Traveling to The Hague - tips to get to the highlights
The best thing about traveling to The Hague is the sights you see enroute. Starting your journey from Amsterdam you see the typical Dutch landscape passing by. You can take the car or even cycle. The best way to go to The Hague though is by train. Here's why.
The Hague is one of the top destinations in the Netherlands. Dive into the culture, history and nature on a daytrip to the city by the sea. Or stay over for a day or two. Celebrate the Dutch traditions and get social with a local. From spotting the royal family during King's Day or Prince's Day to visiting the Peace Palace or International Criminal Court on the International Day of Peace, all year through there are festivals and events for you to enjoy.
Driving to The Hague
Traveling to The Hague by car from Amsterdam or Amsterdam airport Schiphol is doable. Let's say you are staying near Amsterdam Museumplein and want to get to The Hague city centre, Houses of Parliament. In my opinion driving in the city centre of Amsterdam is a real hassle and I wouldn't recommend it, public transport in Amsterdam is easy and comfortable. The bike is a good alternative for the car as you have less parking problems. It's easy to get around by bike, but quite stressful. Look out for pedestrians, other cyclists and public transport. Pay extra attention near tramway tracks!
Ok, so you've found your way to Amsterdam Zuid by car. There you take the highway A4. If you follow this road, you will be in The Hague within 1 hour. The highway is often crammed though, traffic jams outside peak hours are not unusual. Check ANWB, the Royal Dutch Touring Club for updated traffic info or use Google Maps.
Tip for when you are coming to the Netherlands in spring: take a slight detour to the A44 for some fantastic tulip fields.
Staying on the A4? Look on your left side when you pass Leiden. You see a 3 mill cascade - 3 molengang in Dutch- . This area near Leiden is one of my favorite. It's one of the best examples of Dutch countryside: full of windmills and cheese farms.
North Sea Cycling Route to The Hague
Traveling to The Hague by bike sounds wonderful, especially when your an avid cyclist like me. I would definitely take multiple days to enjoy the bike ride to the fullest. The shortest cycling route from Amsterdam city centre to The Hague is about 60 km (37 miles) so technically you could reach the Houses of Parliament in one day. Then again, you are probably on vacation, so I would recommend taking a longer cycling route. Getting out of the Dutch capital is never easy and the first part of the route is not very exciting. Just keep pedalling. Head to Haarlem, a beautiful city with lovely historical centre and stay there for the night. The following day cycle through the dunes towards Zandvoort and just follow the coastline. The cycling route is part of the long distance cycling network, the LF1 North Sea route . You'll reach The Hague's beach resort Scheveningen. This is where you could find me guiding a bike tour!
Traveling to The Hague by train
Now I know many of you are on a Europe trip and have very short time to visit the Netherlands. You definitely want to visit Amsterdam and you might still have a few hours to see another city in Holland. Well, I could give you many tips on cities to visit, but let's focus on traveling to The Hague for now. From Amsterdam or Amsterdam airport Schiphol there is a direct connection by train to The Hague Hollands Spoor (HS station). It's easy, stressfree and comfortable. You don't need to book ahead and can get out of the train whenever you want. When you take the train from Amsterdam it will stop at great places such as Haarlem and Leiden. Do visit these cities if you have time! Take the intercity Amsterdam Centraal in spring and you'll be able to see the gorgeous flower fields between these two cities.
Within 1 hour you reach The Hague Hollands Spoor station. From here take a tram or rent a bicycle to get to The Hague beach 'Scheveningen'. The tram will stop at city centre Hague . You can also go for a 10 minutes walk to the highlights of the historical city centre: Houses of Parliament, museum Mauritshuis, royal palace Noordeinde, Lange Voorhout.
Enjoy your journey!
You might also like:
Leiden cheese and dairy cycling route
Holland greenhouse tomato facts
Some Holland greenhouse tomato facts to prepare for your visit to the Dutch horticulture hotspot. Just a few basics on the tomato plant and the vegetable itself.
Birthday tour Leiden - stroopwafel and windmill
If you want to celebrate, go to Leiden. The Dutch city in between The Hague and Amsterdam is easily reachable by public transport and o so gezellig. Search the city for a warm syrup waffle and then hop on your bike and head to the lake area for a view of the windmills. That's what we did in the birthday tour Leiden.
Rembrandt City on a Saturday
If you have just a few days to spend in the Netherlands, go to Leiden. It's a student town with lots of history, nice terraces near the water and great nature areas in the near surroundings. Visit the city of Rembrandt on a Saturday and you'll experience how the locals celebrate the Dutch way of life. The market, although busy, is thé place to dive into the happy & friendly atmosphere.
Stroopwafel Baking Birthday Tour Leiden
This is where I took my participants. It is my goal to make your visit to the Netherlands a great experience and when there is something to celebrate I try to arrange a surprise activity. The birthday tour Leiden customised for this Irish family of 4 sisters and their mother would take 3 hours. Before we started the bike ride through the Dutch countryside I took the birthday girl plus family to the stroopwafel stand. Here Ton runs his stall every Saturday for the last 15 years. He explained how the stroopwafel is baked and then it was our turn. Bake the waffle, cut it in half while it's still warm ( very warm!!). Now you put the caramel in between and put the two halves together. Yummie stroopwafel is ready to eat!
Windmill: Cherry on the Dutch Birthday Cake
On an adventurous, crowded route we found our way to the city's borders. In most of the Dutch cities, the singel or canal surrounding the city has always functioned as a border. So at the singel the birthday tour Leiden really started.
We cycled under sea level, along canals to the last remaining polder. The view was exceptional. Green grassed meadows mostly surrounded by lakes, rivers and ditches and as a cherry on the birthday cake: a windmill. We admired the water management system and then picked a spot for this picture.
You might also like:
3 Creative outings in Leiden conference city
Family Holland cheese making and windmill visit Leiden
Family Holland cheese making & windmill Leiden
A Mexican family with a passion for cheese made several stops on their Euro trip. After their workshop of parmigiano cheese making in Italy they came to the Netherlands. I took them for a workshop fresh Holland cheese making and windmill visit in Leiden area. A tasty experience!
Private tour Dutch greenhouse with family & friends
It's your mother's birthday. She's got green fingers, owns a plant nursery in the UK for over 35 years now. So what do you gift her? A private tour Dutch greenhouse in the area below The Hague! Read more
On bison safari in Amsterdam National Park
“If I’m not back by 2PM, a bison probably ate me”, I jokingly said to my friends. A bison safari in Amsterdam National Park had been on my to-do-list for a long time. I just couldn’t believe that these prehistoric animals walked around freely in the Dutch dunes, I had to see it for myself. Today I would.
4 reasons why to celebrate holiday season in South Holland
When you enjoy typical Dutch food, are in for a bit of action and like the motto: get social with a local and visit this Dutch coastal region. Here’s why to celebrate holiday season in South Holland in 2021.
Hague castle event venue once a brewer's farm
There's a The Hague castle event venue, that was once was a brewer's farm. Jan, son of a golf club maker made money brewing beer. On an estate the size of 7 rugby fields he built a farmhouse. Now, when you walk in the dense estate's forest it is not a farmhouse that's hidden from sight.
Delft brewer's fortune
Jan Pieterszn. Colff doesn't want to follow his father's footsteps and make golf clubs. He does what many do in his days and opens a brewery. In de Witte Hoefijsser - In The White Horseshoe- is right next to the canal in Voorstraat 2 in Delft. Two centuries later, in 1770, his grandson Pieter Maartenszn. enjoys great fortune. He adds Hoeffijser to his name and replaces his great grandfather's 'Colffmaekerswoning' - house of a golf club maker- . Pieter proudly calls the new building 'House of Hoeffijser'. It comprises a mansion surrounded by a canal and a small farmer's house. To make sure outsiders understand the difference between mansion and farmer's house the first is referred to as Large Horseshoe.
The woman and the Dutch estate
Mid 19th century brickmanufacturer Cornelis Schiffer van Bleyswijk renovates the whole estate and dedicates it to his wife Suzanna de Wildt. The Large Horseshoe estate is now De Wiltenburg, later known as Wittenburg. It still is not a Hague castle event venue, but this will change. At the turn of the 20th century an esquire knocks on the door and buys estate De Wittenburg.
Wittenburg becomes a castle near Hague
Fashion changes with time. Esquire Helenus Martinus Speelman has high demands when it comes to the design of his new house. His architect Johannes van Nieukerken has to make several designs before Helenus finally approves the design. This is the moment the brewer's farm, the brickmanufacturer's house becomes the castle near Hague. Parts of demolished houses in Amsterdam and The Hague form the castle. When his mansion is almost finished and the tower is built, Helenus tells the workers to remove tower and upper floor. Still not happy with the result, he asks his friend, also promoter of the interests of Dutch castles, for advice. The upper floor and tower are rebuilt.
The Hague castle event venue & hotel
What was once a brewer's farm is now a The Hague castle event venue. Royalty, ministers and corporates have been coming to this stately 4 star hotel and event locationfor ages. With the opening of the new restaurant, Sophie, named after the wife of Helenus you can now also enjoy the estate's tranquility during a lunch, high tea or dinner in De Wittenburg.
Explore the estate and it's surrounding
One extra tip: Explore the park which is full of monuments and monumental trees. From different sides you'll find great sneek peaks on the castle, its pond and outside terrace. When you you enter estate De Witteburg via the original lime lane you'll see the estate's border monument with the initials of Helenus.
You can also reach this Dutch castle by bike. There is an amazing cycle route from The Hague to Leiden that passes several estates in this part of Holland. Some, like this castle near Hague are hard to spot in spring and summer due to the lush monumental trees.
You might also like:
Royal The Hague Estate De Horsten
Venues in nature & outdoor team events in the Netherlands
Cycle Tour Sea & the City The Hague
Sources used:
http://www.colf-kolf.nl/1450-1700/8/details.htm
https://www.patriesvandorst.nl/over-ons/kasteel-de-wittenburg/
http://www.kasteleninzuidholland.nl/Pages/Wittenburg.htm
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasteel_De_Wittenburg
https://www.buitenplaatseninnederland.nl/wassenaar-de-wittenburg.html
https://www.restaurantsophie.nl/
https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC3VVP4_naar-het-kasteel?guid=c1c9eeb7-8e4c-4aec-8127-21bf8a0b77fb
https://www.wassenaar.nl/vrije-tijd-wassenaar/landgoederen_3866/
https://www.cipvw.nl/monumenten/133-buitenplaats-de-wittenburg.html
http://www.wittenburg.nl.transurl.nl/historie-kasteel-de-wittenburg/
Royal The Hague Estate De Horsten
Want to see a palace, castle or estate? At Royal The Hague estate De Horsten you might even see king Willem- Alexander, queen Maxima and their three beautiful daughters.
Dutch Parks Come With Castles
When you visit the Netherlands and all of a sudden find yourself surrounded by nature, keep your eyes open! You might find a Dutch castle, an estate or even catch a glimpse of the royal family of the Netherlands. Highest chances to see the Dutch king and queen is in The Hague area, province South Holland.
The Route of Dunes and Forest
The royal estate The Hague that is closest to the city centre is the Huis ten Bosch palace. You could start your walk or bike ride here. Cycling routes and walking trails take you from The Hague to Leiden on a route full of sandy dunes and lush green parks. In spring and summer at least. In autumn the parks are filled with golden, brown, red and orange leaves fallen from the oaks and chestnut trees. Winding paths take you to the pièce the resistance of every estate: a 17th or 18th mansion.
Where the Dutch King lives
In Wassenaar, a cosy village right between The Hague and Leiden the royal The Hague estate De Horsten is located. The Dutch word 'horst' means: a higher sandy ground with trees or surrounded by trees. The three estates Raaphorst, Ter Horst and Eikenhorst were bought by the royal family in the 1800's and together now form royal The Hague estate De Horsten. Dutch king Willem-Alexander, queen Maxima and their daughters Alexia, Amalia and Ariane lived in Villa Eikenhorst. In 2019 the royal family moved to Huis ten Bosch palace.
Royal Estate The Hague
Highlights of this royal estate The Hague are the Seringenberg and the tea pavilion. The Seringenberg, hill of lilacs, blooms with purple flowers beginning of May. When you climb up the twirling hill path beginning of June, you'll be captivated by the richly scented mock orange - Philadelphus coronarius-. On top you can rest in a small pavilion. From here you see the typical winding paths, meadows and the clear borders off grassland and trees created by 19th century landscape designer Zocher jr.
Cycling and Coffee, Hike & High Tea
The tea pavilion De Horsten is a cosy place that from the inside still reminds of the time it was used as hunting lodge by Prince Frederik in the 19th century. The tea room is decorated with hunting trophees. The entrance to the tea pavilion is magical and so is the view on the terrace. A great place to enjoy a lovely cup of tea or have a coffee break on your cycling tour.
Useful info:
- Cycling is not allowed inside De Horsten. There are signed walking trails of different distances.
- Royal The Hague estate De Horsten entrance fee is: €1.00 per adult, for seniors and children between 4-14 years old €0.50
You can buy the entrance tickets at the entrance.
- The easiest entrance is at:
- Opening hours
