Stand on the Plein on a summer evening and the terrace chairs have spilled out across the cobbles, politicians from the neighbouring Binnenhof mixing with everyone else under the statue of William of Orange. Walk a few steps north and the Hofvijver still mirrors the towers of the Binnenhof, exactly as it has since the counts of Holland built their court beside it.
The Hague suits travellers who want Dutch history and government architecture in the morning and the North Sea in the afternoon, and who are happy to cover the historic centre on foot. This guide covers the sights of the centre, the memorials and museums the city is known for, and how to string them together if your time is short.
Top things to do in The Hague
1. Binnenhof
The Binnenhof is the 13th-century castle built as the residence of the count of Holland, and it has been the seat of Dutch government ever since. Enter through one of the gates on the Plein or Buitenhof and you stand in a medieval enclosed courtyard surrounded by architecture from the 13th up to the 19th century, with the Ridderzaal (Knights' Hall) at its centre.
Note that no visits are possible at present: the Binnenhof is closed for restoration, with reopening expected in 2028. A temporary view tower on the Buitenhof square lets you watch some of the restoration work. The complex borders the Hofvijver, the Court Pond, where the old buildings continue to mirror themselves in the water.
2. Mauritshuis
Housed in a 17th-century palace overlooking the water of the Hofvijver, the Mauritshuis holds the former collection of the last Dutch stadtholder, William V. The museum is small — a complete tour takes a little over an hour — but contains famous work from the old Dutch Masters, including Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring and View of Delft, and Rembrandt's The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp.
It sits directly next to the Binnenhof on the Plein, so combine the two. Adult admission is €14, and under-18s get in free.
3. Galerij Prins Willem V
This gallery is essentially a part of the Mauritshuis, displaying a collection of 18th-century paintings from the Mauritshuis on Buitenhof. It is a small, focused stop rather than a full museum visit.
Admission is €5, or €17.50 for a combined ticket with the Mauritshuis, which is the sensible way to see both.
4. Gevangenpoort
Built in 1370 as an entrance gate to the Binnenhof complex, the Gevangenpoort (Prison Gate) was converted into a prison in 1420 and turned into a museum in 1853. Its collection of torture instruments and an original medieval cell block give a taste of medieval justice.
It stands on Buitenhof, a short walk from the Mauritshuis and the Galerij Prins Willem V, so the three fit naturally into one stretch of your day. Admission is €7.50, or €10.00 combined with the Galerij Prins Willem V.
5. Escher in Het Paleis
This former royal palace on Lange Voorhout was converted in 2002 into a museum dedicated to the Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher. The first two floors show prints, sketches and archive material tracing his progress from realistic pictures to optical illusion and geometrical pattern, while the top floor offers interactive screens and games and a special Escher Room.
There are scavenger hunts for younger children, and workshops for children on Sundays and during school holidays. Admission is €9.50. Trams 16 and 17 stop at Korte Voorhout.
6. Plein
Plein simply translates as "square", and this is one of the most elegant in the centre, lined with historic government buildings on three of its four sides and right next to the Binnenhof. The north side is lined with bars and cafés that spill out onto the square in summer, popular with politicians from the neighbouring Binnenhof.
The statue in the middle is that of William of Orange, heralded as the founding father of the Dutch nation, and the square is also the scene of demonstrations against government policies. Come in the evening for the terraces, or use it as the starting point for the Binnenhof and Mauritshuis.
7. Lange Voorhout
This former extension of The Hague Forest is now a large tree-lined square, bordered on all sides by grand 18th-century townhouses. The large Baroque building on the west side is the Huis Huguetan, home to the Dutch supreme court.
The square is especially pretty in spring, when its crocuses are in bloom. On Thursdays and Sundays there is a very good antique and book market, and every summer the square hosts Den Haag Sculptuur, a free outdoor sculpture exhibition. Escher in Het Paleis is on the same square.
8. Bredius Museum
The Bredius Museum on Lange Vijverberg holds the private collection of Abraham Bredius, a 19th-century art historian, and contains Dutch Baroque art as well as drawings, porcelain and crafted silver. It is a quieter, more personal alternative to the larger galleries.
Admission is €7.00. It sits along the Lange Vijverberg, on the Hofvijver side of the centre, so it pairs well with a walk around the pond.
9. Paleis Noordeinde
This is the royal palace that King Willem-Alexander uses as his office. The inside is not open to the public, but the 17th-century façade can be seen from Noordeinde street, which also has a large number of art galleries.
The Palace Gardens on the opposite side of the palace are accessible to the public for walking. Check ahead if you are travelling in summer, as the palace and the Royal Stables have been opened to the public for limited periods in the past.
10. Nieuwe Kerk
Built between 1649 and 1656, so it is not so new anymore, the Nieuwe Kerk now serves as a concert hall. In the garden is the grave monument of Baruch Spinoza, who was buried in the church with six others in the same vault; the vault was opened in the 18th century and the remains within were scattered across the churchyard, which is why his monument stands outside the church.
The brothers Johan and Cornelis De Witt were also buried in one of the vaults within the church after they were lynched by a militia in the Rampjaar of 1672. It sits in a small park opposite the Stadhuis, so the two are easy to see together.
11. Stadhuis
In the early 1990s the municipality moved into this enormous white building by American architect Richard Meier, nicknamed by locals as the Ice Palace. Walk in to have a look at the lofty main hall, which has exhibits on various topics related to the city.
The two air bridges through the hall connecting the various offices had to be fenced off to prevent suicides, but still make for a nice view of the atrium below. The building borders a large, somewhat barren modern square with a fountain, and contrasts sharply with the Baroque Nieuwe Kerk across the road.
12. Oude Stadhuis
The original town hall is a small building from the 15th century, when The Hague was a small settlement around the Royal Court. It was expanded in the 18th century and now has a grand façade facing the 15th-century Grote Kerk.
Pair it with the Grote Kerk next door, originally the city's main place of worship and now primarily an exhibition space.
13. Grote Kerk
The Grote Kerk, also known as St Jacobs kerk, is now a meetings venue. It is worth a look from the outside for its place in the old centre, and for the way the 18th-century façade of the Oude Stadhuis faces it.
Combine it with the Oude Stadhuis and a walk through the surrounding streets, which hold most of the city's historic architecture from the medieval, renaissance and Baroque periods.
14. Denneweg
Denneweg is a prime area for finding antique and specialty shops, and it also has some good pubs and upscale restaurants to recharge in after shopping. Parallel to the Denneweg run the Hooigracht and Smidswater canals, two of the very few canals in The Hague compared to other major Dutch cities and towns.
Come here when you want a break from sightseeing; the shopping and the canals make a natural late-afternoon stop.
15. Beeld en Geluid Den Haag
Beeld en Geluid Den Haag is a museum in the city. It is one of the named places in The Hague worth building into your plans if media and broadcasting interest you.
Set aside time for it as a standalone stop rather than trying to squeeze it between the centre's sights.
16. Wereldvredesvlam
The Wereldvredesvlam, the World Peace Flame, is an attraction in the city and fits naturally with The Hague's identity as a centre of international law and arbitration, home to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
Treat it as a short stop, and combine it with the city's memorials if you are following that theme through your visit.
17. Memorials: 'Haags Verzets- en Bevrijdingsmonument', Indië-monument, Johan de Witt and Nationaal Onafhankelijkheidsmonument
The city holds several memorials that are worth seeking out: the 'Haags Verzets- en Bevrijdingsmonument', the Indië-monument, the Johan de Witt memorial and the Nationaal Onafhankelijkheidsmonument. Together they reflect the city's wartime history and its role as a seat of government.
These are outdoor monuments rather than museums, so they work best as stops on a walk through the centre rather than as fixed appointments. Note that the Johan de Witt memorial is distinct from the De Witt burial vault in the Nieuwe Kerk.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start on the Plein, then walk the short distance to the Binnenhof. Visits inside are not possible while it is closed for restoration, so view the courtyard and the Ridderzaal from the gates and use the temporary view tower on the Buitenhof square. Cross to the Mauritshuis next to it and see the Vermeers and Rembrandts; the tour takes a little over an hour. If you have time, add the Galerij Prins Willem V on Buitenhof on a combined ticket, and the Gevangenpoort beside it.
Afternoon: Walk to Lange Voorhout for the tree-lined square and the townhouses, and visit Escher in Het Paleis. Continue to the Bredius Museum on Lange Vijverberg, then head into the old centre for the Oude Stadhuis and the Grote Kerk. Finish the afternoon at the Stadhuis to see the main hall, with the Nieuwe Kerk and its Spinoza monument across the road.
Evening: Return to the Plein, where the cafés spill out onto the square in summer and the politicians from the Binnenhof drink alongside everyone else. If you still have energy, walk to Denneweg for its pubs and restaurants, and for the Hooigracht and Smidswater canals.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go inside the Binnenhof?
No. The Binnenhof is closed for restoration, with reopening expected in 2028. A temporary view tower at the Buitenhof square lets you view some of the progress of the restoration.
How long does the Mauritshuis take?
The museum is quite small, and a complete tour takes a little over an hour. Adult admission is €14, and under-18s get in free.
When is the best time to see Lange Voorhout?
The square is especially pretty in spring, when its crocuses are in bloom. On Thursdays and Sundays there is a very good antique and book market, and every summer it hosts Den Haag Sculptuur, a free outdoor sculpture exhibition.
Can I visit Paleis Noordeinde?
The inside is not open to the public, but the 17th-century façade can be seen from Noordeinde street. The Palace Gardens on the opposite side of the palace are accessible to the public for walking.
Decide which of these fits your day, check the current opening arrangements for the Binnenhof and Paleis Noordeinde before you travel, and start planning your trip to The Hague.