Got One Day at The Hague? Here’s What To Do

Written by Ross Jones in Uncategorized

Got One Day at The Hague? Here’s What To Do

So, you always wanted to see the Hague, but you only wound up with one day to plan your trip. Don’t worry, you can still digest quite a bit about the Hague if you’ve got a day, and it’s well worth seeing the International City of Peach and Justice, or Den Haag, as The Hague is known to the Dutch. Some of the world’s worst criminals were prosecuted in this city. However, the Hague is about far more than just international criminals and palaces. In the vicinity, you’ll also be able to see beautiful artwork, lovely shops, and take a stroll by the beach.

What can a person do in the Hague in one day? A person can see plenty of sites at the Hague in one day, including:

  • Sint Jacobs Grote Kerk
  • Palace Gardens
  • Palace Noordeinde
  • Lange Voorhout
  • Mauritshuis
  • Escher in the Palace
  • Panorama Mesdag
  • Peace Palace

Since there isn’t much information on the Internet today covering what you can do at the Hague in a day, we created this guide to help you out. Below we’ll talk about some of the sites you should be easily able to see if you spend a full day at The Hague. That way, you’ll still be able to get plenty of enjoyable memories out of your trip!

What to Do in the Hague in One Day

With one full day at the Hague, you’ll still be able to achieve plenty of site-seeing. The Hague is surrounded by tradition, history, and mystery. Some of the most famous worldwide criminals have endured trials at the Hague. Also, you’ll be able to see beautiful art, enjoy luxurious shopping, stroll through some great places to eat, and enjoy some site-seeing by the beach. In one day, you should be able to see some of the best things about this lovely city.

Spending one full day at the Hague should give you enough time to get acquainted with what the city has to offer. The Hague is easy to get to from some of the other larger cities, like Amsterdam, which is just forty-five minutes away. If you want to get to the Hague from Amsterdam or any other city, you can take the NS Dutch train service to hop from one town to the next. So, if you are already currently traveling through the Netherlands, you’ll have plenty of time to see the Hague if you give yourself one full day.

The Hague: An Overview

The Hague sits on the Netherlands’ coast, and it takes less than an hour to get to the Hague if you are already in Amsterdam, and you take a train. So, many people that are visiting Amsterdam often also take a one-day trip to visit the Hague, making a full day trip out the Hague a reasonably common experience for many travelers. Once you arrive at the Hague, you’ll be able to walk through many art museums, stop by the beach, eat some fantastic food, or go shopping.

Before you start planning your itinerary for your one-day trip to The Hague, you should understand why the Hague is so essential to the people of the Netherlands. We mentioned earlier that the Hague houses the International Court of Justice. That means their court center of justice works with the United Nations, which is also located in the Peace Palace. The International Criminal Court at the Hague prosecutes international crimes of war, genocide, and crimes against humanity.

Not only are the international courts here the heart and soul of the United Nations, but there is also some unique cultural history at the Hague. The King and Queen of the Netherlands reside in the Noordeinde Palace, which is found in the middle of The Hague. So, the Hague is an important city not only to the people that live in the Netherlands but to everybody that lives in the world.

One Day in The Hague

So, how do you spend one day at the Hague? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Below we’ll provide you with an overview of everything you should be able to complete in a day at The Hague. That way, you can plan your visit better and know where to go for your next sightseeing spot. Once you arrive at Den Haag Centraal, you’ll want to take a tram and ride it to the Plaats. Once you get there, you can grab some coffee at Hometown Coffee to wake you up before going to the Binnenhof.

Stop by Binnenhof

The first thing you’ll want to see at the Hague is the Binnenhof, which is also known as the “Inner Court.” The Binnenhof is the oldest existing one of the Houses of Parliament that still functions today. So, much history was made in the Binnenhof, and much history will still be made there, too. Since the Binnenhof is still a parliament, it’s also where the Dutch Prime Minister keeps his office.

You can admire the grandeur and gorgeous appearance of the Binnenhof from a distance, but we highly encourage you to walk through the old gate so that you can get a good look at the inner courtyard. You should be able to see the Knight’s Hall of Parliament in the inner courtyard, which is worth taking a peek. If you can’t see anything else at the Hague while you are there, the Binnenhof alone should make the entire trip worth it.

Pit Stop with Fun Shops

After you’ve taken some time to take in the Binnenhof, we recommend that you take a look at some of the quaint, cute streets that are found in the middle of The Hague. In this area, you’ll see a bevy of locally-owned stores and gorgeous, traditional cobble-stone streets. You’ll see plenty of galleries as well as fun boutiques, so there is a lot of shopping fun to have at the Hague.

Visit a Church: Sint Jacobs Grote Kerk

While you walk through the bevy of small, cobblestone streets that are in the middle of The Hague, you’ll see another remarkable site, which is the Grote Kerk, also known as the Big Church. You won’t miss this building when you are walking around because, as its name implies, this is a massive building. The building is so large that it would be hard not to notice it.

If you decide to visit the church, you can climb the church tower to give you some impressive views of The Hague. From the church tower, you can see to Scheveningen, which is a beach town. So, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to get this view of the Hague if you have the time to visit the church. As soon as you are done with the church, you’ll be near some beautiful eateries. So, if you’re in the mood for a bite of food, we’ve got a few options for that listed below.

Lunch Choices

So, what are your choices if you want to grab some lunch at this point? Near the church, you can eat at Pistache café, LittleV, or Baladi Manouche. We’ll cover each one of your options in more detail below.

#1 Pistache Café

Pistache cafe is found in the palace gardens. This café has some luxurious, flavorful gourmet coffee that goes great with some yummy lunchtime meals. Here you can order an acai bowl, a tasty salad, or a hearty sandwich. At Pistache Café, you can also buy a picnic basket that you can buy and take to the Palace Gardens area if you want to enjoy a Dutch picnic at the Hague.

#2 Little V

If you have a craving for Vietnamese food, then you’ll want to stop by this restaurant and grab a bite to eat. The food at this place tastes like real, authentic Vietnamese food. If you’ve ever been to Vietnam, the food here will remind you of that country. Little V serves some of the best meals you’ll find in the Netherlands, not just at the Hague. Also, this place has some terrific non-alcoholic tropical drinks. While those drinks aren’t cheap, they’re worth splurging on, especially while you are on vacation.

#3 Baladi Manouche

Another great spot is Baladi Manouche. This restaurant offers gourmet Lebanese street-style food at affordable prices. The food is fantastic. And if you are on a budget or can’t get enough Lebanese cuisine, then this place is certainly worth stopping at, especially for the lovely tasting food you’ll enjoy.

So, now that you know what your lunch options are, you’ll need to pick your lunch choice, relax and get your munchies in, and then you’ll be ready to move onto viewing some other parts of The Hague.

Walk the Palace Gardens

As soon as you are done re-energizing yourself and filling up on some food, go to the Hague’s Palace Gardens, which are located directly next door to the Pistache Café. The Palace Gardens of the Hague are gorgeous and quiet, which can be invigorating. Since the gardens are located in the center of the city, they are a bit closed off and quiet, giving you a break from the loud noises of normal city life. Once you are at the Palace Gardens, you’ll also get a glimpse of the Royal Palace as well as the Royal Stables.

See the Royal Palace Noordeinde

As soon as you are done with the Palace Gardens, it’s time for you to make your way towards the Royal Palace. Palace Noordeinde is located in the middle of the Hague and encircled by those lovely cobblestone streets for shopping. Today, this location serves as the working palace of King Willem Alexander, the King of The Netherlands.

Since the King and royal family reside here, Palace Noordeinde is not open to the public, and you won’t be able to walk directly into it. However, it’s still worth it to take the time and admire the Palace Noordeinde from the outside. That’s because the Palace Noordeinde has been the residency of the House of Orange for over four hundred years.

See the Lovely Lange Voorhout

Once you’ve had your fill of the royal palace, you’ll be ready to move on. When you hit the first left after the palace, take it, and you’ll find the loveliest street in the Hague, called the Lange Vorrhout. This beautiful street is tree-lined and gorgeous and makes you realize how old the Hague is. Enjoy some fresh air stop once you reach the end of the promenade. There, you’ll find two buildings you’ll want to learn a bit more about the Hotel des Indes and the Escher Museum.

Hit the Mauritshuis Art Museum

The Lange Voorhout will curve into an L shape as you travel up it, and you’ll want to take this path in the direction of the Mauritshuis. The Mauritshuis is a beautiful masterpiece in architecture in its own right. The building is lovely and gives you the feeling of Dutch Classicism in architecture. Plus, the attractive interior and historic Dutch paintings (Vermeer’s “Girl with the Pearl Earring” is located here) make this an extraordinary place to stop.

Once inside Mauritshuis, you’ll be stuck with the beauty of the art and pictures in front of you. You’ll witness beautiful works of art by famous Dutch painters like Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Frans Hal, and others. Plus, this museum isn’t too large and visiting it should only take a couple of hours out of your day. However, this is a contemporary art museum, so unless you arrive at or earlier than opening time, you probably will spend some time waiting in line before you enter.

Also, Mauritshuis doesn’t open until 1 PM on Mondays. So, if you are making your visit on a Monday, you’ll need to factor in the museum’s availability and work it around your schedule, if you do want to visit this art museum. Adults cost €15.50, and children under 19 years old get free entry. The Mauritshuis opens on Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM, until 8 PM Thursdays, and on Mondays is open from 1 PM to 6 PM. If you want more information, visit their website.

Visit Escher in the Palace

As soon as your visit to Mauritshuis is over, you’ll have another exciting place to visit that will be very close to you. Once you leave Mauritshuis, it should take you about five minutes of walking time to get to another art museum you won’t want to miss, Escher in the Palace. The Escher Museum is known as a tiny art museum that depicts art by M.C. Escher. Much like the Mauritshuis, you’ll be making a quick visit through this place, because it isn’t massive.

Most people that walk through this museum find Escher’s artwork very interesting. He created illusions, drawings of the impossible, and altered what many people saw as reality throughout his artwork. Aside from the artwork, there are also interactive exhibits in the museum that helps change your reality.

The price for adults here is €10.00, ages 7 to 15, costs €6.50 per ticket, and ages six and under are free. This museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 AM to 5 PM and closed all day on Monday. If you’d like more information about this museum, please visit the museum’s website here.

Stop by Peace Palace

As soon as you are done enjoying the art museums, it’s time to take a look at the Peace Palace. From the art museums, it should take about ten minutes to walk down to the Peace Palace. The Peace Palace is well worth visiting because it is the home of the International Court of Justice, which makes it the only judicial center that belongs to the United Nations that isn’t found in New York City.

Once you get to the Peace Palace, you’ll see a Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is a great place to go and ask questions if you want to discover anything about the Peace Palace. Also, depending on what time of year you visit the Hague, there are options for taking a guided tour of the Peace Palace.

Taxi to Madurodam

If you’ve never seen Madurodam, it’s well worth the trip. Madurodam works as a small version of the Netherlands, where you can see miniature replicas of the Schiphol Airport, Rijksmuseum, Dutch canals, etc. The best time to visit Madurodam is from the middle of spring until the fall. That’s because the waterways are flowing with water, and you’ll see the flowers in bloom during these times of the year. During the winter, parts of this exhibit undergo renovation, so you may not get to witness this at that time.

Once you leave the Peace Palace, you can take a taxi to Madurodam, or walk there. It will take you about twenty minutes to walk there. If you purchase your ticket for Madurodam online, it will cost you €16.50 online; otherwise, you’ll have to pay €19.50 at the ticket office. You can also purchase a family ticket for €58.50. The hours of operation are 9 AM until 8 PM, but there are fewer open hours from September through March. If you want more information about Madurodam, please visit its official website.

Stop by Scheveningen

Another thing you can do, if you visit Madurodam or not, is taking a short break at Scheveningen. If it’s a beautiful day outside, then you might want to take a few moments and spend them at the beach. Scheveningen is a lovely place and serves as the Netherland’s seaside resort. You can have plenty of fun walking along the piers, finding places to eat, or even enjoying a Ferris Wheel ride here.

If you have children with you, there are plenty of other fun options for you. For instance, you can even go zip-lining. So, if you’ve been traveling around all day with young children, this might be a fun break for everybody to take. If you need more information about Scheveningen, go here.

You can get to Scheveningen from the Peace Palace by taking Tram 1 until you get to Scheveningen Village.

Visit the Hague Tower

If you’re thinking about winding down your day, then don’t worry. One of the last stops you should consider is the Hague Tower, which you can see before you grab your dinner. When you are at the top of the Hague tower, you can see the entire area of the Hague and all the way to Scheveningen.

If you purchase your tickets to go to the deck, you’ll get a free drink at the bar with your ticket. If you want to have dinner here, you’ll have the option to purchase food, but we will also be giving you a few other choices in a bit. The cost of a visit to the Hague Tower is €9, which also gets you a drink voucher at the Sky Bar. The Hague Tower is open from 12 PM to 10 PM daily.

After you have your beer, you can continue and grab some Dutch beer and dinner, or sit down and pay for dinner here. The food at the Hague Tower isn’t world-renowned, but it is affordable, decent, and filling. However, if you want a more gourmet restaurant feel for dinner, then keep reading.

Grab Some Dinner

When you are all done at the Hague Tower, it’s time to grab some dinner. If you aren’t staying to eat at the Hague Tower, then you’ll need to know some information about what your other options are for eating. We’ve got the details on three great options for you below.

#1 Plein

If you want to enjoy some Dutch food and a friendly Dutch beer in the middle of a Dutch square, then you should stop to check out Plein. Plein is located right next to the Mauitshuis. Here you’ll find some fun nightlife at a stylish bar and club that also has some great food and drinks. You can enjoy a bevy of food selections from their Dutch menu, and some of the best Dutch beer around.

#2 Grote Market

Grote Market is another attractive place to go if you want some nightlife along with your food. The Grote Market is hopping from early morning until late at night, and plenty of people stop by here to have fun. You can get some tasty Dutch food and drinks at the Grote Market anytime you’d like one.

#3 Bleyenberg

Bleyenberg is a new place that’s gotten very prevalent because of its delicious food. If you dine here, you’ll get to enjoy some eclectic decorations. Also, there are many delicious dishes from different cultures to try here. You can either eat inside the restaurant or on the Bleyenberg rooftop if you want something a little more romantic. If you go to the Bleynenberg, you won’t have the “nightclub” vibe, but you will be able to enjoy a lovely dinner.

Other Potential Ideas

You may need to modify the itinerary we created for you above, and if that’s the case, we understand. We’ve got a couple of other suggestions for you in case you decide to revise a few things. If you want to get a bit farther from the Hague rather than eating so near to it, you can explore the town of Delft. Delft is a small town filled with unique canals, and it’s very close to The Hague.

If you’d like, you can always split some time between the Hague and Delft. For example, when you go to the Hague, what you’re likely to get done and accomplished will depend on the lines, the number of other tourists present, and the day of the week, since not everything is open seven days a week. If that’s the case and something you wanted to see is closed, then you can fill some time be going to Delft.

To get to Delft, you take tram one from the Hague. You can also get to Amsterdam quickly from Delft, which is only about a one-hour train ride. There are many direct trains and some with transfers and stops.

Do You Need the Museum Card?

You might be wondering if you should purchase the museum card or not before making this trip. If you buy a Museum Card, you’ll get free entrance into four hundred museums across the Netherlands. If you are a Dutch resident, the card can be valid for an entire year. If you are a tourist and you buy a Museum Card, you’ll get thirty-one days. You can purchase the Museum Card at several different museums.

The cost of the Museum Card is €64.90. If you are planning to visit Amsterdam, the Hague, or other places in the Netherlands, and you want to hit several museums, then buying the Museum Card will probably be worth it. If you wish to purchase the Museum Card while you are at the Hague, you can buy one at Mauritshuis.

Best Time of Year

You can take a trip to the Hague at any time of the year. However, if you want to visit the Hague during the best weather, then try to make it sometime between April and October. The two most popular months for visiting the Netherlands in April and May. During those months, the tulips and daffodils create beautiful fields of color.

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