Naturism in Portugal had its first historical record around 1920, linked to Portuguese Naturist Society, of which the anarcho-syndicalist José Peralta was a prominent member.
With the development of the dictatorial regime, the naturist movement was limited to vegetarian and alternative medicines, since nudity was banned, and associated with the crime of "indecency".
After its foundation the FPN applied to join INF/FNI-International Naturist Federation, which was then represented in Portugal by the Portuguese Vegetarian Association, which succeeded “Sociedade Portuguesa de Naturalogia” in this task.
In its continuous struggle for the recognition of naturism, in 1988, only a little more than a decade of various contacts, campaigns, advances and setbacks, the FPN managed to see the first Naturist Law in Portugal discussed and approved at the Portuguese Parliament.
Some examples are: the laws 92/88, 29/94 and 53/10, the recognized official beaches of Meco, Bela Vista, Ilha de Tavira (Barril), Salto, Adegas, Alteirinhos and Deserta, the opening of the first naturist activity in a council swimming pool and in a health club, and the support given to the development of infrastructures of tourist accommodation, like the campsites "Monte Barão" and "Quinta do Maral" and "Terra Nua".