Daytrip outside Amsterdam: The Hague / Madurodam / Scheveningen, Amsterdam

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A short train ride of about 35 minutes from Amsterdam is Den Haag (The Hague), from the station there Madurodam is a 15 minute tram ride that has a stop just outside. If your used to visiting model villages in England be prepared to have your eyes blown out. This site is huge and even though we were gently strolling about it took a couple of hours. Virtually every monument, palace and tourist attraction in The Netherlands has been recreated in miniature at 1:25 scale. Try and go during dry sunny weather if at all possible and be there when it opens as it got very busy when we visited and that was a week day. This is a place that will amaze your kids and to be honest you also... you will never look at a model town again in the same way.

Opening times: Daily 9:00 - 23:00

Prices:
Adults: € 14.50
Children 3 to 11 years: € 10.50
65+: € 13.50

A visit to Mardurudam just brings to life the child within you. What a delightfull little town this is, with all the lovely buildings in Holland replicated here to standard. I watched the people around me, and I did not see one sad or angry face. Everyone was just happy.

This place is amazing. Its a minture city. Just outside of the Den Hague, this has 200 replicas of sites in the Netherlands. Its an absolute must see. This tiny city even has its own mayor appointed by the Queen.

Dutch food rivals that its neighbor, Belgium. There are many wonderful restaurants where one can dine and find quiet respite from a hard day's work in the Hague, Amsterdam and surrounding areas. The business traveller or tourist only needs to know where to go to find unsurpassable local ambiance.

Less than an hour away by train or car from Amsterdam, the Hague is a spectacular culinary dream, awaiting you to unfold its every nook and cranny. Quiet tranquility may be found in most unusual locations. From the eclectic to the sophisticated, restaurants abound. Many are within walking distance from government buildings, so be prepared with good walking shoes.

Indonesian restaurants, seafood restaurants, and eclectic quaint respites all offer a wealth of cultural diversity, only to be found in the Hague. Prices vary considerably, but are generally lower than those in the US. Unlike the US, tipping is optional, and it depends upon truly great service.

Menus are generally found in both Dutch and English. Service is slow paced, so make certain to leave yourselves plenty of time to enjoy conversation amidst multiple courses together with a good bottle of wine. Delightful chocolates traditionally follow every meal.

There are 57,000 flower bulbs & corms all over Madurodam in Spring. By mid-May, another 25,000 annuals are added. Incredible, isn't it?
It's claimed that a 45 years old plant can be found here! Just amazing!

The canals of Amsterdam are lined with elegant row houses that look impossibly tall & skinny. For many years, property was taxed on the width of the frontage, so everyone built as narrowly as possible & extended the structures very high & very deep.

George Maduro Barracks: Here stands a statue of Princess Wilhelmina.
The white 'flying saucer' structure at the back is the Evoluon in Eindhoven. This building was opened in 1966 fro the 75th anniversary of NV Philips. It used to be an exhibition center & if I'm not wrong it's now a conference center.

Royal Palace, New Church & National Monument, Amsterdam.
The Royal Palace, built by Jacob van Campen, was Amsterdam's town hall fro about a 150 years & has been a Royal Palace since King Louis Napoleon resettled the City Authorities in the Prinsenhof building in 1808.
The 'New Church' was built around 1410. Queen Beatrix was crowned here.
The National Monument was erected in Dam Square in 1956 to pay tribute to all the victims of WWII.