Old Holland: Delft, The Hague, Leiden and Haarlem
Delft Blue and Vermeer, the Mauritshuis and the sea at Scheveningen, Leiden’s canals and mills, Haarlem’s great church and the dunes.
- Distance
- 98 km (61 mi)
- Driving
- 1 h 21 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 9
- Countries
- Netherlands
- Updated
- June 18, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 98 km (61 mi) with 9 stops, from Rotterdam to Zandvoort. About 1 h 21 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Netherlands
Route description
Delft is 15 km from Rotterdam and the easiest of these towns to explore on foot, with canals, a market square between the town hall and the Nieuwe Kerk, where William of Orange is buried, and the pottery that made Delft Blue famous. Dutch city centres are expensive and tight to park in, so use the park-and-ride sites on the edge; they suit motorhomes better too.
Continue to The Hague, 10 km north. The Mauritshuis by the Binnenhof holds Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and his View of Delft. From here drive or take the tram to Scheveningen, where the pier and the Kurhaus stand over a long, busy beach. The dunes north of the resort, in the Meijendel area, are good for a walk away from the crowds.
Leiden, 20 km north-east, is the oldest university town in the Netherlands, with canals lined by 17th-century houses, the Molen De Valk windmill museum and a botanical garden founded in 1590. Between Leiden and Haarlem the road runs through the bulb fields. From late March to early May they turn into strips of colour, and Keukenhof at Lisse is on the way.
Haarlem has a lively market square around the St. Bavo church. West of the city, the Zuid-Kennemerland National Park has dunes, lakes and pine woods, with bison grazing in a fenced area. Finish on the beach at Zandvoort, 30 minutes from Amsterdam. The A4 and A44 are often jammed at rush hour; the coastal N206 is slower but quieter, and cycling between towns is easy.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Rotterdam
Netherlands - 216 km
Delft
Netherlands - 310 km
Mauritshuis
HistoryThe Hague, NetherlandsA small 17th-century palace by the Hofvijver lake holding Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and Rembrandt’s Anatomy Lesson. Book a time slot in busy periods; park in a city garage and walk.
- 46 km
Scheveningen Pier
ViewsThe Hague, NetherlandsThe pier in front of the Kurhaus at The Hague’s seaside resort, with a wide sandy beach and dunes on either side. Paid parking along the boulevard; trams 1 and 9 run from the centre.
- 520 km
Leiden
Netherlands - 61 km
Molen De Valk
HistoryLeiden, NetherlandsA tall 18th-century grain windmill on Leiden’s old city wall, now a museum where you can climb to the gallery. It is a few minutes’ walk from the station and the canals of the old town.
- 733 km
Grote Kerk (St. Bavo), Haarlem
HistoryHaarlem, NetherlandsA great Gothic church on Haarlem’s market square with a Müller organ that Mozart played as a boy. Summer organ concerts are held on set days; use the park-and-ride outside the centre.
- 87 km
Zuid-Kennemerland National Park
NatureOverveen, NetherlandsDunes, pine woods and lakes between Haarlem and the sea, with wisent bison and Highland cattle grazing in fenced areas. Start at the De Zandwaaier visitor centre at Overveen; walking and cycle paths are free.
- 95 km
Zandvoort
Netherlands
FAQs
How long is Old Holland: Delft, The Hague, Leiden and Haarlem?
3-day road trip of about 98 km (61 mi) with 9 stops, from Rotterdam to Zandvoort. About 1 h 21 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Old Holland: Delft, The Hague, Leiden and Haarlem?
We suggest 3 days: about 1 h 21 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Old Holland: Delft, The Hague, Leiden and Haarlem start and end?
It starts in Rotterdam and ends in Zandvoort.
Which countries does Old Holland: Delft, The Hague, Leiden and Haarlem pass through?
Netherlands.
