My favourite Dutch city of all time! Goodbye Amsterdam! Yes! That is right! I said it! I like or love this adorable Den Haag so much more than Amsterdam. It is the best place in Netherlands! And a must visit for everyone! Trust me and I will show you why below! I am so glad that I choose to come here this time around! Located all the way to the north! Against the North Sea lies Den Haag or The Hague in english! This place is well known worldwide for its legal system and being the court of the world where the city is home to the U.N.’s International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. I guess it is also the best jail in the world? Den Haag is a short train ride from Rotterdam! The train station let you out right in the city centre so that is easy enough! The city centre is also compact enough to get around on foot for me with the exception of the beach which is all the way north in the Scheveningen District! For that you would have to rent a bike or take the tram! It is always a great city when you have a friend with you!
Most of the sights are within walking distance of each other! Here are some of the places that I visited in Den Haag and really enjoyed. I love how Den Haag is so nice to have walk around and get lost among the streets. Simply wander around and be amazed with the buildings and the sights! First up is the area around Denneweg, it is rather nice to stroll around the streets which are some of the nicest. It is lined up with boutique stalls and antiques shops over here, making it nice to window shop. You can also find lots of little cafes here and there.
Binnenhof is my favourite! This super pretty lakeside government is the parliament of the Netherlands. Definitely falls as one of the nicest one in the world. Super grand and charming. I love to simply stroll around the vicinity and admiring it from all sorts of angles. It is right in the heart of the city so you will definitely be able to find. One of the perfect spot in The Hague for taking pictures. You can also walk around the interior side of the buildings which is pretty nice as well.
Grote Markt is not too bad as well. It is totally different in the day and when the evening comes. You can see everyone having a drink right in the terrace and party the night away! One of the best spot for nightlife over here. Actually people already start drinking way before night fall.
The Vredespaleis or the Peace Palace is also another of my favourite. This is the renowned peace palace where talks between countries take place and treaty get ratified. It is surely a sight to be seen. Even on the day that I was here, it is super busy and apparently there are peace talks being work out inside due to a conflict between India and Pakistan! I did not managed to enter the palace. Just outside the gate is also something special and a very nice feature. There is a little stone feature known as the World Peace Flame Pathway. Where stone from each countries in the world are found here, they are used to built monument for peace. Of course I went to find my little Singapore!
NOW! IT IS TIME FOR THE BEACH! Everyone that I have met told me that I definitely have to head to the beach when I am in Den Haag! The beach is located all the way up north, in the Scheveningen area. It is way too far to walk there. You can either rent a bike or take the tram. I got the day ticket which cost me 7.10 Euros. Definitely one of the more expensive price I have paid for metro or trams in Europe. The Scheveningen Beach & The Pier is the main attraction here. The beach is powdery and white, it stretches super far and it located on both sides of The Pier.
It immediately remind me of looking like Santa Monica. Bustling with activities. There is also a ferris wheel here as well as some rides. You can also find tons of beach clubs right on the beach! You have to visit this place! It is sure impressive facing the whole of the vast north sea on the most northern part of Continental Europe!
I simply stroll along the waters and even made a couple friends over here. Of course I got tons of pictures before I left the place. I wished that I had brought along my slippers and shorts. It is still really nice to feel the breeze running thru your hair. Amazing! The beach is super popular and rather happening but you are still able to get some quiet portion as you walk further away. It is quite a chilly day on the day that I was there but still there are plenty of people enjoying over here. A couple of people that I met, some of them even drove all the way up from Germany just to enjoy the beach and get some sand! Beach life as they say!
Overall, I love my 3 days in Den Haag. I will recommend everyone to make a trip here. It is easy to do so since many trains run thru Den Haag. It is also the city that I will move to if I am heading to Netherlands. You literally have everything, boutiques, historical sites to an amazing beach just minutes away. There is also a rather established chinatown to satisfy the Asian in me as well. Luv ya Den Haag!
Seeing The World In Steps 