Photo: DimiTalen (CC0, cropped and resized)
Madurodam, The Hague — Private Day Trip from Amsterdam
The whole of the Netherlands, built at knee height. Canal houses, Schiphol, windmills and harbours in perfect miniature — the one attraction that genuinely works for every age in the family at once.
- 4 hours
- 2hours riding time
- 2hours standby at the destination
- Up to8passengers
- Mercedes sedan, V-Class or Vito
Tour highlights
- The whole country in miniature, at 1:25 scale
- Aircraft that taxi, ships that move, trains that run
- Amsterdam canal houses you can look down on from above
- Genuinely enjoyable for adults, not just a children's park
- Flat, compact and easy with a pushchair
- Twenty minutes from the beach at Scheveningen
Madurodam — the whole country, at knee height
Madurodam is the Netherlands rebuilt at 1:25 scale — and built properly. The canal houses of Amsterdam, the Delta Works, Schiphol with aircraft that taxi to the runway, container ships that dock, trains that actually run on the network.
You walk through it looking down on a country you have spent the week looking up at. It reorganises the place in your head: you can finally see how the polders, the dykes and the cities fit together.
Why we recommend it to almost everyone
Most attractions are aimed at somebody. This one lands with everyone at once.
Small children get moving things and levers to pull. Older children get the engineering — how a country below sea level keeps the water out. Adults get the model-making, which is obsessive in the best way, and a genuinely good explanation of Dutch history along the way.
We have taken families with a three-year-old and a grandmother in the same van and had both come out happy. That is rare enough to be worth saying.
An easy day, not a demanding one
It is about an hour from Amsterdam, in The Hague, near the dunes. The park is flat, paved and compact, so pushchairs and wheelchairs are no trouble, and two to three hours is enough to see it properly.
Because your driver waits for you, there is no return coach to catch. You leave when your family has had enough — not before, and not two hours after.
Make a full day of it
The North Sea beach at Scheveningen is twenty minutes from the park: a wide stretch of sand, a pier and a long promenade. After a morning of careful looking it is a good place to let children run.
The Hague itself is ten minutes away, if the adults would like something too — the Binnenhof, the Peace Palace, and a handsome old centre that most visitors to the Netherlands never see.
And in spring, Keukenhof is on the road back to Amsterdam. It makes for a long day, but if you are here in April it is a very good one.
Where is it?
Photos
Your day
- 09:00
Pick-up in Amsterdam
Collected from your accommodation with the child seats already fitted.
- 10:00
Arrive at Madurodam
In The Hague, right by the dunes. Two to three hours is enough for most families, longer if your children are the sort who read every label.
- 13:00
Lunch
There are cafés in the park, or we can take you to the seafront instead.
- 14:00
Optional — Scheveningen beach
Twenty minutes away: a long North Sea beach, a pier and a promenade. A good way to let everyone run around before the drive home.
- 16:00
Back in Amsterdam
Dropped at your door.
What's included
- Private Mercedes V-Class or Vito minivan
- Hotel or apartment pick-up and drop-off
- English-speaking driver for the day
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- Bottled water and free child seats
Not included
- Madurodam entrance tickets
- Food and drinks
- Beach or city extras
Can be added
Scheveningen beach
The Hague's seaside. Wide sand, a pier with a big wheel, and plenty of places to eat looking at the water.
Free to add
The Hague city centre
The Binnenhof, the Peace Palace and the old centre are ten minutes from Madurodam if you want something for the adults too.
Free to add
Add the tulip fields
In spring, Keukenhof is on the way back to Amsterdam. Long day, but it works well.
Ask us for the combined price
Frequently asked questions
Is Madurodam only for children?
No, and that is exactly why we recommend it. The model-making is superb and the detail rewards adult attention — most parents end up more absorbed than their children. It is the rare attraction where nobody is bored.
What ages does it suit?
Everything from toddlers to grandparents. Small children like the moving parts and the interactive levers; older ones get the history; adults get the craftsmanship.
How long do we need there?
Two to three hours suits most families. Because your driver waits, you can leave when you have had enough rather than when a coach says so.
How far is it from Amsterdam?
About an hour each way, in The Hague. That makes it comfortable as a relaxed day rather than a rush.
Is it suitable for a pushchair or wheelchair?
Yes. The park is flat and paved throughout, and the paths are wide. Tell us what you need and we will make sure the vehicle suits.