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Take the train to The Hague

  • The Hague
  • The Hague by train
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You should plan your visit before leaving for The Hague, as the city has a wide variety of attractions and it’s worth knowing what you want to go and see beforehand.

If you’re looking for an overall picture of the city and its main historical buildings, you could hire a bicycle and travel from district to district. You could start at the Hofkwartier, the royal district. Come and admire the buildings of the Dutch parliament, “Het Binnenhof”, or the Peace Palace, which is home to the International Court of Justice. And when it comes to the modern parts of The Hague, you should make your way to the “De Resident” district. There, you will be able to see the Zurich Tower, the Muses Tower (Muzentoren), the Transitorium Tower, which has become the “Castalia”, and the Courtyard Tower (Hoftoren).

And if you’d rather go and visit the museums, there are 30 of them in all. Three of these stand out: the Mauritshuis with its superb collection of 17th-century Dutch paintings (including works by Vermeer and Rembrandt), the Gemeentemuseum with its collection of drawings and paintings by Piet Mondriaan and the “Beelden aan Zee” museum, which houses sculptures based on the theme of the human being. And 200 metres from there is the Steigenberger Kurhaus hotel, one of the country’s most prestigious establishments.

When it comes to food, The Hague is well-known for its Indonesian restaurants. You could try “rijsttafel”, a typically Dutch version of Indonesian cooking, which comprises up to 50 dishes. You could also try the best Dutch herring, available from the shop just in front of “Het Binnenhof”. And for those who prefer sugary foods, you could try The Hague’s well-known sweet, the “Haagsche Hopje”.

Tips and practical information

The Hague

The Peace Palace is worth a visit not only for its Flemish neo-Renaissance design, but also for its works of art, such as a massive gate given by Germany, a statue of Peace from Belgium, Gobelins tapestries sent by France, a carpet made under the Turkish empire, a clock given by Switzerland, and examples of teak woodwork from the Dutch East Indies. Since 1945, the palace has housed the International Criminal Court, a genuine court of justice that settles various conflicts with international implications.

Address: Carnegieplein 2, Den Haag

More information: http://www.vredespaleis.nl/

At the Panorama Mesdag you can see an enlightening group creation, typical of The Hague's painting tradition: a circular canvas, 14m high and 120m in circumference, installed in a rotunda. It shows a view of the old fishing village of Scheveningen in 1880. The effect of the recently restored Panorama is made even more fascinating by the use of large white canvases to absorb and reflect the light from the glass roof and thus avoid unwanted backlighting and reflections.

Address: Zeestraat 65, 2518 AA Den Haag

More information: http://www.panorama-mesdag.com/

Situated in a beautiful building opposite the Hofvijver, this museum features the personal collection of Abraham Bredius (1855-1946), an erudite art historian and traveller who was director of the Mauritshuis for twenty years.

Address: Lange Vijverberg 14, 2513 Den Haag

More information: http://www.museumbredius.nl/

This museum, like the Museum of Photography, is part of The Hague Municipal Museum but nevertheless their programmes are totally separate. At the Museum of Contemporary Art you can see the work of Dutch as well as international artists. It features numerous disciplines, including video installations, paintings and sculpture, multimedia, performance, film, photography, drawing and digital arts. In addition, the museum also hosts presentations, debates and happenings, as well as film and book shows.

Address: Stadhouderslaan 43, 2517 HV Den Haag

More information: http://www.gem-online.nl/

From June to September, climb aboard the Rederij Vrolijk and take a 3½-hour cruise on a splendid three-master. You will enjoy an afternoon of sailing along the coast, full sail ahead. Booking is essential.

Address: Dr. Lelykade 22A, 2583 CM Scheveningen

More information: http://www.rederijvrolijk.nl





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Travel time
Brussels Midi
Return from
*
Amsterdam 1h53 € 48
Schiphol 1h37 € 46
Rotterdam 1h11 € 33
The Hague 1h35 € 37
Maastricht 1h27 € 19
Delft 1h34 € 37
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* Unless expressly stated otherwise, all fares quoted are per person (VAT included), based on a return journey in 2nd Class from Brussels and subject to availability.