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Number 19 of 20 in Amsterdam

The Hague and Delft: Vermeer's country

An hour south of Amsterdam, two cities a few kilometres apart hold the best of Vermeer. The Hague has his two most famous paintings in a small palace on a pond. Delft, the town where he lived and worked, is still much as he knew it.

What it is
Day trip
Time to allow
A full day
Cost
Train or a tour, tickets for the museums
Best time
A full day, the Mauritshuis in the morning

Amsterdam this week

    Why The Hague and Delft is worth it

    The Mauritshuis was built between 1636 and 1641 for Johan Maurits of Nassau, by Jacob van Campen and Pieter Post, beside the Binnenhof, the old seat of the Dutch government. Since 1822 it has housed the Royal Cabinet of Paintings, a collection of under nine hundred works, nearly all of them masterpieces of the Golden Age.

    Delft was given its town charter in 1246, and in the seventeenth century it was one of the great towns of Holland. It is famous for its blue and white pottery, and as the town of Johannes Vermeer, who was born there, worked there and is buried in its Oude Kerk.

    William of Orange, who led the Dutch revolt against Spain, was murdered in Delft in 1584, and he lies in its Nieuwe Kerk, where the members of the royal house have been buried since.

    What to see

    1. Girl with a Pearl Earring

      Vermeer's girl turning to look over her shoulder, in a blue and yellow turban, the most famous painting in the Mauritshuis.

    2. View of Delft

      Vermeer's town seen across the water under a great sky, the picture Marcel Proust called the most beautiful in the world.

    3. Rembrandt and the Golden Age

      Rembrandt's Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaes Tulp, Carel Fabritius's little Goldfinch, Paulus Potter's Bull and rooms of Jan Steen.

    4. Delft's Markt

      The long market square between the town hall and the Nieuwe Kerk, whose tower you can climb.

    5. Delftware

      The blue and white pottery Delft has made since the seventeenth century, still painted by hand in the town.

    How to do it well

    • Both cities are on the main line south from Amsterdam Centraal, under an hour by train, and Delft is a few minutes beyond The Hague.
    • Book the Mauritshuis for the morning, when it is quietest, and spend the afternoon in Delft.
    • The tour below goes by The Hague and Delft and adds Rotterdam, but does not go into the Mauritshuis. To see the paintings, go on your own by train.
    • The Binnenhof, beside the Mauritshuis, is the old seat of the Dutch parliament and has been under long renovation. Look on its site before planning a visit inside.

    Where it is

    Address

    The Hague and Delft, in South Holland, about sixty kilometres south-west of Amsterdam

    Nearest station

    Train from Amsterdam Centraal to Den Haag Centraal or Delft

    Tickets and tours: The Hague and Delft

    The Hague and Delft: common questions

    Where is the Girl with a Pearl Earring?
    In the Mauritshuis in The Hague, under an hour by train from Amsterdam. Vermeer's View of Delft hangs in the same museum.
    Can you see The Hague and Delft in one day?
    Yes. The two cities are a few minutes apart by train or tram. See the Mauritshuis in the morning and Delft in the afternoon.
    How far is The Hague from Amsterdam?
    About sixty kilometres, under an hour by train from Amsterdam Centraal.
    How much time do you need for The Hague and Delft?
    Allow a full day. That is this site's estimate for an unhurried visit.

    What visitors say about The Hague and Delft

    Rating from Google

    4.7

    20,059 ratings on Google

    Google's figures as read on 19 October 2026.

    Read every review on Google

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