Netherlands · Provincie Zuid-Holland · The Hague
Scheveningen, The Hague — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Scheveningen is one of the eight districts of The Hague, spread along the North Sea coast at the city's northwestern edge. It grew up as a fishing village and became a seaside resort, with a long sandy beach, a boulevard, a pier, and a lighthouse. Madurodam and Sea Life Scheveningen draw families to its inland and seafront corners. The beach is the draw.
About Scheveningen
Where to stay in Scheveningen
Where you base yourself shapes the visit — here's the character of each area.
Most visitors who want to sleep by the sea in The Hague choose Scheveningen, where the hotels cluster along the boulevard above the beach. The sand sets the tone. Rooms here put the pier and Sea Life Scheveningen within a short walk, and families often pick the stretch near Madurodam.
The old harbour end stays quieter after dark. Trams reach the centre of The Hague in minutes, so gallery days at Kunstmuseum Den Haag remain easy from a beach base.
About Scheveningen
What are the main landmarks in Scheveningen?
The seafront gathers most of the sights. Beelden aan Zee shows sculpture beside the boulevard, while Sea Life Scheveningen and Museum Scheveningen sit near the pier. The Old Church anchors the old fishing quarter.
Madurodam, a miniature model of Dutch towns and canals, draws families to the inland edge. A cluster of art museums, Kunstmuseum Den Haag, The Mesdag Collection, Fotomuseum Den Haag, and KM21, lines the way toward central The Hague.
What is the history of Scheveningen?
Scheveningen began as a fishing settlement on the North Sea. Herring built the village. Its boats once worked from an open beach, before a sheltered harbour was dug and the Old Church rose at the heart of the old quarter.
In the nineteenth century the shore was rebuilt as a bathing resort, and a boulevard, a pier, and grand seafront buildings followed. Painters of the Hague School came for the light and the fishing folk, a link marked by the Jacob and Willem Maris Memorial and the seascapes gathered in The Mesdag Collection.
Where is Scheveningen?
Scheveningen lines the North Sea shore at the northwestern edge of The Hague, a short tram ride from the city centre. Its long beach runs beside a boulevard, with the fishing and tourist harbour set at the southern end. Behind the seafront the land climbs into dunes, where Madurodam stands close to the boundary with the built-up city.
The lighthouse marks the seafront.
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Updated July 2026