t Flowers bloom in front of the Binnenhof in Den Haag.
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Buy a prepaid OV Chipkaart travelcard, sold at stations, newsagents and supermarkets. It’s a half-hour hop from Centraal Station to Utrecht, which was once the oldest city in the Netherlands. Make a beeline for the Domtoren, a Gothic masterpiece that dominates the city. There’s a magnificent view from the top of the 112-m- (367-ft-) high tower – but getting there involves climbing 456 steps. Feet firmly back on solid ground, walk down Lange Nieuwestraat to the red-brick Museum Catharijneconvent. Once inside the 16th century monastery, built for the Knights of St John, check out the gold and silver church ornaments, jewelled crucifixes and reliquaries in the collection.
For lunch, wander along the Oudegracht canal to Meneer Smakers, which serves artisan burgers – including veggie versions. On the way back to the station by way of Steenweg, pause at the Museum Speelklok. Within this church is a magical collection of musical mechanisms.
It’s a 42-minute ride to dignified Den Haag. Check in at the grand Hotel des Indes, freshen up, then sip a champagne cocktail before indulging in a five-course tasting dinner in the hotel’s elegant Restaurant des Indes.
Start the day with a lavish breakfast at the hotel, then set off to discover the stately charm of Den Haag. Start at the Mauritshuis, a 6-minute walk away. Gems of the small, but superb, collection include Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and Rembrandt’s The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp. After treading the wooden-floored galleries, join a guided tour of the stately Binnenhof located just next door. After finding out more about how the country is governed, walk around the reflective Hofvijver to Garoeda. Sample Dutch-Indonesian cooking at this culinary classic, which opened in 1949.
It’s time to leave this classy city. Leiden is under 15 minutes from Den Haag, so there’s plenty of hours left in the day to explore this university town. From the station, take in the picturesque canals and student hang outs as you head towards the town centre. First, visit the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, with its rich collection of antiquities, then the 15th-century Pieterskerk, which is just around the corner.
After a busy day of sightseeing, relax with a drink at the Grand Café Van Buuren on Stationsweg, before embarking on the 40-minute journey back to Amsterdam.
Discover Itineraries
t Flowers bloom in front of the Binnenhof in Den Haag.