders and true ghost stories with your knowledgeable and entertaining guide.



Posted by DJ Scotty Quick

Every European city has a history and tradition of its own that attracts the tourists. This article takes a look at the top-ten European cities.
Top Ten European Cities
Europe is one of the most beautiful continents in the world. Many of the European countries are rich in tradition and culture. A traveler vacationing in any of the European cities would have a bewildering array of cultures and scenic beauty. Remember, many of the European countries are famous for their castles and palaces. Greece and Rome have a wide array of fascinating ancient historical ruins and legends that narrates the rituals and traditions of ancient times. Given below are the top-ten must-visit European cities.

Top Ten European Cities

1. Rome: Rome, the capital city of Italy is a city which has a rich culture and tradition. The city boasts of festivals such as White Night Festival that is worth seeing. Rome was the capital of the ancient Romans. There are many historical places of interest that would be a great experience to the visitors. Roman Coliseum, Palatine Hill, Pantheon and so on are a few historical places worth visiting. There are many museums and art galleries that would interest any art lover. Vatican city is another most sought out destination in Rome. One can enjoy the marvelous and mind-blowing artworks of Michelangelo at St. Peter’s Basilica and Sistine Chapel.


2. Athens: Athens is one of the ancient cities of Europe. It is the capital of Greece. Acropolis of Athens is one of the places of tourist attraction. Athens is the longest city in Europe and it has been inhabited for over 3000 years. Tower of the Winds, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Arch of Hadrian and Prynx are the main centers of tourist attraction.
3. Paris: Paris is the capital of France and is known as the "fashion" capital of the world. It is one of the most romantic cities of world. A trip to Paris would not be complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower. Scaling this wonderful tower would give a breathtaking view of the entire City of Paris. Paris has the largest art museum in the world, Louvre, that houses over 35,000 pieces of art. This museum is situated on the banks of River Seine. This city has a colorful nightlife. Disney Land, Arc de Triomphe, Opera Garnier, Jardin des Tuileries and Champs-Elysees are a few places that are worthy of a visit.
4. Vienna: Vienna is the capital of Austria and also one of the nine Austrian states. This city houses more than hundred theaters and museums that are famous for their music, opera, ballet and artifacts. Vienna is one of the European cities, which is rich in cultural history. This city was founded in 500 BC and was a part of the Roman Empire. Vienna is a blend of traditional and modern European culture. Anchor Clock, Belvedere Palace, Burgtheater, Danube Tower and Danube Island are some of the places that attracts tourists every year.
5. Salzburg: Salzburg is the fourth largest city of Austria. This city is situated on the banks of the river Salzach. Renowned for its beauty, the "Old Town" of Salzburg is listed as the World Heritage by UNESCO because of its world-famous baroque architecture. One of the notable landmarks of Salzburg is the setting of the musical film "The Sound of Music". Hohensalzburg Fortress, Residence of Mozart, St. Petersfriedhof, Helbrunn, Festival Hall and Rupertinum are some of the interesting and must-visit places.
6. Barcelona: Barcelona is quite a lively city of Spain. This Spanish city has a unique blend of traditional and modern art, traditional and culture. Summer music festivals and flamenco shows are the major attractions in Barcelona. There are many restaurants and cafeterias that cater traditional Catalan cuisine, which is relished by the tourists. There are museums and galleries that house the works of Picasso. Some of the main tourist attraction points are La Rambla, Port Vell, La Barceloneta and Port Olympic and Barri Gotic.
7. Berlin: Berlin is the capital of Germany. Berlin is the treasure trove of culture and ancient tradition, of art and architecture. It has many things to offer to travelers. Nightlife in Berlin is mind-blowing. Berlin has many malls and shops that cater to the needs of the shopaholics. One of the oldest and internationally reputed zoological gardens, Zoologischer Garten, is located in Berlin. The places of interest include Pergamon Museum, Reichstag, the Berlin Wall, and Tiergarten. Berlin city is an intriguing combination of ancient historical monuments and modern steel and glass buildings.
8. Helsinki: Helsinki, the capital of Finland was founded in 1550 by the King Gustav Vasa. Today, Helsinki is considered one of the fastest growing cities in Northern Europe. Recently, Helsinki was named as one of the nine European Cities of Culture. In the recent years, Helsinki has become one of the favorite tourist destinations. This city houses some of the popular international restaurants and caters various kinds of delicacies including Russian dishes. Helsinki Card, Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and churches are a few place of interest. If you happen to be in Helsinki during the last week of August, make sure you don't miss any of the events of the famous Helsinki Festival.
9. Reykjavik: Reykjavik, the capital and the largest city of Iceland. Reykjavik means "steamy bay". This is one of the upcoming tourist destinations and the main attraction is the geothermal pools. Places of tourist attraction include Mt. Keilir, Glymur, Hengill and so on. Reykjavik is one of the most expensive European cities to visit. There are parks, cafes and museums here which attract the tourists. National Museum has many artifacts of the Icelandic and the Norse culture. Austurstraeti and Hafnarstraeti are the two shopping destinations to buy souvenirs and handicrafts.
10. Edinburgh: Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and is also its second-largest city. Nightlife is lively in Edinburgh because it has number of trendy pubs, restaurants and bars. Edinburgh castle is the one of the major tourist attractions. Other places of visit include Royal Botanical Garden, Museum of Scotland, National Gallery of Scotland and Royal Yacht Britannia. If you are a first-time visitor or are short of time, then it is advisable to catch a bus that goes around the city.

Every European city of destination that you have chosen to visit would have a wide array of attractions, shopping centers, native cuisine and entertainment to cater for the tourists.


By Maya Pillai