How Being Cool Is Making The Hague a Vacation Hot Spot
Looking for respite from European heat waves, summer tourists are flocking to the diplomatic hub. But city leaders are wary of overcrowding.
A woman sprawled on a lounger under a beach umbrella sips from a pitcher of sangria. Sailboats dot the bright horizon, and steel drum music streams from a nearby restaurant. The tang of coconut sunscreen lingers on the salty breeze.
Just down the beach, tourists zip-line, sunbathe and eat soft serve on a pier. A surf school attracts visitors from around Europe. The boardwalk is a swirl of languages — Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish.
This vacation hot spot isn’t Mykonos. Nor is it Porto, the Amalfi Coast, Malaga or Mallorca.
It’s The Hague, the seat of government for the Netherlands and the home of the International Criminal Court, and it’s a prime example of where to have a “coolcation” in an increasingly sweaty Europe.
Although perhaps most commonly known as a center of justice and politics, The Hague is home to seven miles of sandy coastline along the North Sea, along with a quaint city center with winding cobbled streets, scenic canals and art galleries. It has long been popular with Dutch and German visitors.