The Hague in October: When the City Becomes Itself Again

I have written about Scheveningen in March. I have written about the Statenkwartier in summer. What I haven’t written about, and probably should have, is October in Den Haag — which is the month when the city is most clearly itself and most worth paying attention to.

Scheveningen in autumn

The beach at Scheveningen in October is completely different from the beach in July. The crowds are gone. The water is still swimmable for the brave. The North Sea light in October — that particular grey-gold quality that Dutch painters have been documenting for 400 years — is at its most extraordinary. The boulevard still has its cafes. The pier is still open. It is quieter and it is better.

The walk from the pier south to Kijkduin along the coastal path takes about 90 minutes and is one of the better walks in the city at any time of year. In October it is yours.

The Statenkwartier in autumn

The neighbourhood markets and the independent shops along the Frederikstraat and Theresiastraat continue through autumn without the seasonal disruption that tourist-heavy neighbourhoods experience. The Statenkwartier in October is exactly what it is in March — a working neighbourhood going about its business — and that consistency is what I love about it.

The Binnenhof and Hofvijver in autumn light

The Binnenhof — the Dutch parliament buildings surrounding the inner courtyard — and the Hofvijver pond reflecting them are among the most photographed sights in the Netherlands. In October the light on them in the late afternoon is genuinely extraordinary and the tourist crowds have thinned. Go at 4pm on a clear day and bring something to record it with.