Hotels in The Hague, Netherlands

The Hague has hosted international legal institutions for more than a century, which is the source of the description. The Peace Palace, opened in 1913, set the pattern, and a cluster of courts and organisations dealing with international law have since made the city a recognised centre for the field.

The Peace Palace is the landmark most visitors come to see, a large brick building set in formal gardens, with a visitor centre that explains its history and the work carried out there. The working rooms are not generally open to the public, but the grounds and the exhibition show why the city holds the title, and guided visits run at set times.

The role sits alongside the city's other functions as the seat of Dutch government and a coastal destination. Away from the institutions, The Hague is a walkable city with museums, squares and a long beach within reach.

A first day in The Hague can combine art, history and the coast without much travel. Start in the centre at the Binnenhof, the historic complex of parliamentary buildings around a courtyard, then walk a couple of minutes to the Mauritshuis to see its small collection of Dutch paintings.

From there the old streets and squares are easy to cover on foot, with plenty of cafes for a break. In the afternoon, take a tram out to Scheveningen, the city's seaside district, where the long beach and pier give a full change of scene.

If time allows, the shopping streets and the tree-lined Lange Voorhout make a pleasant loop back into the centre. The Hague is compact, and the tram network is straightforward, so you can fit in a good deal in a single day without rushing.

The Mauritshuis is small but holds a notable collection of Dutch paintings. Set in a 17th-century house beside the Binnenhof, it focuses on the Golden Age, and the rooms are intimate enough that you can study the work closely rather than move through large halls.

A well-known piece is Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, and the collection also includes Rembrandt's anatomy lesson and works by Frans Hals and their contemporaries. Because the building was once a private home, the setting adds a good deal, with painted ceilings and chandeliers giving each room a domestic scale.

Most visitors find a couple of hours enough to see it properly, which makes it easy to combine with the surrounding sights in the city centre. Booking a timed ticket in advance is sensible, as the busier rooms can fill up, and an audio guide explains the main works.

Scheveningen is The Hague's coastal district, and it functions as a resort within reach of the city centre by tram. A broad sandy beach runs for a long stretch, backed by a wide promenade lined with cafes and seafood restaurants.

The pier reaches out over the water and has become the area's main landmark, with viewing platforms and various attractions along its length. Behind the front stands the Kurhaus, a 19th-century building whose domed hall reflects the resort's earlier history. The combination of beach, pier and that older architecture gives Scheveningen a character separate from the working city just inland.

It is busy in summer and exposed in winter, and many visitors come to walk the sands and watch the North Sea. The harbour to the south handles fishing boats and tour vessels, and the district also has a museum and a sculpture-lined promenade, so there is more to do than the beach alone on a cooler day.

The train is the easiest option by a clear margin. Direct services link the two cities in roughly fifty minutes to an hour and run at frequent intervals for most of the day, so there is little need to plan around a timetable.

The Hague has more than one central station, so check which sits closest to your destination first. Driving takes a similar time outside peak hours, but city-centre parking is limited and expensive at both ends, which makes the train the simpler choice for most visitors.

The wider Dutch rail and tram network also makes it straightforward to continue to other towns nearby once you arrive, so you are not tied to a single route. The same network connects The Hague to Rotterdam, Delft and Leiden, all within a short ride, which makes day trips across this part of the Netherlands straightforward.