Netherlands

Reasons to go:

1. Amsterdam

2. The Hague

  • Art museums (not free): Escher in the Palace is excellent, and has an excellent web-based free audio guide. Mauritshuis is excellent, and has an app-based free audio guide (excellent, apart from glitchy); I enjoyed it so much that I never made it to the Prince William V Gallery (included in the ticket, but located in another building).
  • Zeeheldenkwartier: This is the best place to stay in Hague. Piet Heinstraat and Prins Hendrikstraat are two charming streets. Piet Artisans of Flavour is in my top two best ice cream places in the world (the other one is Alchemy in Buenos Aires); the menu includes intense flavours from around the world. Plenty is a great vegan breakfast/brunch place. Great coffee at Ief&Ido Coffee roasting. On my wishlist is Bøg (New Nordic tasting menu, with a vegetarian option), Mad’Ras Indian Restaurant and many more tasty things in the area. Paleistuin park is nice.
  • The Hague Center: Museums. Waroeng Padang Lapek - the best Indonesian restaurant (vegetarian/vegan Nasi Padang Hidang is an incredible tasting menu hiding behind a low price tag), frequented by Indonesians. Other Indonesian restaurants I tried were not as good and more expensive. New Meyva - great Surinamese restaurant. I loved the birds decorating Grote Marktstraat 51. Street art murals at (52.064572, 4.325186). Prinsestraat is a charming street leading to Zeeheldenkwartier, where you do want to go.
  • Statenkwartier: Frederik Hendriklaan is a charming street. Zamcaffè is a great Sicilian cafe. On my wishlist are Indonesisch Restaurant Keraton Damai V.O.F. (book in advance), Elaichi Indian Restaurant and more.
  • Scheveningen: Fairytale Sculptures by the Sea (52.11157, 4.277937) is a great public sculpture park. Still on my wishlist is museum Beelden aan Zee (sculpture museum, not free). Scheveningen strand is a lovely beach. For a picnic by the waves I recommend you shop somewhere else, for example bakeries and deli shops around Zamcaffè or on Piet Heinstraat.
  • The wind sculpture artist Theo Jansen is based in Hague. You can see his old sculptures in Strandbeest Playground (52.037138, 4.354037), where you are encouraged to play with the caterpillar. During the summer you might find his newest sculptures in his workshop on the beach (52.126037, 4.30026). One of his works is on permanent display in Kunstmuseum The Hague (not free).

Notes:

  • Excellent Indonesian and Surinamese restaurants are not to be missed.
  • Public transport in the city works with bank card-based contactless payments (tap in and out), no need to buy anything in advance.

Notes:

  • Trainline app is a convenient way to plan train journeys.
  • I had a completely cash-less time in Netherlands.