South Holland
The Hague
Reach The Hague from Schiphol in under an hour, check the Mauritshuis around its 2026 closure before booking, then split your time between Vermeer, the Binnenhof and Scheveningen beach.
Best length
2-3 nights
Airport
Schiphol (AMS) ~40km; Rotterdam The Hague (RTM) ~16km
Airport to centre
Direct NS train from Schiphol ~30 min to Den Haag Centraal
Best base
Centrum for first-timers; Zeeheldenkwartier for value and local food
In short
The Hague at a glance
The Hague is a relaxed two- or three-night break that pairs serious art with a proper sea-front: base yourself in or near the Centrum, book the Mauritshuis before you fly (and check the 24 Aug-20 Sept 2026 renovation closure), and take tram 1 out to Scheveningen for an afternoon rather than treating the beach as your only plan.
The short version
- Arrive by train, not car: a direct NS service from Schiphol reaches Den Haag Centraal in about 30 minutes for roughly £10-£12.
- Book the Mauritshuis ahead and avoid the 24 August to 20 September 2026 closure, when the museum shuts for renovation and the Girl with a Pearl Earring travels to Japan.
- Stay in or beside the Centrum for first trips; Zeeheldenkwartier is the better-value, more local evening base a short walk west.
- Take tram 1 from the centre to Scheveningen in about 10 minutes for the beach, the Kurhaus and Panorama Mesdag.
- The Binnenhof is mid-renovation until around 2028, so plan to admire the Hofvijver and Ridderzaal from outside rather than touring inside.
The Hague is the Netherlands’ seat of government and its quietest big city to enjoy — parliament, embassies and the International Court sit a short walk from a Vermeer that stops people in their tracks. The pull is the contrast: the Mauritshuis and the Binnenhof in the centre, then tram 1 out to a proper North Sea beach at Scheveningen in about ten minutes. It rewards a slower, two- or three-night pace far more than a rushed day trip from Amsterdam.
The one planning call that matters in 2026 is the Mauritshuis. It closes from 24 August to 20 September 2026 for renovation, and the Girl with a Pearl Earring travels to an exhibition in Japan over a similar window — so if she is the reason you’re going, book a timed slot before you fly and avoid those dates. The Binnenhof is also mid-renovation until roughly 2028, so treat it as an outside walk around the Hofvijver rather than an interior tour.
Below, the structured planning — where to stay, what to book, the train in from Schiphol and a realistic budget in pounds — picks up from here. Two nights covers the art and the beach; a third buys you Madurodam, the Kunstmuseum or Escher in The Palace without rushing.
Plan your The Hague trip
Keep a first trip focused: book the big timed sights, then leave room for neighbourhoods and food.
Top things to do in The Hague
Madurodam
Madurodam is a 1:25 scale model of the Netherlands at George Maduroplein 1 in the Scheveningen district of The Hague — built in 1952 as a memorial to resistance fighter George Maduro and laid out as an open-air walk past miniature versions of the Binnenhof, Schiphol, the Port of Rotterdam and the canal houses. Buy a dated online day ticket rather than paying at the gate: online runs roughly €22.50-€24.50 (about £19-£21) for an adult on dynamic pricing, while the counter and the year-round Flex ticket are a flat €26 (about £22). It's an outdoor park, so the seasonal hours and the weather matter more than any queue.
Mauritshuis
Book a timed Mauritshuis ticket online before you travel — the museum is small, slots cap quickly in peak season and the room with the Girl with a Pearl Earring bottlenecks fast. Crucially, check your dates first: the museum closes 24 August to 20 September 2026 for renovation, and the Vermeer itself goes on loan to Japan over a similar window. Go at opening or in the last 90 minutes to have Vermeer and Fabritius's Goldfinch almost to yourself; allow 1.5 hours for the whole collection.
Where to stay first
The areas that make a first visit easier — not an exhaustive directory.
Centrum
££ mid-rangeThe easiest first base: the Mauritshuis, Binnenhof, Grote Markt bars and Den Haag Centraal are all walkable, and tram 1 to Scheveningen starts here. It is the priciest area but it saves a tram ride every morning.
Best for: First-timers, short stays, art-led trips
Zeeheldenkwartier
£ valueA 10-minute walk west of the centre with independent cafes, the Zeeheldentuin garden and better dinner value than the Grote Markt. The local-feeling choice if you want to eat well and still walk to the museums.
Best for: Food-led trips, value, repeat visitors
Statenkwartier and Archipelbuurt
££ mid-rangeQuiet, leafy embassy districts between the Peace Palace and Scheveningen, with the Kunstmuseum nearby. Calmer and more residential; good if you want space and don't mind a tram into town.
Best for: Quieter stays, families, museum lovers
Scheveningen
£££ premiumThe beach resort itself: boulevard hotels, SEA LIFE and the Kurhaus right on the sand. Choose it if the seafront is the point of the trip; in summer it is busy and pricier, and you'll tram in for the museums.
Best for: Beach-first weekends, families
Airport to city centre
| Option | Time | Cost | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NS train from Schiphol to Den Haag Centraal | ~30 min | about €11-€12 single | Direct Intercity; the simplest arrival |
| NS train from Schiphol to Den Haag HS (Hollands Spoor) | ~30 min | about €11-€12 single | Handy if your hotel is near HS or on tram 1 |
| From Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM) | ~30-40 min by bus 33 then train, or taxi | bus + tram a few euros; taxi €40-€50 | Closer, but fewer direct UK flights than Schiphol |
| Taxi from Schiphol | ~40 min | usually €70-€90+ | Only worth it with heavy luggage or a group |
When to go
Sweet spot: May, June and September are the sweet spot: long daylight, warm-enough beach days at Scheveningen and lighter crowds than the July-August Dutch school holidays. April brings the tulip-season day trips but cooler sea air.
Summer is the busiest and priciest stretch, especially in Scheveningen, and note the Mauritshuis closes 24 August to 20 September 2026 for renovation. Winter is quiet and good for the museums but not a beach trip; the North Sea wind makes the seafront bracing.
What it costs
UK return flights to Amsterdam Schiphol are often £40-£110 outside school holidays when booked ahead; Rotterdam The Hague Airport has fewer direct UK routes but lands closer to the city. Add the train fare from whichever airport you use.
Daily budget per person
The Netherlands is not a cheap-beer city: a pilsner in a bar runs about €4-€8. Eat a street or two off the Grote Markt and the Plein, and use HTM day tickets rather than buying single tram fares each trip.
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