3 days in The Hague

Day by day

1. Day 1: Mauritshuis and Hofvijver and Binnenhof

   Mauritshuis, Hofvijver and Binnenhof and Gevangenpoort, then Plein in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Mauritshuis

      This 17th-century palace on the Hofvijver holds a focused collection of Dutch Golden Age painting, including Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring and View of Delft, Rembrandt's The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp and Carel Fabritius's The Goldfinch.

   2. Late morning

      Hofvijver and Binnenhof

      Photograph the Binnenhof from Lange Vijverberg on the north side of the pond at dusk, when the buildings reflect in the water.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Raw herring

      Herring stalls in Scheveningen harbour and carts in the centre.

   4. Afternoon

      Gevangenpoort

      The Prison Gate, a medieval gatehouse by the Hofvijver, served as a prison for centuries; Cornelis de Witt was held here before he and his brother Johan were killed by a mob in 1672.

   5. Evening

      Plein

      Café terraces on the square by the parliament, busy with office workers in the early evening.

2. Day 2: Kunstmuseum Den Haag and Madurodam

   Kunstmuseum Den Haag, Madurodam and Westbroekpark rose garden, then Grote Markt in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Kunstmuseum Den Haag

      Don't miss the Mondrian galleries, which show his evolution from landscapes to grids.

   2. Late morning

      Madurodam

      A miniature park of Dutch landmarks at 1:25 scale, from Amsterdam's canal houses and the Rijksmuseum to Schiphol, the Delta Works and the Port of Rotterdam, with interactive models children can operate.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Kibbeling

      Fish stalls at Scheveningen harbour, along the boulevard and at the Haagse Markt.

   4. Afternoon

      Westbroekpark rose garden

      Pair it with a walk through the Scheveningse Bosjes to Madurodam or the beach.

   5. Evening

      Grote Markt

      A square of bars and terraces popular with a younger crowd.

3. Day 3: Peace Palace and Panorama Mesdag

   Peace Palace, Panorama Mesdag and Escher in Het Paleis, then Denneweg in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Peace Palace

      Funded by Andrew Carnegie and opened in 1913, the Peace Palace houses the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

   2. Late morning

      Panorama Mesdag

      Stay for a few minutes on the platform; the illusion strengthens as your eyes adjust.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Rijsttafel

      Indonesian restaurants across the centre and Statenkwartier; ask for a rijsttafel for two to sample many dishes.

   4. Afternoon

      Escher in Het Paleis

      The former winter palace of Queen Emma on Lange Voorhout displays M.C.

   5. Evening

      Denneweg

      Wine bars and restaurants on an elegant old street near Lange Voorhout.

Before you go

• Mauritshuis: Timed tickets bought online help on weekends and in school holidays.

If it rains

• Swap in Louwman Museum (Mariahoeve): The museum is outside the centre near the Clingendael estate, so allow time for a tram, bus or bike ride each way.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Centrum and the Hofvijver keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Hofkwartier and Noordeinde ($$$$) suits couples, luxury, shopping and food lovers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–14 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 7.8 hours in December to 16.7 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in The Hague
• 2 days in The Hague

Questions travellers ask