A Day in The Hague

Visiting The Hague is probably one of my favorite things to do.

As a multinational city, it is sometimes rare even to find people speaking Dutch. There are many international companies that employ foreigners, and since all embassies are located there, you will find people from all around the world walking the streets of the city.

You will hear French, Italian, Asian languages and so much Spanish that you will wonder where exactly on the planet you are. Well, this is The Hague and this is why we love it!

Every time I visit The Hague, I enjoy this diversity. You might wonder, what is the difference with Amsterdam then? Well, Amsterdam consists of mostly tourists and the people living in the Hague always inspire a different vibe to me. The Hague has more class, – if I can say that – and is definitely less busy. Perhaps this vibe and this class I am talking about comes from the fact that all government facilities are there, plus the King’s Palace and the International Court of Justice. Don’t get me wrong! I love Amsterdam and its atmosphere. The Hague is just different.

I had the opportunity to visit the city since a friend of mine lives there. Every time I go there, I wish I could stay more than just a weekend. Hopefully I can explore more of the city in the future!

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Fountain at Buitenhof

The center of the city is in walking distance from the central train station and you have a great choice between trams and buses if you don’t want to walk or the weather is bad. Also, the OV fiets is a great option for people who want to explore this city the typical Dutch way, by biking through it!

The Hague offers great shopping options. Almost all famous brands and chain stores are located at a walking distance and you can visit shopping malls or even better, explore the local shops for house design, clothing and more. Check here for some extra information for shopping in The Hague.

You can also visit the Nordeinde Palace of the Dutch King, Willem-Alexander. It is the King’s working place, but also where the Dutch Royal family lives. From there, you can visit the Palace Garden which is open to the public every day. The Palace itself is not open for visits, but if you walk a little bit further, you will explore a fantastic little neighborhood with art galleries, small cafes and restaurants, fashion boutiques, jewelry and antique dealers. It is probably the only place I have visited so far that has Dutch flags hanging everywhere in its small streets! It is absolutely beautiful.

When it comes to food, there is always a great restaurant or lunch cafe that you can visit in every neighborhood. I had the pleasure of going to De Bakkerswinkel (Torenstraat 142), a great lunch cafe, where I enjoyed the great weather from their terrace, along with some bio jasmine tea and a fresh courgette soup. Very friendly personnel, decent food prices and a great atmosphere.

As a city, it is great for walking, even if in many parts of it there are constructions happening lately. This made the city a little unattractive to me, but it definitely did not ruin the walking experience.

Stay tuned for my next visit to this fascinating city, where I would like to discover more art, pubs and the famous seaside, Scheveningen!

 

(Photos: taken with my Samsung Galaxy A5, 2016)

Featured image: Willem Van Oranje statue at Buitenhof.