Amsterdam, Netherlands
Delft and The Hague Half-Day Trip from Amsterdam
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Duration: 5 hours 30 minutes
Go beyond Amsterdam with a half-day tour of two important Dutch cities: Delft and The Hague. Admire the Netherlands’ famous Delft blue-and-white pottery on a tour of the Royal Delft, followed by free time to explore Delft’s historic city center. Then take a sightseeing tour of The Hague, the seat of the Dutch Parliament, whose sights include the Binnenhof complex, the Parliament buildings, Noordeinde Palace and the Peace Palace, home to the International Court of Justice. Your multilingual guide will provide insightful commentary throughout the afternoon.
After pickup from central Amsterdam, head an hour south to the beautiful old town of Delft. Here you’ll take a tour of the Royal Delft, where the Netherlands’ famous Delft pottery is made.
As your guide will explain, this is the only remaining factory of the 32 that were established in Delft during the 17th century. See the production process throughout the factory and tour the museum to see a huge collection of Delft earthenware antiques, giving you a glimpse of the history of this iconic blue-and-white pottery, which was inspired by Chinese porcelain. You’ll also see a reproduction of Rembrandt’s The Night Watch artwork made from original Delft blue tiles.
After your Royal Delft visit, you’ll have about 30 minutes to explore the city independently. Walk through the historic town center, filled with canals and historical sights such as Oude Kerk (Old Church), Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), the Oostpoort (Eastern Gate) city wall remains and the historic Waag (Weigh House).
From Delft, continue your journey to The Hague, the former capital of the Netherlands and today the seat of the Dutch Parliament. The Hague is often referred to as the judicial capital of the world, home to many international courts, European Union institutions, multinational companies and embassies.
Hop off the coach for a 30-minute walking tour of the Binnenhof, a complex of buildings that has been the meeting place of Parliament since 1446 and the center of Dutch politics for many centuries after. Walk by the Houses of Parliament and Noordeinde Palace, one of the three official palaces of the Dutch royal family. This is the ‘working palace’ of King Willem-Alexander.
Finally, make a photo stop at the Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice and is used by the United Nations and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Your guide will explain this site’s significance.
Your half-day trip ends in central Amsterdam in the evening.
