What much traffic to the Hague do not know is the fact that one of its districts is the most famous (as well as popular) seaside resort in the Netherlands. Scheveningen can be found around a fifteen-minute cycle ride from the Hague city centre and, once there, one of the best things to do would be to ride the Ferris Wheel in Scheveningen at sunset!
Scheveningen: The Hague District you’ve never heard of
On any trip to The Hague, one half day trip towards the pretty seaside resort of Scheveningen is an absolute must. Once there, there’s a sandy beach to explore, a myriad of seaside cafés, and 2 centuries price of history to discover.
Oh, and i adore the old town has a small village vibe complete with cobbled lanes as well as an old church? The city still functions as a fishing port and herring is the most famous catch of all. In fact, the town’s emblem includes several herring depictions!
In the first 19th-century, Scheveningen was once famed because of its iconic bathhouse when Jacob Pronk constructed a wooden boathouse whereby people could bathe in a single of 4 rooms. Through the years, the area expanded as a go-to place to go for tourists wishing to wander along sandy dunes, stay in luxurious hotels, and sample some sea-inspired cuisine.
Today, a seaside resort and fishing community is one of The Hague’s eight districts and it is incredibly well-liked come summer. Popular features of Scheveningen have an extensive pier, numerous beach cafés (I suggest the fries at Fat Mermaid), a lighthouse, not to mention its Europe-unique Ferris Wheel!
Should you intend to cycle to Sceheningen (and I recommend that you simply do in order to make the most of the views from your bike), then it’s worth bearing in mind that the sand dunes there mean a rather hillier terrain than you may be accustomed to!
Riding on Europe’s first Ferris Wheel over the sea (The Ferris Wheel in Scheveningen)
The first Ferris Wheel in Europe to become situated right over the crashing and salty waves of the sea below are available in the type of the Ferris Wheel de Pier. Standing around 40 metres high, the wheel offers one of the best views of Scheveningen. 36 enclosed cabins offer breathtaking vistas of the sandy beach and city beyond, as well as air conditioning (though I didn’t test this, because, autumn!)
Each gondola sits as much as six people and adult tickets start from EUR9. In the event you visit Scheveningen in the shoulder seasons or perhaps in the wintertime when the sun sets earlier, you’ll be lucky enough to get board the wheel for sunset when everything is bathed inside a golden glow and candy colours dance over the sky.
Visiting in the off seasons also means that you’ll find fewer crowds vying for any just right the wheel. This means that you’ll definitely get a booth all to yourself and have no waiting time for you to ride the wheel! With this being said, make sure to pick a clear and sunny day for riding the wheel. On the rainy or wet day, cloud coverage may mean that you lose out on the best of the views.
The entrance towards the Ferris Wheel in Scheveningen are available at the end of the pier (which itself is free to visit). In total, you get to ride the wheel for fifteen to twenty minutes. What this means, in reality, is really a fair few turns!
So bring the digital camera, pack your wanderlust, and plan a visit to Europe’s first Ferris Wheel within the sea. And, if you want to obtain a different feel for the Hague and experience the Dutch countryside at its best, then be sure to head in the opposite direction for the Molendriegang!
I visited the Ferris Wheel in Scheveningen thanks to The Hague Marketing Bureau. However, all opinions, words, photos (and fear of heights!) remain my own. Special because of Wendy to make me feel so welcome within this beautiful Dutch city!
