Despite its modest size (population: 500,000), The Hague - Den Haag in Dutch - has played a prestigious role not only in the history of the Netherlands (or Holland), but also on the European stage and in a global context too. Although not the capital of Holland - that's Amsterdam - since the 13th century The Hague has been the country's royal seat and its seat of government. In addition, it is the base for hundreds of international organisations, and hosts over 100 embassies.
  Also in The Hague are the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court and many United Nations offices, and it has become regarded as the judicial capital of the UN.
  The Hague is very popular among the Dutch for short breaks and holidays, as the municipality includes the beach resorts of small, quiet Kijkduin and big, lively Scheveningen, making a total of 11km of sandy beach.

The city's main tourist office is at 1 Hofweg, and is open seven days a week.
  Ask for a 'City Card The Hague and Delft', which offers free bus and tram travel for a period of 24 or 48 hours as well as entry discounts at 30 sights and attractions in The Hague and neighbouring Delft.
www.denhaag.com [>visitors&tourists]

The Hague has no historic central area. The focal points of the city centre are the spacious and attractive streets and squares around the waters of the Hofvijver. Most visitors to The Hague arrive at the main railway station, a few minutes walk away in Rijnstraat. The bus and tram stations are also here.

The Hague is largely an administrative city, with many government offices. Together with the large number of diplomatic staff and foreign officials and their families who reside in The Hague, this gives the city centre a well-to-do, sophisticated and cosmopolitan feel, with a good-quality shops and restaurants and a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere.

The city centre of The Hague is car-free (except for essential access at limited times, and taxis at night), and is geared to bikes and pedestrians.
  A fast, inexpensive, efficient and comprehensive network of buses and trams provides easy access to all parts of the city, including the beach.

Although entertainment is scattered all over the city, the beach resort of Scheveningen, on The Hague's north-western side, is The Hague's entertainment district, with late-night bars, three casinos and clubs and dance venues across a range of tastes and budgets. The tourist office (and their web page on clubbing) have the latest information on which venues are currently popular.

Eating and drinking in The Hague
Enjoy classic local fare, soups, fresh fish, french fries, and Dutch pancakes, or choose from The Hague's cosmopolitan spectrum of high-quality foreign restaurants. A rijsttafel or 'Indonesian rice table' (a Dutch version of nasi padang) is a favourite meal out for locals. The highest rated traditional restaurants serve a refined but substantial Franco-Dutch style of cuisine.
  Good wines are available everywhere, but Holland is a beer-drinking country. Some of the highest quality beers come from across the border in Belgium.

Fouquet (www.fouquet.nl), is an attractive gastronomic restaurant, with simply laid tables, bare floorboards, very professional service and high-quality cooking in the French-Dutch style.

Among the best times to visit Holland are the Restaurant Weeks, in the first Mon-Sun week of March (7-13 Mar 2011) and last Mon-Sun week of August (23-29 Aug 2010), when top restaurants offer excellent set menus of at least 3 courses for a flat rate of €25 - but you'll have to book restaurants and accommodation in advance.
www.restaurantweek.nl

Accommodation in The Hague
The best place to stay is in the city centre, which has dozens of attractive small hotels in all categories.

Hotel des Indes  is The Hague's famous mid-19th-century grandly luxurious hotel in the most opulent period style, with contemporary bedrooms and every modern convenience throughout.
(www.hoteldesindesthehague.com)

Mozaic Hotel is a small, friendly, chic, imaginative and quirkily stylish 3-star within about 15 minutes walk of the central area; the rooms are mini-suites, with sitting room and bedroom areas separated, and a big flat-screen TV in each - and with an option of cooking in your room, with a microwave and a set of cutlery. There's free WiFi and rates include a good breakfast.
(www.mozaic.nl)

The principal air access to The Hague is Amsterdam airport (Schiphol), which has a frequent direct rail link to the centre of The Hague, taking 30 minutes. (Rotterdam is closer, but transport links are not as good).
CityJet (formerly VLM) fly to Amsterdam several times daily from London City airport taking around 1h15m.
www.cityjet.com 

 Mauritshuis (Fine Arts Museum) 
In a grand old palace off a glorious square called simply Plein, the Mauritshuis is one of the Flemish world's greatest accomplishments. Its astonishing collection of Flemish masters encompasses all the great names in abundance - Vermeer, Rembrandt, Rubens, Brueghel, Memling, Jan Steen - and many outstanding works by less well-known artists of the period. There are plenty of famous works, including Vermeer's 'The Girl with the Pearl Earing'. Most displays are in attractive small rooms.
www.mauritshuis.nl

 Escher in Het Paleis (Escher in the Palace)  
The comprehensive collection of intricate and puzzling drawings and masterful woodcuts by Escher in this former royal winter palace is complemented by his wonderful and absurd chandeliers in the shapes of sharks, bluebottles, birds, even a pipe, a bottle, and a bomb! The top floor is devoted to optical illusions not by Escher but 'inspired' by him, including the mind-boggling room where short people look bigger than tall people!
www.escherinhetpaleis.nl

 Binnenhof (Parliament)
This beautiful complex of medieval brick, centred on a courtyard enclosed by Holland's (The Netherlands') distinctive parliament and government buildings, rises grandly beside the Hofvijver lake at the very heart of The Hague. It is attractively illuminated at night. There is a visitors' centre, which runs guided tours of the Hall of Knights or the Second Chamber of Parliament.
www.binnenhofbezoek.nl

 Gemeentemuseum (Municipal museum) 
In a modern building by Berlage, this is The Hague's modern art museum, with the world's largest and most important collection of works by Mondrian. The museum places the development of Dutch modern art in an international context, with works by several leading modern artists, among them Picasso and Monet. There's a succession of interesting temporary exhibitions by contemporary artists.
www.gemeentemuseum.nl

 Delft
Historically a separate town to the south, but now practically part of Den Haag, calm Delft preserves a charming old central area of waterside houses, canal walks and the two medieval churches Nieuwe and Oude (New and Old). Delft gave its name to famous high-quality blue-and-white glazed pottery made here and was the home of Flemish master Johannes Vermeer, providing the setting for some of his work. The Museum Het Prinsenhof is devoted to Flanders' Golden Age and the 16th-century Uprising led by William of Orange, which led to his being shot here during the Eighty Years War.
www.delft.nl

 Vredespaleis (The Peace Palace)
This striking brick building in elaborate Flemish Renaissance style was built in 1913 by idealistic entrepreneur and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to house the Permanent Court of Arbitration and a legal library. It's surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens. It has since become the home of other prestigious international and judicial organisations, including the International Court of Justice and the Hague Academy of International Law.
www.vredespaleis.nl

 Madurodam  
A long-standing favourite with Dutch families, this "Holland in Miniature" sets out all the major sights and landmarks of the Netherlands - reduced to a 25th of their real size.
www.madurodam.nl