Is The Hague in winter a good idea? Absolutely! Winter transforms The Hague into a charming destination with fewer crowds and a tranquil atmosphere.
Winter in The Hague offers cozy cafes and restaurants where one can savor Dutch specialties. The city’s museums and galleries ensure there’s plenty to do, even on colder days. Additionally, the festive decorations and events add a special touch to the winter experience.
Lots of cities experience overtourism in the summer and The Hague is no stranger to this phenomenon. However, not a lot of tourists know that actually The Hague is a year-round destination and winter might be even the best season to visit the city.
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DISCLAIMER: I have visited The Hague in December on invitation by the Tourism board of The Hague. They have provided for the hotel and the activities during this trip. The museums included in this overview I have visited on my own. All opinions are mine.
6 reasons to visit The Hague in winter
These are my 6 reasons why The Hague might be the best winter city trip in Europe:
1. Enjoy a Royal Christmas
One of the most beautiful lanes in the Netherlands – Lange Voorhout turns into a real winter wonderland a few weeks before Christmas. Each year the Royal Christmas Fair takes place on this emblematic lane offering lots of entertainment to get you in the right mood for the Christmas holidays.
The Royal Christmas Fair in The Hague (4-23 December 2025) is by far not your-very-traditional Christmas market. As The Hague is a cosmopolitan city, its Christmas market reflects the city’s worldly allure. Beside the traditional Dutch Christmas market food like poffertjes and snert, one can find there the German bratwurst, reibekuchen and flammkuchen, the Mexican quesadillas, the Spanish empanadas, as well as the Hungarian kürtőskalács.
The L-shaped Lange Voorhout is lined up with stalls selling not only local Dutch handcrafts, but also handmade fair-trade goods from other countries like Nepal, for example.
Pro tip: If you don’t want to miss anything from the Royal Christmas experience in The Hague, you can book a small group tour.
There is Bar Berlin, Bar Munich, and Bar Dusseldorf, where you can have a mug with mulled wine or hot chocolate with friends and family, watch the shows and have fun. There is also the Royal Christmas House, where you can grab a bite, and the Royal Christmas Stage with daily performances.
The atmosphere is magical with carolers, live music, and a shimmering light display. If you’re fortunate, you can even catch a glimpse of Santa Clause himself who makes a royal appearance at the Christmas market.
2. Less crowds
In winter, The Hague is quieter compared to the busier summer months. Major attractions like the Peace Palace, the Mauritshuis museum, and Madurodam are less crowded.
This means shorter wait times and a more personalized experience. The quieter streets also allow for more enjoyable walks through the historical city center.
3. Festive decorations
The Hague is beautifully adorned with festive decorations during the winter. Streets and squares glow with twinkling lights and seasonal displays. The Passage, one of the oldest shopping arcades in the Netherlands, transforms into a winter wonderland.
The Grote Marktstraat, a major shopping street, is particularly delightful, with its elaborate light installations.
4. Scheveningen is empty
The beachfront district of Scheveningen, usually teeming with visitors, is much quieter in winter. This tranquility offers an ideal opportunity to enjoy a beach walk or visit the iconic SkyView De Pier without the crowds. The winter sea breeze and the serene atmosphere provide a different, but equally charming, beach experience.
I, personally, love Scheveningen in the shoulder season as the beach is empty and gone are all the kiosks selling stuff on the sea promenade. Besides the Ferris wheel SkyView De Pier, you can also visit the local museum Muzee Scheveningen and SeaLife Scheveningen. Enjoy a brisk walk along the shore, and warm up with a hot chocolate at a beachfront café.
Read more: If you want to spend more time in Scheveningen, read this post about What to do in Scheveningen that’s not the beach.
5. World-class museums
The Hague is home to several world-class museums that are perfect to explore in the winter months. The Mauritshuis showcases masterpieces by Dutch painters such as Vermeer and Rembrandt.
The Kunstmuseum Den Haag features a broad collection of modern art and the Escher in The Palace museum offers a fascinating look at the works of M.C. Escher.
6. Winter Festivals
Winter in The Hague features various cultural events and festivals, including holiday light displays and concerts, adding a festive atmosphere to the city. Besides the Royal Christmas Market in the Hague, there’s also the Cool Event in Scheveningen (8 November 2025 – 8 February 2026) with a skating rink and a curling sheet.
You can go for a cozy carriage ride through the historical city centre of The Hague or visit the Christmas Village in Scheveningen. Madurodam is also festively decorated, offering a special winterly experience during the Winter Weeks event (mid December – begin January).
What is the weather like in The Hague in winter?
Winter in The Hague typically features cold and damp conditions. The average temperature ranges from 2°C to 7°C (35°F to 45°F). Snowfall is relatively rare but can occur. Rain is more common, making waterproof clothing essential. Wind can feel quite brisk, especially near the coast. Cloudy and overcast skies are frequent.
Wind speeds can reach 20-30 km/h (12-18 mph), adding a chill to the air. Being prepared with layers and have a windproof and waterproof jacket is kind of a must.
How to get to The Hague?
Being the second most important city in the Netherlands, The Hague is well-connected to the rest of the country by highways and public transport. The Hague is also the second most visited city in the Netherlands together with Rotterdam, switching places now and then. The city even has it’s own airport, although not everybody knows that.
By plane
You can fly to Schiphol International Airport and get the direct train to The Hague. The train station at Schiphol is at the arrivals halls. So this is pretty convenient and the trip takes only 30 min.
Another option is to fly directly to Rotterdam-The Hague Airport. This airport is serviced mostly by low cost carriers for Dutch holidaymakers in warmer countries, but hey, why not use it and go on a city trip let’s say from London or Edinburgh. To get from the airport to the city, you need first to get bus line 33 to Meijersplein and the metro line E to the city centre.
By train
If you are already in the Netherlands and wish to visit The Hague for a day or two, travelling by train is perhaps the best option, as the train station is conveniently located in the city centre. This is also what I would recommend.
If you are staying in Amsterdam, The Hague is just a 50-minutes ride by train, which makes the city a perfect day trip from the Dutch capital.
From Europe, you can also take the Eurostar to travel to Rotterdam and then change to NS for a short ride of about 25 minutes to The Hague. For international train travel to The Hague you can also use NS International, besides Eurostar.
Where to stay in The Hague?
Choosing a place to stay in The Hague can be pretty overwhelming. Besides location, you would probably need to consider budget and personal preferences for the type of the accommodation.
For me personally, location and safety, as a mostly travel solo, are the most important and then comes the budget.
When I visited The Hague in December, I stayed in the centrally located Moxy The Hague Hotel. The hotel is halfway between the Central Train Station and the city centre with all attractions and museums. Also the tram line is very close and the there a couple of tram line stops within a short walk from the hotel, which is just perfect if you want to hop on the tram to the Peace Palace (line 1), Madurodam and Scheveningen (line 9), or why not even to Delft (line 1).
I stayed in a comfortable, contemporary room with good facilities and the common areas were cozy and stylish. I have to mention though that the hotel was organized and paid by The Hague & Partners, the marketing bureau of The Hague City. But hey, it was a great choice and I enjoyed every minute if it. That’s why I am highly recommending it.
Although I haven’t paid for it myself, as I’ve already mentioned, it was an excellent choice in terms of good value for money (I have to admit, I have checked after my stay the price for a night ), location, public transportation, and safety.
Actually yes, Den Haag is quite nice in the winter season. Spent a couple weeks there once at year end for work reasons, it’s perfectly pleasant to go around, and I was lucky enough that the trip coincided with the Santa procession through the city. Agree with everything here.
I love the idea of the Royal Christmas Market in The Hague. I bet the streets glitter with white lights.
Yeah, everything is festively decorated!