The Hague: Coast, Culture and Gardens
Accommodation in The Hague
The Hague combines a long coastline with museums, historical themes and gardens. When choosing a hotel, a key consideration may be whether you mainly want to experience the city through its beaches, cultural attractions or green spaces. The range of activities and sights offers concrete ways to decide—from beach walks to art collections and themed gardens.
Coast, beaches and cycling routes
The Hague has 11 kilometres of coastline. Long beach walks, swimming and strolls along the promenade are possible year-round. You can surf in Scheveningen; the wide beaches of Kijkduin are ideal for flying kites. These activities differ considerably: Scheveningen offers surfing, while Kijkduin has space for kite-flying. The beach and promenade, in turn, offer opportunities to visit at any time of year.
Westduinpark also shapes the landscape: it is one of The Hague's largest nature areas and connects Kijkduin with Scheveningen. There are cycling routes through the dunes, along the beach and to Scheveningen. They bring together nature, culture, history and food. This makes it possible to combine the coast with other themes on a bike ride, without every route needing to have the same focus.
Museums and historical themes
The Mauritshuis is in the centre of The Hague. The Prince William V Gallery was the first public art collection in the Netherlands. Escher in Het Paleis offers a different perspective on art: the museum displays more than 120 prints from the work of Maurits C. Escher (1898–1972). At Panorama Mesdag, you can see Mesdag's 360-degree panorama. Café 1881 there serves coffee, light meals and lunch during your museum visit.
If you are interested in the history of law and punishment, the Gevangenpoort Museum tells the story of crime and punishment from the 15th to the 19th century. The Visitors Centre at the Peace Palace offers an audio tour about the history of the Peace Palace and the institutions based there. The Hague also has more than 1,000 Rijksmonumenten (national heritage sites). The museums therefore offer a range of different perspectives, from art and a large-scale panorama to history and institutions.
Gardens and green spaces
More than 300 different varieties of roses bloom in Westbroekpark, which is also home to around 20,000 rose bushes. The figures represent two different aspects: the variety of roses and the approximate total number of bushes. The Japanese Garden is located in the middle of Landgoed Clingendael and is home to rare trees and plants.
Heempark De Heimanshof consists of a systematic botanical garden and a landscape garden. Typical Dutch landscapes are represented there. Excursions and guided tours are available on request. The Haagse Bos also has a long history as a green space: a charter has preserved it as such for centuries. So within the city, you can find both landscaped gardens and natural areas and parkland.
Practical planning tips
From The Hague Central Station, you can reach Madurodam by tram or bus in about ten minutes; journey times may vary. Also take note of the current access arrangements for the Binnenhof: during renovation work, it is currently closed to the public. When planning your visit, you can make your choice based on which of the coast, culture or garden experiences mentioned here you want to shape your stay.
Discover more destinations: Scheveningen, Kijkduin, Centrum, Vissershaven, Geuzenkwartier, Haagse Hout.
Back to the main travel overview: The Hague.
