Summary Ultimate Guide to Visiting Castle De Haar in the Netherlands:
The Kasteel / Castle De Haar is the biggest castle in the Netherlands, and it’s fairly easy to visit on a day trip from Amsterdam, since it’s located near Utrecht.
If you only have time to visit one castle in Holland, it should be this one! It was never meant for war, but it was (and still is) used as a luxurious home of sorts. The interior is stunning and very worthwhile.
This travel guide will explain how to get to Castle De Haar, current hours and ticket prices, day tour options, and everything else you need to know before you go!
How To Get To Castle De Haar
Castle De Haar is located in Haarzuilens, which is just outside of the city in Utrecht, Netherlands.
You can get there with a bicycle, car rental (self-drive), taxi, or public transportation. Moreover, you can book a day tour package that includes hotel pickup and drop-off from Amsterdam. The castle is a 30-minute drive by car from Amsterdam or Utrecht.
For public transportation to the castle from Amsterdam Centraal, you need to budget more time. First, take the train to Utrecht Centraal, then transfer to a train to Vleuten station on the Den Haag Centraal route (4x per hour).
Once you arrive in Vleuten, take Bus 111 to Kasteel de Haar, with a 2-minute walk (only available during summer weekends). Alternatively, you can take Bus 127 from Vleuten to Breukelen (stop at Brink in Haarzuilens), which is a 15-minute walk to the castle.
You can use this map for navigation directly to the castle, which is approximately 20 kilometers from central Utrecht or 33 kilometers from Amsterdam.
Visiting Castle De Haar: What To Expect
First things first — De Haar Castle is surrounded by 135 acres of landscaped gardens featuring colorful flowers, ponds, and friendly deer, making it the perfect spot for a long walk or picnic.
The exterior of Castle De Haar is impressive and photogenic, showcasing all the classic features of a medieval castle, such as towers, turrets, moats, gates, and suspension bridges.
Consequently, you can take great pictures of the castle from almost any angle!
Previously, I never associated castles with Holland, but this one is truly spectacular, resembling a fantasy castle. As the largest castle in the Netherlands, it is also one of the finest. The castle features a gift shop, cafe, and visitor center where you can buy tickets.
The park grounds also include a deer park for visitors to see friendly deer walking around.
Visit De Haar at the right time of year, and you might catch special seasonal events like the Elfia Fantasy Fair and Christmas Market.
No advance booking or reservation is required for Kasteel De Haar, although you can opt for a small group day tour from Amsterdam if you prefer hassle-free transportation arrangements.
Regardless, the castle is well worth a visit, especially if you’re from a country where castles aren’t common!
Inside De Haar Castle (Interior)
The interior of De Haar Castle is just as impressive as the exterior! If you buy a combo ticket, you can explore the inside at your own pace.
The castle’s interior is detailed and beautiful, featuring luxurious bedrooms, intricate carvings, paintings, exquisite furniture, stained glass windows, sets of armor, and more. Touring the castle feels akin to visiting an art museum.
With 200 rooms, although visitors can walk through less than a dozen, the inside tour is thorough and undoubtedly worthwhile.
I highly recommend experiencing it! The combo ticket is easily worth the extra price.
You can opt for an audio tour in Dutch or English, and friendly multilingual guides are available in almost every room to explain the history of the building and its former inhabitants.
Photography is permitted inside the castle (without flash), allowing for ample opportunities to capture memorable moments. It was fascinating, and visitors could easily spend more time exploring each room.
However, note that backpacks, tripods, drones, and similar items are not allowed inside De Haar Castle, but lockers are available to store personal belongings during your tour.
Opening Hours
- Park: 9 AM – 5 PM daily
- Castle: 11 AM – 5 PM daily
Although you can’t enter the castle before 11 AM, the grounds are open starting at 9 AM, making the morning an excellent time for a visit.
The castle is open daily, with specific holiday exceptions found here.
Entrance Fees
The current ticket prices to visit the park grounds surrounding the castle, without entering the building, are as follows:
- Adults: 7 Euros
- Kids (4-12): 5 Euros
- Kids (0-4): Free
- Parking: 6 Euros
If you wish to enter the castle, a more expensive combo ticket including access to the park can be purchased upon arrival or book it in advance here.
Cash is not accepted at the castle, so credit or bank cards are required.
History Of Kasteel De Haar
The De Haar Castle appears medieval, but much of it was built in the 19th century, replacing old castle ruins present since at least 1391.
The property was owned by the De Haar family until 1440, after which it passed to the Van Zuylen family through marriage. Between 1892 and 1912, the Van Zuylens commissioned architect Pierre Cuypers to completely rebuild and renovate the castle, creating the masterpiece seen today.
In the 1960s, the castle became known for hosting international celebrities, including Brigitte Bardot, Gregory Peck, Joan Collins, Roger Moore, and Michael Caine.
In 2000, the Van Zuylen family transferred ownership of the castle and gardens to the Kasteel de Haar foundation, while retaining the right to occupy the castle for one month a year, which they still do annually.
Best Time To Visit
Visiting De Haar Castle is delightful any time of year; however, summer is particularly enchanting as the flowers are in full bloom. The Rose Garden features over 1,200 roses and 79 different species.
Although my wife was disappointed we missed the famous tulip season in the Netherlands during this trip, we still found the flowers at De Haar Castle in August to be spectacular.
The best time of day to visit is early morning when the park first opens (9 AM), allowing for a more tranquil experience before the crowds arrive. On the summer morning we visited, it felt like we had the place to ourselves for the first couple of hours!
It’s advisable to spend 2 to 3 hours exploring the castle and park grounds, depending on your pace and whether the gardens are in full bloom. Most visitors typically complete the tour in about 2 hours.
Best Amsterdam Tours
We recommend GetYourGuide for day tours of Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands!
They offer small group day tours of Castle De Haar with pickup and drop-off from Amsterdam, as well as other famous sights and activities like canal cruises, the Van Gogh Museum, and day trips to Keukenhof.
We’ve utilized this company for numerous day tours and activities worldwide, and they’ve consistently provided great experiences. Highly recommended!
