Cidade Turismo
the Netherlands
Haia and Delft

Holanda Meridional · the Netherlands

Haia and Delft

The seat of government and of the king, with Vermeer museums, international courts and a beach on the Mar do Norte, and next to it Delft, the city of blue-and-white pottery.

Oeste

In the photo: Scheveningen Pier, Haia

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Get to know the place

A region to enjoy
at your own pace.

Haia (Den Haag, in Dutch) is where Holanda is governed. There are the parliament, the ministries, most of the embassies and the king's working palace. Even so, the country's official capital is Amsterdã, as the Constitution says.

The city is also called the city of peace and justice. In the Palácio da Paz operate the International Court of Justice of the United Nations and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Near the historic center are the Mauritshuis, home of the Moça com Brinco de Pérola, and the lake Hofvijver, with the Binnenhof complex reflected in the water.

Haia has 11 kilometers of coastline. Scheveningen, the beach neighborhood, has wide sand, a pier and a promenade, and the tram reaches it from the center. On the promenade stands the Kurhaus, a large 19th-century hotel, and in the center the Panorama Mesdag shows what that very beach looked like in 1881.

Delft is about 15 minutes by train. It's a small city of canals and old houses, where the painter Johannes Vermeer was born and where the factory of the blue-and-white pottery known as Delfts blauw still operates. In the Nieuwe Kerk is the tomb of Guilherme de Orange and the royal family's crypt.

This destination brings together 2 cities: Haia, Delft.

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One destination, many paths

The cities on this trip

Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.

Where Haia and Delft is
HaiaDelft

Contornos: CBS/PDOK, Gebiedsindelingen 2024, CC BY 4.0. Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.

How to get there: Haia and Delft

✈ Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), in Haarlemmermeer · 50 km to Haia

✈ Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTM), in Roterdã · 22 km to Haia

Confirm before buying. From Schiphol, Amsterdã's airport, the train reaches Den Haag Centraal in about 30 minutes, and from there to Delft in about 15 minutes. Rotterdam The Hague Airport, smaller, is located between the two cities.

Suggested arrival point: Haia

The local experience

Things to do in Haia and Delft

Markt
Delft · Holanda Meridional · Square

Markt

Delft's market square, one of the largest historic squares in Europe, between the tower of the Nieuwe Kerk and the Renaissance town hall. It has a weekly market on Thursdays.

Mauritshuis
Haia · Holanda Meridional · Museum

Mauritshuis

Museum of 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painting in a palace by the Hofvijver. It houses the Moça com Brinco de Pérola and the Vista de Delft by Vermeer, and A Lição de Anatomia do Dr. Tulp by Rembrandt.

Hofvijver
Haia · Holanda Meridional · Lake

Hofvijver

Rectangular lake in the centre of The Hague, with the Binnenhof, the historic seat of parliament, reflected in the water. The Binnenhof is undergoing a long renovation; the outside view from the shore and the Plein remains open.

Nieuwe Kerk
Delft · Holanda Meridional · Church

Nieuwe Kerk

Gothic church on the Markt in Delft with the monumental tomb of Guilherme de Orange and the crypt of the Dutch royal family. The tower, at 108.75 meters, is the second-tallest in the Netherlands and can be climbed.

See 12 more places in Haia and Delft
Oude Kerk
Delft · Holanda Meridional · Church

Oude Kerk

The oldest church in Delft, dating from 1246, with the leaning tower that locals call Scheve Jan. There are the tombs of Johannes Vermeer, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek and Admiral Piet Hein.

Vredespaleis
Haia · Holanda Meridional · Palace

Vredespaleis

The Palácio da Paz, home to the International Court of Justice of the United Nations and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The visitors’ centre offers an audio guide in Portuguese; the palace and the garden are only visited on guided tours.

Royal Delft
Delft · Holanda Meridional · Museum

Royal Delft

The last Delft blue-and-white pottery factory still operating since the 17th century. The museum shows the history of Delfts blauw, and visitors can see the painters working by hand.

Scheveningen
Haia · Holanda Meridional · Beach

Scheveningen

The beach district of The Hague on the North Sea: wide stretches of sand, a promenade, the De Pier pier with its tower and Ferris wheel, and the grand Kurhaus hotel. Reachable by tram from the centre.

Madurodam
Haia · Holanda Meridional · Theme park

Madurodam

Miniature city at a 1:25 scale, with replicas of places from across the Netherlands: the canals of Amsterdã, the port of Roterdã, windmills, the airport. It has interactive attractions and is popular with families.

Vermeer Centrum Delft
Delft · Holanda Meridional · Museum

Vermeer Centrum Delft

Center dedicated to Johannes Vermeer, born in Delft in 1632. It has no original paintings, but displays the 37 paintings attributed to him in life-size reproductions, as well as his studio and painting techniques.

Kunstmuseum Den Haag
Haia · Holanda Meridional · Museum

Kunstmuseum Den Haag

Modern art museum in a Berlage building from 1935, with the largest collection of Piet Mondrian in the world, including Victory Boogie Woogie, as well as works from the School of Haia, fashion and decorative arts.

Oude Delft
Delft · Holanda Meridional · Canal

Oude Delft

The oldest canal in Delft, lined with merchant houses from the Golden Age on both sides. From April to October, boats run guided tours of about 50 minutes through the city's canals.

Escher in Het Paleis
Haia · Holanda Meridional · Museum

Escher in Het Paleis

Museum dedicated to M.C. Escher, the artist of impossible staircases and transforming patterns, housed in the former winter palace of Queen Emma on the Lange Voorhout.

Panorama Mesdag
Haia · Holanda Meridional · Museum

Panorama Mesdag

Circular painting from 1881, 14.70 meters high and 114 meters in circumference, showing the village and beach of Scheveningen as seen from the top of a dune. One of the oldest panoramas still in existence.

Paleis Noordeinde
Haia · Holanda Meridional · Palace

Paleis Noordeinde

The working palace of King Willem-Alexander, viewed from the outside, on Noordeinde street. Behind it is the Paleistuin, a garden open to the public during the day.

Gevangenpoort
Haia · Holanda Meridional · Museum

Gevangenpoort

Medieval gate that served as the prison of the Court of Holland for about 400 years. Today it is a museum, with guided tours of the cells, next to the Hofvijver and the Buitenhof.

Before you go

Practical information

A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.

When to go

From May to September the days are long and Scheveningen beach is busy; summer runs from June to August. In spring and autumn there are fewer people at the museums. Winter, from December to February, is cold with short days. Wind and rain can occur in any month: bring a waterproof jacket.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

How many days to stay

Two days in Haia are enough for the central museums, the Palácio da Paz and Scheveningen. Delft requires another day, or at least a relaxed half day. If you're short on time you can see the essentials of Delft in an afternoon, leaving Haia by train or tram.

Which city to stay in

In Haia, the historic center, between the Plein, the Lange Voorhout and Denneweg street, places museums and restaurants within walking distance and is close to Den Haag Centraal. Scheveningen suits those who want to stay facing the sea, with the center a tram ride away. In Delft, the old center, between the Markt and the Oude Delft canal, is compact and a few minutes from the station. Delft is a good base for those who also want to visit Roterdã.

Respect the place

Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.

Get your questions answered

Frequently asked questions about Haia and Delft

Is Haia the capital of Holanda?

No. The official capital is Amsterdã, as the Constitution determines. Haia is the seat of government: that's where the parliament, the ministries, most of the embassies and the king's working palace are located. It's a situation similar to countries that separate the official capital from the city where the government operates.

How do I get to Haia and Delft from Amsterdã or the airport?

By train. From Schiphol airport, which has a station inside the terminal, the train takes about 30 minutes to Den Haag Centraal. From Amsterdã Centraal the journey is a little longer. From Haia to Delft it's about 15 minutes by train; the tram also links the two cities. You can tap in and tap out with a contactless credit or debit card (OVpay system): do check-in and check-out. Confirm before you go.

Do I need a car to visit Haia and Delft?

No. Train, tram and bicycle cover everything, and Delft's center is almost entirely closed to cars. Parking in both cities is paid and difficult in the center. If you rent a bicycle (fiets), use the cycle lanes and be careful when walking: many people step onto them without noticing.

Can you do Haia and Delft as a day trip from Amsterdã?

You can see part of them, but it's rushed. In one day from Amsterdã you can fit in the Mauritshuis, a walk through Haia's center and the late afternoon in Delft. To include the Palácio da Paz, Scheveningen and Delft's museums, it's best to spend the night in the region.

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