Clothed troublemakers banned from Germany nudist beaches

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN

(CNN) — In travel news this week: A German city cracks down on bad nudist etiquette, Western travelers visit North Korea, plus where to go for a US urban vacation.

Naturist etiquette

If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right — and public nudity is no exception.

Beach wardens in Rostock, Germany, now have the power to issue bans to people wearing clothing on its naturist-only beaches.

The new regulation is because city offices “received numerous complaints from people who felt harassed in the naturist (or nudist) areas,” Rostock Tourism’s Moritz Naumann told CNN, and it’s intended only to be used in “case of conflict.”

There’s etiquette on nude beaches that should be followed.

Common infractions include staring, taking photos and unwanted comments, experts including Stéphane Deschênes, president of the International Naturist Federation (INF-FNI), told CNN last year in our guide to nude beach etiquette.

Rostock has 15 kilometers of beach (about nine miles), divided into naturist-only, mixed and textile-only — so all guests’ needs are covered, even if their bits and bobs aren’t.

Naturism has traditionally been hugely popular in Germany (read more in our story on Free Body Culture), but the movement is waning among younger generations.

Naumanntells CNN that city authorities have observed that “the number of people practicing it today is decreasing. Therefore, we have reduced the number of naturist beaches from 37 to 27 blocks with the new regulation.”

There are, however, still plenty of sandy spots where you can disrobe freely around the world. Here are 24 of the world’s best nude beaches, from California to New Zealand.

If you’re just about sunshine, soft white sand and crystal-clear waters, and not so bothered about the textile-free element, Tripadvisor recently announced its users’ favorite beaches for 2025. A stretch of Greek coastline took the No.1 spot.

Flight safety

Following the Delta Air Lines crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport on February 17, there were two notable Delta incidents this week. A flight from Los Angeles on February 22 was forced to make an emergency landing after smoke was detected on board, and two days later a flight departing from Atlanta had to return to the airport because of “haze” inside the plane.

A divertedAmerican Airlines flight from New York to New Delhi landed safely in Rome on February 23 after a security concern.

Then there was a close call at Chicago’s Midway International Airport on Tuesday when a Southwest Airlines plane was forced to abort its landing after a private jet entered a runway without authorization.

While a spate of recent aviation disasters have had flyers concerned, experts say air travel is still the safest form of transportation.

More than 1.4 billion people traveled internationally in 2024, and data also shows there were fewer airline incidents in January than any other January on record.

US city destinations

Miami is famous throughout the world for vibrant nightlife, streets aglow with neon and Art Deco architecture. Here’s why this Florida gem continues to captivate visitors, with many being inspired to move there for good.

Las Vegas is renowned for its adult entertainment, from casinos to cabaret, but it also might just be the hottest family destination in America right now. Here are the kid-friendly attractions you should know about.

History buffs will find plenty to love in Boston, the city where modern America was born. The Freedom Trail is the place to start, as it takes in all the must-see locations.

A chic urban vacation needs a travel wardrobe to match. To help you with yours, our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have this guide to the best winter dresses and the best men’s dress shoes.

Impressions of North Korea

CNN’s Will Ripley spoke to Western social media influencers who visited North Korea on recent trips. Here’s what they saw.

In case you missed it

For roughly a quarter of the world’s population, Ramadan is expected to begin this weekend.

But what you might not know is that Muslims might only get a few hours’ notice of when it officially starts.

Not a Muslim but want to be considerate of your friends and neighbors?

Here’s our Ramadan etiquette guide.

A photo of a mountain that looks like a puppy went viral.

Judge the likeness here.

A tourist was “banned for life” from Trevi Fountain.

When in Rome, don’t do as this New Zealander did.

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