Park Sorghvliet, a Green Hidden Gem in The Hague where you can ‘leave your worries at the gate’

About this experience

• Tour by foot
• 10:00 – 12:00
• Group size 2-3
• €40.00 p.p. *

* Private tour for one person costs €70.00

Park Sorghvliet is part of the legacy of Jacob Cats (1577-1660). In 1643, the retired statesman and poet ‘Vadertje Cats’ (Father Cats) bought a farm with land of more than 3 hectares on which to establish his own estate. He designed the grounds as a retreat, a park where he could let go of all his cares. Jacob Cats wanted to escape the stress of the city and his busy life, and knew that nature can contribute to peace of mind.

Over the centuries, the grounds were expanded and the gardens were developed into the first park in the Netherlands to offer 25 ha. of green leisure. The park is an extraordinary oasis of peace, full of mysticism and fairy-tale character. The name given by Cats, Sorgh-Vliet (literal translation ‘care flies’), reflects the environment he sought, a place where you ‘zorgen kon laten vliegen’ (be free of all cares).

Ik neme deze plaats tot afkeer van de zorgen,

om bevrijd te zijn, om daar te zijn verborgen.

(I take this place to scorn all cares,

to be liberated, to be hidden there.)

Jacob Cats

The garden is open for members only and surrounds the Catshuis, the official residence of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, and the reception centre of the government since 1963.

Experience description

If you’re interested in both history and nature, this is the experience to learn and destress.

Hetty studies the biodiversity in the area and has made an inventory of the high number of species. The park embodies the result of three centuries of nature protection. Even the trees survived the Second World War, while in most other parks, the trees were extensively cut down due to the shortage of firewood during the extremely cold winter of 1945.

Enjoy the peace and quiet in the middle of The Hague. Hetty will show you some of the seasonal specialties like a rich variety of fungi in autumn or the purple meadows in March. In summer, she will direct you to the butterflies and dragonflies, while you enjoy the splendid light in the woods.

About Hetty

My passion is to understand the uniqueness and fragility of nature in order to protect her. During my Environmental Science studies in Amsterdam, it became clear to me that most of our outdoor leisure activities conflict with nature, so I decided to build awareness amongst people to enjoy nature in a sustainable way! I am a curious and energetic person, and have traveled and worked in West Africa, the Caribbean and the Netherlands. Born in the Netherlands with an Asian background, I have become an open-minded discovery enthusiast, who likes to work and interact with people from all over the world.

Other experiences