Tips for having a royal winter in The Hague. Discover the beautiful royal The Hague in the winter period. If you are wondering what there is to do in The Hague during the winter period. Then I have some very nice tips for you to have a great time in The Hague during the winter. Read further what these tips are.
13 “Have a Royal Winter” tips in The Hague
I have divided a number of tips into two categories: the winter tips and winter and other seasonal tips.
Winter tips
1.The Royal Christmas Fair
The nicest and most atmospheric Christmas market “Royal Christmas Fair” in The Hague is an annual event. It is also the largest and most popular Christmas market in the Netherlands. Here are so many nice stands where you can do a lot of Christmas shopping. You can enjoy the delicious street food, the poffertje and more. You will be surprised with live performances in the Christmas spirit. Sing along with the Christmas Carol singers or take a picture together with the cheerful Santa Claus. If you are cold, you can drink hot mulled wine or warm yourself at one of the fire pits outside. Enough reasons to visit the Royal Christmas Fair. This year, the cozy Christmas market will again take place from 10 to 22 December 2020 at Lange Voorhout in The Hague.
Info: The Royal Christmas Fair
2.The Hague Highlights
What is also very nice is The Hague Highlights. This is a free event with spectacular video projection and light shows in the city center. Initially, The Hague Highlights was intended as a one-off initiative for the celebration of the theme year “Party at the Sea” in 2018. The Hague Highlights turned out to be a great success, after which the municipality decided to organize an annual event out of it.
Although the video projection and light show at the Ridderzaal in 2019 was the same as in 2018, it still remained impressive and spectacular. The audience enjoyed the projections with sounds of the history of the Netherlands and the highlights of The Hague on the Ridderzaal. I found the new addition to the Mauritshuis surprising. At the Mauritshuis you saw the projections of a number of famous paintings from the Mauritshuis such as ‘the girl with the pearl’. You could also ride for free in an illuminated carriage through the city center.
The Hague Highlights festival will be back this year. So in December: every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6 pm to 10 pm. The Hague is at its best in the dark!
Info: ThisisTheHague/Denhaag.com
3.Madurodam illuminated
Madurodam is the Netherlands in miniature with highlights in miniatures. An ideal outing to go with your (grand) child. In addition, Madurodam also focuses on interactive and discovery learning for children. Just think of the Nijntje playground and the new attraction the Waterwolf. Madurodam is illuminated during the winter weeks. This means that the entire park is attractively lit with tens of thousands of lights. There is also a winter treasure hunt for the children and a winter BBQ for the family. This year, visit Madurodam illuminated during the Christmas holidays!
Info: Madurodam
4.Cool Event Scheveningen: ice sculptures and skating on the covered ice rink
Every year, from December to January, Scheveningen is transformed by Cool Event Scheveningen into a winter paradise with ice sculpture exhibition, ice skating on the ice rink and a roller coaster. On the Kurhausplein is the covered ice rink where you can skate a round. You can bring your own skates but you can also rent skates at Cool Event Scheveningen. We were also shown a demonstration by a figure skater.
A little further alongside the Pier is a cooled white tent where the ice sculpture exhibition is held. The theme for the ice sculpture exhibition changes every year, so that it always remains a surprise for the public. The artists make beautiful works of art from ice. So surprising, innovative and unique. It is certainly worthwhile to visit the ice sculpture exhibition. Not far from the ice sculpture exhibition is the roller coaster on the boulevard.
Info: Cool Event Scheveningen
Winter and other seasons tips
5.The Student hotel The Hague
The Hague has many hotels but my tip is the Student hotel The Hague. It is a design hotel with a young, hip and modern look. The hotel rooms are inspired by the student rooms so that you can still feel like a student again.
In their bar and restaurant “The Commons” you can enjoy a variety of refreshingly tasty cocktails as well as their delicious food. In the morning they have an extensive luxury breakfast buffet. If you want something special, then definitely go to the Student hotel The Hague !.
Info: The Student hotel The Hague
6.Rent a bike
There are a number of locations in The Hague where you can rent a bicycle, including the Student hotel The Hague. Rent a bike and discover the beautiful city of The Hague and its surroundings by using a tourist map.
Info: The Student hotel The Hague
7.”Cycle and the City” guided by tour
You can book a bike tour with guide at “Cycle and the City”. The name is inspired by the “Sex and the city” series. The golden bicycles decorated with festive lighting stand out very well during the dark. The color gold is a nod to the Golden carriage. As purebred people from The Hague, they show you special places in The Hague. With the Golden Key, they can enter many buildings that are not freely accessible to the public. A tour lasts 4.5 hours with local snacks and drinks. Afterwards, the bicycles are stored in the attic of a café again.
Info: Cycle and The City
8.Stan & Co restaurant
Stan & Co restaurant is a nice hotspot to go. The interior has an industrial look: robust, hip and modern. We had a delicious lunch there. Different colorful snacks were served on wooden boards. I can describe the food as Asian fusion food. Clearly recommended and also try the delicious carrot cake.
Info: Stan & Co The Hague
9.Touring on an electric scooter with a guide through The Hague and Scheveningen
We know of course steppes from our youth but there is also the electric scooter. It was so cool to experience this. You are actively working without getting tired. In addition, the electric scooter looks tough and you do not get stuck in the tram rails with the wide tires. Because the scooter rolls smoothly and is silent, you can also socialize with others. The guide occasionally stops to tell something about the location in The Hague or Scheveningen. You can of course extend the tour with electric scooter with other activities such as climbing the tower in The Hague. I must mention that the electric step tour is only possible with a minimum of 5 people. Inquire at Go The Hague about the possibilities.
Info: Ga The Hague
10.Ascent of The Hague tower
The Haagse Toren is one of the oldest buildings in The Hague. You can only visit the tower in The Hague during the tour. The guide tells you everything about the history of the Hague Tower. You walk along with the guide along the clocks, the timepiece, the playing drum and with the beautiful view of The Hague as a highlight. The tour lasts an hour. Tickets can be ordered online at the Haagse Toren.
Info: Ga The Hague / The Hague Tower
11.The Hudson restaurant / Danzig dance pub
The Hudson restaurant is located in the Danzig dance café building. During the day and in the evening you can enjoy lunch, drinks and dinner. We were served delicious snacks that are considered typical American classics. You should definitely eat here once. After 10 p.m. the restaurant turns into a dance café where you can dance. Danzig dance café was named the most popular dance café in the Netherlands in 2017.
Info: Hudson restaurant / Danzig dance pub
12.Hague Harry and cityguide
Harry from The Hague is a cartoon character invented by the spiritual father Marnix Rueb. Harry from The Hague is a resident of The Hague that speaks The Hague dialect. He is unemployed, rough-hearted but has a small heart. As a supporter for ADO The Hague, he is often aggressive. Harry from The Hague became very popular among the people of The Hague. After the death of the spiritual father, there is a statue of Harry from The Hague in which part of the ashes of Marnix Rueb is in the belly. If you go to The Hague, don’t forget to stop by the statue of Harry Harry on the Grote Markt.
We were given a tour of The Hague city center and the palace garden of the city guide. He tells funny anecdotes about certain places. Info: city guide at ThisisTheHague / Denhaag.com
13.Tourist Tram
The historic Tourist Tram in The Hague runs through The Hague and Scheveningen in high season. A tour takes 55 minutes and with a special ticket you can take the whole day and unlimited entry and exit. During the tour of tourist sites you will learn everything about The Hague through the audio tour. The audio tour is even in The Hague. The Tourist Tram is a special way to see more about The Hague!
Info: Tourist Tram
I want to thank Violette Kout of ThisisTheHague enormously for the invitation for the two-day tour “Have a Royal Winter” in The Hague and Scheveningen. It was a great experience to discover more about my own city, The Hague. I also want the participating companies thank for the hospitality: the Student hotel The Hague, the ladies Barbara and Marlies van Haagse Schatten and the Royal Christmas Fair, Madurodam, Cycle and the City, Stan & Co The Hague, Ga The Hague and the Hague tower, Hudson restaurant, the city guide and Tourist Tram.
More tips about The Hague? Then also read my other blog articles, click on The Hague.
Marilyn Amaterasu World 