Keizerstraat

The Keizerstraat is one of the oldest streets in Scheveningen, the seaside district of The Hague, and it recalls the time when the place was a fishing village and not a resort. Away from the beach and the boulevard, the street keeps a village scale, with low houses, small shops, bakeries and cafes, and the pace feels slower than on the seafront a few minutes away. It is a good place to see the other side of Scheveningen.

The history of the village is worth knowing. For centuries Scheveningen was a community of fishermen, whose boats were drawn up on the beach before a harbour was built in the early twentieth century, and the people had their own dialect, traditions and costume. The name of the place is famous for another reason: during the Second World War, it is said, the Germans used the pronunciation of the name Scheveningen as a test to identify Dutch speakers, since it is very hard for outsiders to say correctly. The seaside resort grew in the nineteenth century, when The Hague's wealthy families began to bathe and holiday on the coast, and the Kurhaus was built in 1885.

On the street itself, you find a mix of independent shops, specialist stores and small eateries, from fresh bread to international food. The Oude Kerk, the old church, is a reminder of the fishing village's past, and information plaques and occasional guided walks explain the history of the area. Local museums add context: Muzee Scheveningen tells the story of the fishing community and the resort, while Museum Beelden aan Zee, on the boulevard, shows sculpture in a building set into the dunes.

The street fits easily into a day out at the coast. The beach, the pier, the Kurhaus, the Harbour of Scheveningen, SkyView De Pier, Sea Life Scheveningen and the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre are all within a short walk, and the Memorial Needle on the seafront marks the landing of the future King William I in 1813. Hart beach, the beach pavilions and the boulevard offer the classic seaside experience.

The Keizerstraat suits visitors who prefer to see a place through its local life, shoppers looking for small boutiques and those who want a quiet coffee away from the crowds of the beach. Allow an hour, more if you include a museum, and note that shop hours vary, with many closed on Sundays or Mondays.