The third largest city in the Netherlands, The Hague is the seat of the Dutch Government, home to the Royal Family, and location of the United Nations International Court of Justice. Discover what this beautiful city offers business travellers looking for an exciting European hub and explore the latest Clockwise workspace there.

Steeped in history

Whilst Amsterdam is the official capital of the Netherlands, The Hague is the important administrative capital, home to domestic and international courts, government buildings and royal palaces. Taking its name from the old Dutch word, “Haghe”, meaning hedge, it was transformed during the 13th Century from a woodland area to the site of a castle with several buildings clustered around it, becoming the residences of many of the Counts of Holland. Today, those buildings form The Binnenhoff, or ‘Inner Courtyard’, located in the old quarter of the city. Surrounding The Binnenhoff are many interesting and historic buildings dating from the 15th to the 18th century.

Worth a visit: As well as the Binnenhoff itself, check out the Great Church of St James, located on the Torrenstratt. Take the chance to climb the 288 steps up the tower and take in the spectacular views across the city.

Spoilt for cultural choice

The Hague boasts a wealth of galleries and museums throughout the city. From the world-famous Kunstmuseum housing an impressive 160,000 works of art, to the smaller but no less impressive Mauritshuis, where you can catch of glimpse of Vermeer’s, ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’, culture vultures will be delighted with what The Hague has to offer.

Worth a visit: For something a little different, try The Prison Gate Museum. Originally a castle entrance gate, it then functioned as a prison for the Court of Holland for many years. The iconic building now houses a fascinating crime and punishment museum that was listed in Lonely Planet’s, ‘50 Museums to blow your mind’ book.

Relax in gorgeous natural settings

After a long day of hard work, shut down your laptop and head out to one of The Hague’s many stunning parks and beaches. From the Malieveld, a vast grassy field in the heart of the city to an impressive 11km of coastline with picturesque and relaxing dunes, nature lovers can’t fail to be captivated by the coastal and green offerings of The Hague.

Worth a visit: Located just a few minutes’ walk from Clockwise The Hague is the fantastic Haagse Bos. Translating as The Hague’s forest, this gorgeous park is home to the oldest forest in the Netherlands, a huge pond at the centre offering a scenic picnic or walking spot, and a deer park where red and fallow deer still roam.

Eating, drinking and shopping

Looking for culinary delights or some retail therapy? The Hague has you covered, with myriad options to suit all tastes and budgets. Try the various offerings located in Grote Markt, or Main Market – be sure to visit it during the day and again at night, to see its transformation from bustling dining hub to party hotspot! Consult the calendar to discover the various festivals and events hosted here throughout the year. If shopping is your pastime of choice, be sure to pay a visit to De Passage, a beautiful shopping mall with a fascinating history spanning over 130 years.

Worth a visit: Looking for some local delicacies? Head to Bakkerij Hessing to pick up delicious baked goods from three-generation Hague bakers.

The Hague for business – innovation and connection

With excellent domestic and international transport connections by rail, air, road and sea, several renowned business schools,  and exciting plans for a Central Innovation District, The Hague is the perfect spot to launch a new business venture or expand your existing offering. With The Netherlands now in the top five destinations in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index, a skilled, multilingual, digitally savvy workforce can be found right on the doorstep.

Clockwise The Hague

Located in the very heart of the city, our second European location has transformed an office building into a gorgeous, design-conscious flexible office space, with 250 desks, meeting rooms and communal areas set over four floors. In keeping with the Clockwise ethos of well-being and sustainability, visitors and members can enjoy the warm natural interior palette, locally sourced furnishings and plentiful greenery combined with state-of-the-art business functionality. Following the success of our European debut in Brussels, we are delighted to bring Clockwise’s unique vision of flexible working in an environment designed to support productivity, community and wellbeing to The Netherlands with the launch of Clockwise The Hague.

Looking for more inspiration and advice to support your business? Check out our Community pages for information on our various locations, as well as tips and tricks on everything from virtual meetings and networking to the benefits of coworking and the importance of design for wellbeing.