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Museum Voorlinden, The Hague

Itinerary · The Hague · Netherlands

One day in The Hague

A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing The Hague, not crossing it.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: Vysotsky, CC BY-SA 4.0

Quick answer

One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 3. Day 1: Mauritshuis and Hofvijver and Binnenhof. Base yourself in Centrum and the Hofvijver.

Key facts

Days
1
Sights covered
4
Day trips
None
Best base
Centrum and the Hofvijver
Book ahead
Mauritshuis

Day by day

  1. Day 1: Mauritshuis and Hofvijver and Binnenhof

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

    1. Morning

      Mauritshuis

      Go at opening time or in the last hour, when Girl with a Pearl Earring has the smallest crowd. Allow 2 hours.

    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. Allow 30 minutes.

    3. Lunch

      Lunch: Raw herring

      Herring stalls in Scheveningen harbour and carts in the centre.

    4. Afternoon

      Gevangenpoort

      Combine it with the Prince William V Gallery next door, a small 18th-century picture gallery on the same ticket. Allow 1 hour.

    5. Late afternoon

      Kunstmuseum Den Haag

      Don't miss the Mondrian galleries, which show his evolution from landscapes to grids. Allow 2–3 hours.

    6. Evening

      Plein

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

Before you go

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

If it rains

  • Swap in Escher in Het Paleis (Hofkwartier and Noordeinde): Older children enjoy the illusion rooms on the top floor.
  • Swap in Panorama Mesdag (Zeeheldenkwartier): Stay for a few minutes on the platform; the illusion strengthens as your eyes adjust.
  • 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

$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, nightlife and shopping

Centrum and the Hofvijver

Government buildings, the Mauritshuis and terraces on the Plein and Grote Markt

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 6–7 hours of visiting over one day, 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.

Getting between stops: Walking. The Hofvijver, Mauritshuis, Lange Voorhout, Noordeinde and the Plein are within about 10 minutes of each other; Den Haag Centraal is a 10-minute walk away.

More or fewer days

Questions travellers ask

+Is one day enough in The Hague?

One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 3. How many days The Hague needs.

+What should I book before visiting The Hague?

Mauritshuis.