Many visitors to the Netherlands will skip The Hague in favour of more well known destinations like Amsterdam or Rotterdam. Indeed, it took us a few trips to the Netherlands before we discovered the wonders of The Hague. With just one day in The Hague you can experience the highlights of this oft-overlooked city.
The Hague is a city that is home to the Dutch Parliament. You’ve also probably heard about its ties to the United Nations, given it is the home of the International Court of Justice. What you may not know is that it’s also a coastal city, and is a wonderful place to experience both the city and the seaside in one day.
The Hague also makes a great base for a trip to the Netherlands. You could spend one day exploring The Hague and then take some day trips out to experience more of this beautiful country.
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Getting to The Hague
The great news is that The Hague is easily accessible from many parts of the Netherlands.
The nearest airport is Amsterdam Airport Schipol. Direct trains run from the airport to The Hague Central station and can take as little as 30 minutes, depending on the service you choose.
The distances from many other cities in the Netherlands is very reasonable. From Amsterdam, direct trains take just under an hour. Rotterdam to The Hague is even shorter, at just under 30 minutes.
If you want to see the tulips during the spring time, The Hague makes the perfect base too. You could hire a car and be amongst the tulip fields of Lisse and the Keukenhof Gardens in about 30 minutes.
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Wanting to see the tulips? Check out our guide for visiting the Lisse tulip fields and Keukenhof Gardens
Getting around The Hague
For this one day in The Hague itinerary, the easiest ways to get around are a combination of walking and by the tram.
The main areas of the city you’ll explore are generally very flat and with good walking paths.
Otherwise, there are great connections via tram which will help you get around, particularly to the beach. We suggest using Google Maps to work out the easiest tram routes, which we’ll point out in our itinerary below.
Tram tickets can be purchased on board the tram, and there are options for a 2 hour ticket or an all day pass. If you plan to spend some time by the beach like we suggest in this itinerary, an all day pass is probably the most useful.
Things to do with one day in The Hague
Fuel up with some breakfast and be prepared for a great day seeing the highlights of The Hague.
Visit Mauritshuis
We kick off your one day in The Hague with a visit to the incredible Mauritshuis. This museum is home to the finest Dutch paintings from famous artists such as Rembrandt and Vermeer. Arguably the most famous painting that this museum holds is Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring”. You’ve likely seen many pictures of this artwork that dates back to the mid-1600s. Now is the time you get to experience the real thing!
It’s quite a small museum, laid out over a few floors. You probably won’t need any more than an hour or so to see the main highlights. A short visit, but one that will give you an appreciation for Dutch artwork.
The museum opens at 10am each day, except Mondays which is 1pm. If you’re visiting on a Monday, you will need to make some amendments to this itinerary.
Admire The Binnenhof
Depending on which way you entered Mauritshuis, you may not have yet seen the stunning buildings and waterways which surround it. This area of buildings is called The Binnenhof and is the location of the Dutch Parliament. These gothic buildings date back to the 1300s, and are said to be some of the oldest parliament buildings still in use today.
If you’re interested, you can book a guided tour of the inside of the parliament. But with just one day in The Hague, I recommend just taking some time to stroll the grounds and admire the architecture.
Walk down the Passage
Once you’ve finished up at The Binnenhof, it’s time to explore more of the city centre. If you enjoy shopping, a visit to the Passage is a must do in The Hague. The Passage is a covered shopping arcade with a glass roof. It’s also the Netherland’s oldest shopping arcade, built in the late 1800s. Whilst today there is also a much more modern extension, the grand design alone is worth a visit.
Enjoy lunch in the square
You’re in the city centre and it’s likely your stomach is starting to rumble. Luckily there are many options for you!
For a quick and delicious bite, we’d recommend Haringkraam Buitenhof. This is otherwise known on Google as the Buitenhof Herring Stall. This is European street food at its finest. Grab some kibbeling (deep fried fish with garlic sauce) and enjoy fresh seafood in the square. With just one day in The Hague you may not want a long lunch. This is the perfect option for something easy and traditional.
See the unique Panorama Mesdag
Once you’ve finished up lunch in the square, the next location on your list is the Panorama Mesdag. This is one of the most unique and memorable artworks we have ever seen. It’s about a 15 minute walk from the square. Along the way, make sure you stop to view the Noordeinde Palace. This is one of three official palaces of the Dutch Royal family. It’s closed to the public, but you can admire the architecture from outside the grand gates.
Continuing on down the road Is the Panorama Mesdag. The reason for visiting here? To see the impressive “Panorama of Scheveningen”. This is a 360 degree panorama of this fishing village by the sea. It ignites your senses with the addition of sand and sound to transport you back to 1881.
Henry Mesdag is the artist who was at the forefront of panorama art in the late 1800s. People would travel far and wide to see his paintings. Sadly, the advent of the moving picture also saw interest in panoramas decline. But it’s incredible to see his artwork still today.
At the time of writing, it’s only possible to visit the museum via advanced online ticket purchase. Plan ahead so you don’t miss out on this masterpiece.
Visit the Peace Palace
Just a short walk from the museum is the next must do in The Hague, a visit to the Peace Palace. This grand building is the home to the International Court of Justice among others. Built in the 1900’s, it’s impressive to see such a beautiful building that is trying to uphold the objective of world peace.
It’s only possible to visit the inside of the palace on a group tour a few times a year. Unless you’ve planned your trip around this, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to enter. However, there is an informative visitor centre on the grounds that is worth a quick visit. This will give you some more information on the importance of this building and the objectives of the different judicial bodies.
Head to Madurodam to see all of the Netherlands
Is it possible to see all of the Netherlands in a day? You can certainly try at Madurodam. This miniature park is full of replica Dutch landmarks at a scale of 1:25. Here you can see miniature cities from all over the Netherlands, including the Rijksmuseum, St John’s Cathedral, Anne Frank’s house and the Jordaan district. Trains and canals run throughout with miniature replicas of tulips too.
Interestingly, whilst it’s a tourist attraction, it’s also been described as the happiest war memorial in the world. It was built as a testament to the deeds of George Maduro, who fought the Nazi occupation and died in a concentration camp at Dachau.
Given everything is at a 1:25 scale, it’s not a huge property. You could easily see the park in around an hour. In our opinion, it’s a place for the kids and those big kids who love quirky attractions (that’s us!). It is a little pricey, so it may not be suitable for everyone. If you want to skip it, that’s okay, just move on to the next place on our itinerary.
If you do visit, you can purchase tickets in advance. It’s about a 25 minute walk from the Peace Palace, however you can cut out about half that distance by catching the tram.
Afternoon and evening at the beach
Fancy some time by the beach? You’re in luck because The Hague is home to one of the most famous Dutch beaches.
Scheveningen beach is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. It’s a large stretch of coast with a lovely promenade and a huge bit of sand. Visiting this beach reminded us of Brighton in the UK, but with sand instead of the typical European pebbles.
You may also remember that this is the spot that is famous for Mesdag’s panorama as well. Although, it does look very different today!
If you’re visiting in summer, you might want to bring your swimmers and towel and go for a dip. Otherwise, you can spend time walking along the promenade and find a spot at one of the beach clubs for a perfect afternoon drink. Stay longer and grab some fresh seafood dinner here too. Do make sure you also visit the Scheveningen Pier for a great view back towards the coast too.
The easiest way to get to Scheveningen beach from Madurodam or the centre of The Hague is via the tram. This will drop you off in a convenient location for the beach.
Another itinerary possibility for your one day in The Hague itinerary
If Madurodam and the beach don’t sound so appealing to you, consider spending the afternoon in Delft instead. This is a beautiful little city that reminded us of a much smaller and quaint Amsterdam. Canals and little laneways run through the city. Grand landmarks such as the Delft City Hall make for some spectacular viewing. To top it off, there is a wonderful square dotted with bars and restaurants that are perfect for some afternoon drinks and dinner.
You can travel by train between Den Haag Central station and Delft station is as little as 12 minutes. Once you’ve finished at the Peace Palace, you can jump on the 31 tram for the train station. It’s really easy!
Where to stay in The Hague
One of the great benefits of visiting The Hague is that there are so many different options for accommodation. We visited The Hague over Easter long weekend, when prices in other cities were extremely high. In contrast, The Hague had plentiful accommodation options at reasonable prices.
We stayed at the Mercure Hotel Den Haag Central. The room was a decent size with a comfortable bed and furnishings. It was located about a 10 minute walk to the train station and 5 minutes to the main area of the city. It was also located in china town, so there were some great restaurants nearby too.
If you’re after some 5 star luxury, you might consider the Hotel Des Indes. Built in 1858 as a city palace, and then turned into a hotel sometime later, it exudes stunning old world charm.
We hope you enjoy your one day in The Hague and that this itinerary has helped you have a great trip. We’d love to hear from you in the comments below. Have you been to The Hague? Is there anything else you’d recommend to see on a visit?
As a Dutchie myself, I can say that your list captures very well the beauty of The Hague. Well done
Thanks for the kind words Guido – means a lot! We loved the Hague, so much to enjoy about it!