The Hague aka as Den Haag is the third biggest city in the Netherlands. Located on the west side it has a great seaside vibe as well as a city full of history and culture. It is only an hour from Amsterdam or half an hour from Rotterdam making it easy to get to.

A bit more about The Hague

• Den Haag prides itself in being a green city.
• It is the International City of Peace & Justice and home to the Peace Palace which opened in 1913. The Peace Palace is known as the World Court and houses the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration
• It is the seat of the government of Netherlands
• The home of the royal family

We travelled by Eurostar which was a more sustainable route. From London St Pancras we got the train to Rotterdam which was around 3 hours and from there we got a train to Den Haag central which was 20 minutes. The transport services in The Netherlands are efficient and much cheaper than the UK, making it easy to commute from one place to the other. Download the NS app before you get there, to book tickets on demand. Ticket booths are also available.

The top places to visit in The Hague 

Den Haag is home of to the best small museums in Europe. There is a lot of art and culture and it is varied.

• Escher in Het Paleis is where you can find work from the Dutch artist MC Escher. It is housed in the former Winter Palace of Queen Mother Emma so not only is his artwork impressive the building is historic. There are also 15 gigantic chandeliers created by Hans van Benthem in the museum
• Scheveningen is a modern seaside resort with a Ferris wheel, pier and several restaurants and bars. It is a great holiday spot for locals and tourists
• Whilst in Scheveningen visit the Grand Hotel Amrath Kurhaus, which is where the Rolling Stones had their first and shortest out-of-UK tour. It has a beautiful dome and paintings which represent the cities founding stones
• Museum Panoramas Mesdag has a specially made rotunda to house the stunning panoramic painting. It is the oldest one of its kind in the world and took four months to create. The Panorama of Scheveningen is the largest painting in the Netherlands and is 14.6 metres by 114.5 metres
• Madurodam is a miniature village show casing some Dutch famous landmarks. The replicas are in 1:25 scale and some are interactive. It truly is a magnificent spot for all
• Visit The Mauritshuis to see some amazing paintings including Johannes Vermeer’s famous Girl with a Pearl Earring oil painting. Unlike other museums, this is one is spacious, and well laid out so you do get a chance to see the painting without queuing for ages.
• Get the Tourist Tram which is a hop-on hop-off connection between the city and the beach. The Tram has 16 stops and with a ticket, you can get unlimited use on the day. If you are in a group you can rent this out too.
• Visit the Peace Palace which is filled with gifts from different nations and made from donations from various countries (e.g. clock was from Switzerland). It is also where very important organisations operate from and home to the United Nations International Court of Justice
• A visit to the Royal Christmas Fair is a must during the festive period. The market is home to over 100 stalls. There is a mixture of food, drink, local produce and activities. This year the fair is on until the 23rd of December
• Do some shopping along the streets of The Hague and the historic shopping arcade, The passage ( the oldest shopping arcade in The Netherlands). They have some high quality specialised item
• Sometimes the best way to discover a place is by foot. Here are some walks you can go including A royal walk to see the historic sites

Where to eat and drink in The Hague

• The Bookstor Cafe: A cafe/library/bookshop/working spot, this is a must-visit when in The Hague. The cafe is cosy and hip and serves a range of drinks. They also have an outdoor garden. We enjoyed coffee, hot chocolate and cake.
• Have a tasting session at Van Kleef, the only standing local distillery. Read about it here.
• Voco: This specialises in sustainable and locally sourced cuisine. When we went for our meal we started with a cocktail that was made with pineapple skins and foam with leftover champagne. They have an open kitchen here and are passionate about their food. The Voco also has a beautiful bar and downstairs you can find an old vault that has been converted into a seating area
• Raw Herrings and Kibbleings are enjoyed by the locals. I was not convinced about the raw herring but I enjoyed it. You can have it in a bun or on its own. I went with the latter with some onions. The best place to have it is a little kiosk called Buitenhof Herring Stall. A local was enjoying Kibbleing (fried battered fish) there and said this stall prides itself in delivering every dish fresh. He said even the herring I just had would have been cleaned and deboned after I placed the order.
• Enjoy an Oliebol: These are available from many places and during the festive period you can pick up some at the Royal Christmas Fair. It is like a doughnut without the extra sweetness (a plain one just has a dusting of icing sugar on top). It has a bread-like texture and can be enjoyed plain or with dried fruit.
• Stroopwaffle:  Two thin waffles with caramel syrup sandwiched between them.. they are delicious especially when served warm. If you cannot get a fresh one from the shop, place one on your mug with your hot drink just to melt lightly then enjoy. You can get them from Van Schaik Stroopwafels with all different toppings.
• Cotton Tree: An urban bistro offering affordable food. The menu is diverse and the food is divine. They offer an a la carte menu from 18 euros. We ended some beautiful fish here.
• Milu Restaurant and Bar: This is the place for sharing plates and enjoying a drink pr two in a relaxed atmosphere. They have a heated terrace all year around. 

Where to stay in The Hague

We spent two nights in Hotel Des Indes, a former palace that drips with historical elegance. It is one of the grandest old hotels in Europe and opened in 1881.

The structure of the palace which built in 1858, still stands. It was bought by Baron van Brienen, who wanted a palace for parties and receptions. It is located in the Lange Voorhou area which is close to the museums and popular sights.

The hotel’s current tea room with the dome (rotunda) above it was formerly the entrance where horse-drawn carriages pulled up.

As you walk in, you are greeted by a great chandelier, warm lighting, bordeaux-coloured walls, marble pillars and thick patterned carpets with gold stair rods. The walls in the hallway have tulips drawn on them, and the curtains in the rotunda area are draped with heavy silk curtains.

Guests of the hotel included Winston Churchill, Michael Jackson and recently George Clooney.

The hotel has 79 rooms and 13 suites. We had a spacious executive room which had a comfortable king-size bed and a space for relaxing as well as working with mahogany-finished fixtures. All rooms come with marble sinks and heated slate tiles in the bathroom giving it a luxe feel.

We enjoyed a great spread for breakfast on our visit. There was a menu on the table to order specific hot items and a buffet with all the continental items. The make their juices fresh and the breakfast is divine.

Whilst we did not get to enjoy more of the food and drink at the hotel, we were invited to their christmas lights switch-on ceremony and where we had fine canapes with cava. We met a couple who have visited the hotel for years and highly recommend it, including the high tea.

The hotel has a spa, gym and jet pool too.

The service is of a high standard and staff are friendly creating a welcoming warm atmosphere always.

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Unlike Amsterdam, The Hague doesn’t have a huge tourist population and businesses survive on local trade. Businesses want regular customers and keep their standards high. 

One thing that took me by surprise is the busy roads – bikes, trams, buses , cars… if it is your first time just look out of the signs because what you think is a pedestrian pavement is a cycle path. The Hague is very well equipped for cyclists. 

Add The City, The Beach, The Hague to your next destination.

Neha

AD: I went on a Press Trip to The Hague. All opinions and photos are my own unless otherwise stated.