Daytrip to Den Haag
Den Haag or maybe better known as The Hague is a city on the south coast of western Netherlands. Being the third biggest city in the country means that there are also many places to explore!
Den Haag can be reached from the hostel by one bus, easy right!? Or, if you prefer a slightly faster option, by a bus and train. Bus 385 from Noordwijk to Den Haag Centraal takes around 50 minutes. The other option is to catch a bus 20 to Leiden and from Leiden a direct train to Den Haag Centraal. Biking to Den Haag through Noordwijk’s dunes is also not a bad idea, it takes a bit more than one hour but the beautiful biking paths are worth it!
Once you’ve reached the city, the question is, where to head next? Perhaps you’re hungry, perhaps you want to explore some museums or maybe shopping is why you visited the city in the first place.
Museum Meermanno – House of the Book
Meermanno is the oldest book museum in the world and is located in the attractive former residence of the Baron Van Westreenen van Tiellandt (1783-1848). Van Westreenen was interested in the history of ancient cultures and collected literature and other antiquities from places such as Greece, Rome and Egypt. If you love books and are interested to see how they have developed from the handwritten to the first printed books and even further – this museum is the place to be for you.
The entrance costs 6,50€ for students and 11,50€ for adults
Shopping
Whether you are looking for the latest fashion or you’re more a fan of old school style, and you love thrift shops, there’s many options to head to!
For vintage/thrift shopping the Piggies favourites are ZUSJES Vintage Boetiek, clothes, homeware and furniture, good price-quality ratio and Episode vintage shop, which offers a wide range of trendy high-quality pieces at reasonable prices.
Den Haag centre is full of different shops, and you’ll find the style you’re looking for, no doubts about that! But if you would still like to see even more options, you can head to Westfield Mall of the Netherlands, which is the biggest shopping mall in the country. The mall is just 15-minute train ride away from the Den Haag Centraal.
Markets
If you like strolling in the markets buying some local products, there’s a couple of different markets arranged during the week in the centre of Den Haag.
Haagse Markt: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9:00 to 17:00. One of the biggest open-air markets in Europe offers a wide selection of fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, clothing, household items, furniture and so much more! The market is located on the Herman Costerstraat.
Farmers market: Wednesday from 10:00 to 18:00. From this market you’ll find mainly organic, ecological and local products. The market is on the Lange Voorhout in the downtown area of the city.
Antique and book market: Thursday and Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00. The Antique and book market offers antiques, curiosities, old prints and books, paintings and other art objects. The Market is arranged From May 2 to September 22, on Thursdays and Sundays and it’s also on the Lange Voorhout.
Food and drinks
Momiji Ramen for ramen and gyoza lovers! They make their own noodles and have 4 different types of gyozas on their menu! The prices are affordable, and the food is lekker, as the dutchies say! Momiji has two other restaurants as well: Momiji Sushi and Asian street food by Momiji. Worth checking out!
Instagram: @momiji_ramen
STAN is in the heart of The Hague, at De Passage and is ready to serve you from the morning coffee until the late evening cocktail! The food is delicious and the drinks, maybe even better!
Instagram: @stan.denhaag
Bar & Restaurant Milú is an international fusion kitchen, shared dining, happy hours, student and quiz nights. Open daily from 11am. It has a beautiful atmosphere, tasty cocktails and amazing food, could it get any better?
Instagram: @restaurantmilu
Vavoom Tikiroom is a tiki-themedtropical cocktail bar with a never-ending cocktail menu. If you like rum based drinks, this bar is for you! If you cannot decide or are not so sure what you would like, the professional staff will help you out. They have seating inside but also a huge outdoor terrace!
Instagram: @vavoomtikiroom
