Why I Miss The Hague So Much and Can’t Wait to Return

Sweden the Deal Or Yo Land in Amsterdam 🧳🇳🇱

If cities had personality types, The Hague (Dutch: Den Haag) is the elegant friend who reads international law for fun, bikes everywhere without breaking a sweat, vacations in Bali, and somehow always smells faintly of sea breeze and stroopwafels.

Yes, Amsterdam may steal the spotlight with canals and chaos, but The Hague?
The Hague seduces you slowly — with art, diplomacy, beaches, museums, Indonesian food, hidden wine bars, and a lifestyle so effortless you’ll question your entire life choices. 🌊🚲✨

Let me take you on a fun, slightly chaotic, deeply affectionate tour of the city I miss more than is emotionally reasonable.

🌍 The Hague in a Nutshell (A Very Dutch, Very Efficient Nut)

The Hague is:

• The third-largest city in the Netherlands

• The administrative capital

• Home to over half a million people

• The global HQ of justice, peace, and beautifully symmetrical architecture

• A city where diplomats, artists, surfers, tech workers, and grandmas on e-bikes coexist peacefully

Think: Washington, D.C. + Florence + a beach town + a diplomatic summer camp.

And yes, Amsterdam is the “official” capital. But The Hague does all the homework. 📚😄

🏖️ Scheveningen: The Beach You Can Actually Live At

Pronouncing it is a test. Loving it is not.

Scheveningen (bonus points if you can say it in one breath) is The Hague’s glamorous seaside district:

• A long sandy beach

• A pier, lighthouse, esplanade

• A casino, a Pathé cinema, and enough snacks to undo all your wellness progress

• A legit fishing harbor

• And the historic Kurhaus, which looks like a palace that decided to take a vacation by the sea

Busy? Yes.
Touristy? Sure.
Worth it? Absolutely.

And the dunes? Magical. Walk for hours and forget the world.

🎨 The Hague = Art Heaven With Very Good Lighting

🏛️ Mauritshuis

One of the greatest small museums on Earth.
Home to Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, which will stare into your soul and ask why you haven’t called your mother.
Also featuring masterpieces by Rembrandt, Avercamp, and others.

🟥 Kunstmuseum (Gemeentemuseum)

A giant, golden brick of modern art joy, housing the world’s largest collection of Mondriaan.
If you ever wanted to stand in front of rectangles and feel emotional, this is your place.

✨ Panorama Mesdag

A 360° painting you stand inside.
Feels like 19th-century virtual reality. No goggles required.

♢ Escher in the Palace

Mind-bending illusions inside an actual palace.
Your brain will do somersaults. Your eyes will file complaints.

🎡 Madurodam: The Netherlands, But Make It Mini

The whole country in miniature.
Windmills, canals, airports, landmarks — all tiny, adorable, and perfect for pretending you’re Godzilla (responsibly). 🏙️🦖

🍷 Wine Bars, Beer Havens & Indonesian Magic

The Hague’s food and drink scene is underrated and occasionally phenomenal.

• Anna Paulownaplein — cozy wine bars, elegant terraces, slightly higher prices, 100% worth it

• Kompaan Binnenhaven — fantastic local brewery, experimental taps, harbor views

• Oude Molstraat — a Mediterranean-feeling nighttime street of bars and dining

• De Poentjak — old-school Indonesian greatness; one of the last survivors of its kind

If Amsterdam is the bachelor party, The Hague is the effortless dinner date.

🚲 Walking & Biking: The Real Way to See The Hague

Tip #1: Walk everywhere.
Tip #2: Bike everywhere else.

My favorite route:
Noordeinde → Scheveningseweg → the woods → Keizerstraat → the beach
Art galleries, boutiques, greenery, cafés, dunes, ocean.
Perfect.

Uber exists. Trams exist.
Cars? Optional. Actually, discouraged.

🍽️ Dining: Michelin Optional, Flavor Mandatory

The city’s restaurant scene is a delightful surprise.

Try:

• Eila Restaurant — stunning modern Greek

• Taverna Ouzomezes — fun and lively

• ’t Goude Hooft — iconic (service questionable, memories priceless)

• Dudok — intellectual café culture + the best apple pie in The Hague

You must try the apple pie.
Yes, even if you think you’ve had apple pie before.
You haven’t.

🏨 Hotels I Love & Where You Should Stay

• Hilton The Hague — my go-to; central, reliable, comfortable, near luxury shopping & art; BlueBlood's fusion of Peruvian and Japanese cuisines has its charms.

• Hotel des Indes — elegant, historic, luxurious

• Marriott — slightly farther but close to the beach

🏛️ International Courts & Historical Icons

• Peace Palace — home of the International Court of Justice

• Binnenhof — Dutch political heart

• International Criminal Court — yes, you can observe a trial

• Passage — beautiful UNESCO-listed covered arcade

• Denneweg — antiques, boutiques, cafés, and charm

This is a city where global decisions are made over coffee.

🖼️ Museum Voorlinden: The Netherlands’ Hidden Superstar

A museum in a modern estate outside the city.
Peaceful, bright, and packed with gems:

• Leandro Erlich — Swimming Pool (don’t jump in)

• Ron Mueck — Couple Under an Umbrella (mind-blowing realism)

• Richard Serra — Open Ended (walk inside sculpture)

• Anselm Kiefer — Jericho (massive, intense, unforgettable)

Plus: stunning dunes and forests nearby — perfect for a decompressing walk.

❤️ Why I Miss The Hague

Because it is:

• Calm but vibrant

• International but cozy

• Artistic but grounded

• Elegant but unpretentious

• Beachy but cultured

• Walkable, livable, lovable

And because every time I leave, I feel like I’ve left a little piece of myself behind — probably somewhere between Noordeinde and the dunes.

❓ FAQ: Frequently Asked (Dutch) Questions

Is The Hague expensive?
Not NYC expensive — but yes, bring a credit card. Or two. 💳💳

Should I bike or walk?
Yes.

Is Scheveningen worth it even if it’s crowded?
Also yes.

Will I gain weight from Indonesian food and apple pie?
Absolutely. Worth it. 🍰

Does everyone speak English?
Yes — better than most English speakers.

⚡ TL;DR (Quick Take)

The Hague is a gorgeous blend of:

🏖️ Beaches
🎨 Art
🌍 Diplomacy
🍷 Wine bars
🍜 Indonesian cuisine
🚲 Biking
🏛️ History
🧳 Travel magic
💙 And a vibe that lingers

It’s calm, cultured, walkable, and weirdly addictive.

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