From Palaces to Parliament: A Tour of The Hague’s Historical Center

Known as the political heart of The Netherlands, The Hague’s elegant streets are filled with powerful buildings, from royal palaces to Het Torentje (the Prime Minister’s office), brimming with stories. On this walking tour through the city’s historical center, I’ll point out its most interesting facets and share the (sometimes tall) tales behind them.

The tour starts on the aptly named Plein square, where you’ll hear what it was almost called under German occupation. From there, you’ll head to nearby Binnenhof, which houses our national government, and the Mauritshuis Museum. As you stroll along the Dutch Baroque buildings on Lange Voorhout Street, you’ll learn about Noordeinde Palace, where our King works.

You’ll hear about the famous Hotel des Indes whose guests include Winston Churchill, three former US presidents, several royals, Michael Jackson, and Prince. I’ll show you Grote Kerk’s Drunken Man’s Tower and share the story behind the church’s unusually named spire. You’ll walk through our oldest mall, De Passage, on your way to the De Gevangenenpoort (the Prisoner’s Gate) where the tour ends.

On this 90-minute walk, you’ll have a chance to:

• Find out why the city is called The Hague
• Learn about the only time a country has eaten their head of government
• Get an overview of those who have been on the throne of our little Kingdom
• Walk along the Lange Voorhout, the city’s version of the Champs-Élyseés
• Find out why images of storks are everywhere in the city
• Pass by the Escher in the Palace Museum where you can see the Dutch artist’s works
• See the Old City Hall and get the inside scoop on why citizens joke that The Hague is just a big village

Along the way, you’ll dive deeper into the origins of The Netherlands, the role of the Orange dynasty, our political institutions, and of course, the city of The Hague itself. And if you’re lucky, you might bump into a minister or two, or even our Prime Minister!

Join me on this light-hearted tour through the historical city, and experience it for yourself. Afterwards, you’ll know more about The Hague than the average Dutchie!

Tot ziens!