In the bar, 20 out-of-towners have convened. They range in age from early 20s to mids. More arrive, introduce themselves, and join the group in the corner of the bar. They are here for the monthly Irish Naturist Association nude swim and sauna. The INA was formed in John, 55, has been a naturist for 30 years.

If I had known then that the small wristband they handed me would be the only thing I would be wearing for the next few hours, I may have reconsidered. I felt instantly overdressed as I walked through the doors and into that Bio Dome sized world of palm trees, Jacuzzis, and hundreds of stark naked Germans strutting proudly around the loungers and swimming to and from the bar in the center of the lagoon-style pool. I had moved to Germany earlier that year, and, as a newbie in the country, I had planned to start small for my first nude spa experience, wearing my bikini around the pools and then switching to a only a towel as I made my way through the sauna circuit. Instead, I let the rush of adrenaline take over as I let my robe fall to the floor, and I dipped carefree into the warm waters with nothing more than a wristband touching my skin.

Bad Kreuznach is an attractive spa town in Germany ideal for a relaxing wellness vacation with hiking trails, mineral springs, and historic buildings. Not to mention some unusual spa therapies. To add a Dark Hedges Games of Thrones twist to the scene, the people were hemmed in by two walls of blackthorn branches, droplets of brine trickling down from their grey pointy twigs.

Want the latest news headlines to your inbox every single day? Sign up to our FREE newsletter to make sure you don't miss a beat. Tens of thousands of Irish people are flocking to beaches around the country with many ditching their swim wear and letting it all hang out. Our Euro cousins have been topless tanning for years and with Ireland now having its own official nudist beach in Dublin many sun-worshippers will free the nipple for summer.