Forget Barcelona, this is Europe’s greatest beach city
Soft golden sands, shallow waters and a stylish surf scene make The Hague the perfect spot for a seaside city break, says
Freewheeling on my bicycle on a recent ride through Westduinpark – a vast area of sand dunes which runs along The Hague’s coastline – I took a deep lungful of fresh spring air, scented with hawthorn and heather. Soon summer would arrive, and the area would flush yellow with evening primrose. I paused a while to watch kitesurfers zip neatly across the North Sea and huge white wind-turbines whirring like pinwheels on the horizon, then pedalled onwards to spread my towel on the soft, golden Blue Flag sands.
Why British tourists haven’t cottoned on that a holiday here is both a bargain and a delight is quite beyond me. Sure, you’re more likely to associate this grand yet tiny city with war trials, politics and art galleries than with sunshine and surf, but from April to October, the city’s beach scene thrives with those in the know – and a one-night detour to the coast ( just 30 minutes from the centre by tram) is a great addition to any weekend visit.
The poster resort for summer fun is Scheveningen (its name so difficult to pronounce that the Dutch used it during the Second World War to identify spies), where beach clubs, bars and restaurants sit on pavilions along the strand, while Kijkduin, its calmer sister resort, lies a few miles south, offering stylish shops and restaurants.
Spend the night in Kijkduin, first immortalised by 17th-century Dutch painters who were seduced by the quality of light here – easy to appreciate when you rise to a milky-pink dawn and make fresh footprints in the sand to nearby Habana Beach restaurant for pannekoek.
Next, hire a bike at Roompot Kijkduin – a chalet, caravan and camp site which also has tennis courts, a pool and a playground – and set off up the coast through the 240-hectare Westduinpark, a nature reserve of dunes and forest which lies between the two resorts. The cycling terrain is rolling but easy, making it ideal for families with young children; for toddlers there’s the option of a bakfiet – a bicycle with a front cargo box.
As you pedal towards Scheveningen, make a stop at the beach in Zuiderstrand, which locals refer to as “peaceful beach” for its quiet sands and far-reaching views to the Hook of Holland. Here, bunker ruins from the Second World War emerge from dunes grazed by goats and sheep, and enthusiastic gardeners who keep the native helmgras tidy. Be warned, though, this is a nudist beach – so if you’ve got kids in tow, you may wish to pedal on.
You’ll soon come to Scheveningen Harbour, packed with fish restaurants to suit all budgets, from stands selling Hollandse Nieuwe – raw herrings pickled with onions – to finedining at Catch, owned by the Simoni family since the late 19th century. For a traditional lunch, order the kabeljauw (cod) at Restaurant De Dagvisser, served in true Dutch style with frites and mayonnaise.
Before you head back, take a stroll along Scheveningen’s beach-front boulevard – ever bustling with skaters and cyclists – from Hart Beach, a surf shop and restaurant that’s bringing a touch of Bondi to the scene, up to the Grand Hotel Amrath Kurhaus, built in 1818 as a concert hall. (The Rolling Stones were the last to perform here in 1964.)
By the time you’ve pedalled back to Kijkduin, the afternoon will be wearing on, so embrace the Dutch concept of niksen (the art of doing nothing) at Otrobanda beach club, a cosy bar that channels the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao. Settle down, order a beer and some seafood and, if you’re lucky with the weather, it might seem hard to believe you’re just 100 miles off the Suffolk coast.