The Hague’s location in the middle of the country and closeness to major transportation hubs like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht makes organizing day trips from there incredibly simple. A number of smaller towns and cities, each with a unique character, surround The Hague.
1. Lisse
Lisse is encircled by countless vibrant flower fields and is located in the center of South Holland’s tulip region. The interesting Tulip Museum, the castle at Huys Burg, and Keukenhof Gardens are just a few of the city’s top attractions.
2. Amsterdam
The Hague and Amsterdam may be reached by a number of fast train routes, which transport commuters between the two cities. Although being the biggest city in the Netherlands, Amsterdam is manageable in size, making it easy to explore many of its well-known attractions in a single day.
3. Leiden
The University of Leiden was founded in 1575, making it the oldest in the Netherlands. Since then, the city has grown up around academia and now includes a spectacular collection of university-related structures, including the Leiden Observatory. Botanical gardens, as well as a number of academic museums.
4. Rotterdam
The Hague and Rotterdam are actually connected by a high-speed metro line, so it takes about 30 minutes to go between them. Rotterdam, the second-largest city in the Netherlands, has a lot to offer tourists, including amazing ultra-modern architecture, top-notch museums, and a ton of excellent places to hang out at night.
5. The Kinderdijk windmills
The network of windmills inside Kinderdijk is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its historical and cultural value. The majority of these amazing devices dated back more than 250 years and were initially constructed to remove water from the local marshlands.
6. Kijkduin
While being a part of The Hague, Kijkduin is far enough away from the city center to easily warrant a full-day trip. This coastal community is well known for its picturesque shoreline, windswept dunes, and modernist buildings. It is located around 10 kilometers due west of the Binnenhof.
7. Utrecht
With numerous medieval churches still standing, Utrecht may be the Netherlands’ most historically attractive city. For instance, Utrecht’s medieval town center has been dominated by the Dom Tower, which was constructed in the fourteenth century.
8. Delft
A medieval city called Delft is situated halfway between Rotterdam and The Hague. This picturesque town produced enormous quantities of exquisite Delftware ceramics during the Dutch Golden Ages and was once a major economic force. Delft is known for its classic architecture and has many structures from this era still standing.
9. Haarlem
The historic town center of Haarlem is absolutely stunning and contains some outstanding ecclesiastical and civic structures that date from before the Dutch Golden Period. A craft brewery is also housed inside a historic church.
10. Gouda
Gouda is ideal for day visits from The Hague due to its small size and variety of historical monuments. Many of these beautiful structures were constructed during Gouda’s prosperous era when it was the only Dutch city allowed to host a cheese market (which still takes place every Thursday between April and September).
