The Hague Travel Guide: Plan Your Perfect Trip
By Matt Cuckston, Founder & Travel Technology Expert at TixLayer
The Hague sits in a category of its own among Dutch cities. It is not the biggest, not the most photographed, and not the one everyone names when asked about the Netherlands. That works in your favour. As the seat of government, home to the International Court of Justice, and the address of some of the finest art in Europe, it rewards visitors who show up curious and unhurried. Whether you are researching things to do in The Hague for a long weekend or planning a full week, this guide gives you a practical, honest foundation to build your trip on.
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Getting There
By Air
The closest airport is Rotterdam The Hague Airport, roughly 20 minutes by taxi or bus. Amsterdam Schiphol is the larger international hub and connects directly to The Hague via a 50-minute train ride. Schiphol is usually the better option for long-haul travellers given its route network and frequency.
By Train
The train is the easiest way to arrive. Direct Intercity services run from Amsterdam Centraal, Rotterdam Centraal, and Utrecht. Trains are frequent, clean, and rarely more than 15 minutes late. The main station is Den Haag Centraal, though Den Haag HS (Hollands Spoor) is useful if you are staying in the south of the city.
From Amsterdam on a Day Trip
If you are based in Amsterdam and want a guided introduction, the Rotterdam and The Hague Tour in Spanish from Amsterdam is a full-day option that pairs both cities efficiently.
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Getting Around
The city has an excellent tram network operated by HTM. A single OV-chipkaart (the national public transport card, available at any station) covers trams, buses, and metro across the country. Tap in and tap out every time.
Cycling is genuinely practical here. The infrastructure is safe and flat, and rental shops are easy to find near Centraal. If you want to see the highlights with context, the Highlights Bike Tour is a well-paced option that takes in architecture, parks, and the political quarter.
For a slower, more atmospheric introduction, the Hop-on Hop-off Heritage Tram Tour uses restored historic trams and lets you set your own pace across the main sights.
Taxis and ride-share apps exist but are rarely necessary within the city centre.
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Best Neighbourhoods to Stay In
City Centre (Centrum)
The most convenient base. You are within walking distance of the Binnenhof, the main museums, and good restaurants. Hotels here range from budget options to four-star properties.
Statenkwartier
A quieter residential neighbourhood with wide tree-lined streets, independent cafes, and a Saturday market. Popular with expats and a good choice if you want a calmer atmosphere without sacrificing convenience.
Scheveningen
The beach district, about 5 kilometres from the centre. Better suited to families or anyone who wants the option of a morning swim. Accommodation here tends to be slightly more expensive, and the area is busier in summer.
Zeeheldenkwartier
A compact neighbourhood with independent shops and a strong local dining scene. A good option if you want to feel less like a tourist and more like a resident.
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When to Visit
Best months: May, June, and September
May and June bring long days, mild temperatures (15 to 20°C), and the tulip season in full effect across the surrounding region. September retains the warmth without the peak-season crowds.
July and August
Scheveningen beach fills up, accommodation prices rise, and the city is at its most animated. Not a reason to avoid it, but book early and expect company.
What to avoid
November through January is grey, wet, and cold. Not unpleasant if you are focused on museums and indoor dining, but not ideal for first-time visitors hoping to get a sense of the city's outdoor life. The Christmas market at Plein is a genuine local event worth knowing about if you do visit in December.
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What to See and Do
Mauritshuis
The Mauritshuis entrance ticket gets you into one of the finest small art museums in the world. The collection is focused on 17th-century Dutch and Flemish masters. Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring is here, as is Rembrandt's The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp. The building itself, a 17th-century mansion on the Hofvijver pond, is worth the visit on its own terms.
Housed in a former royal palace on Lange Voorhout, this museum is dedicated entirely to the work of M.C. Escher. It is genuinely unlike any other museum experience in the Netherlands. Tickets are available for adults, youth, and children, making it a strong option for mixed-age groups.
Madurodam
A scale model of the entire Netherlands, Madurodam is often dismissed as a children's attraction. It is that, but it is also a genuinely impressive piece of craftsmanship and a useful way to understand Dutch geography and architecture before you explore further.
The Prison Gate Museum occupies a medieval gatehouse that served as a prison for centuries. The history is grim and fascinating, and the building itself dates to the 13th century. It is consistently overlooked by visitors focused on the bigger museums, which means shorter queues and a more personal experience.
Scheveningen Beach and The Pier
The beach at Scheveningen is a proper North Sea beach: wide, windswept, and backed by a long promenade. The Pier extends into the sea and includes the SkyView observation experience, which gives you an elevated perspective over the coastline. Families with younger children should also note the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre nearby.
Walking Tour of the Centre
If you prefer your history narrated, the 2-hour walking tour with a storyteller covers the political quarter, the Binnenhof, and the older streets of the centre with a guide who knows the city well.
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Where to Eat
The Hague has a strong Indonesian food culture, a legacy of Dutch colonial history. Rijsttafel, a spread of small Indonesian dishes served with rice, is worth seeking out and is done well at several restaurants in the city centre and Statenkwartier.
For Dutch classics, look for herring stalls near the market at Markt and around Scheveningen. Raw herring with onion and pickles, eaten the traditional way, is a local staple and costs almost nothing.
The Zeeheldenkwartier neighbourhood has a cluster of independent restaurants with shorter menus and better cooking than most of the tourist-facing options near the main sights. It is worth the 15-minute walk from the centre.
For coffee, the city has a solid independent cafe scene. Avoid the chains around Centraal and head a few streets in.
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Budget Expectations
The Hague sits in the middle range for European cities. It is cheaper than Amsterdam on accommodation and broadly comparable on food and drink. A mid-range dinner for two with wine will cost between €60 and €90. Museum entry typically runs €15 to €20 per person. A daily tram pass costs around €9.
Budget travellers can manage comfortably on €80 to €100 per day including accommodation in a hostel or budget hotel. A mid-range trip with a decent hotel and one or two paid attractions runs €150 to €200 per day.
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Insider Tips
The Binnenhof courtyard is free to walk through. Most visitors photograph it from outside without realising you can simply walk in. The inner courtyard of the Dutch parliament building is open to the public during the day and gives you a different perspective on the architecture without paying for a formal tour.
Lange Voorhout on a summer evening is worth your time. This tree-lined boulevard hosts an outdoor art fair in summer and is a regular spot for locals in the early evening. It rarely appears in standard itineraries but gives you a genuine sense of how the city actually lives.
The tram line 9 runs directly from Centraal to Scheveningen beach. It sounds obvious but many visitors take taxis for this journey without knowing the tram is direct, frequent, and costs a fraction of the price. The ride takes about 20 minutes and drops you a short walk from the sand.
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Final Word
The Hague earns its reputation as a serious city without being a dull one. The art is world-class, the beach is genuinely good, and the pace gives you room to actually look at things rather than rush between them. It works well as a standalone destination and equally well as part of a broader Netherlands itinerary that includes Rotterdam or Leiden. Either way, it tends to be the city people wish they had spent more time in.
