International courts, Vermeer & beaches
The Hague
Den Haag · Seat of government & seaside galleries
The Dutch seat of government and home of international justice, The Hague pairs stately institutions with Golden Age art and a breezy North Sea beach. Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring hangs here, minutes from the sand.
Top sightsSights
Mauritshuis
Home to Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.
Peace Palace
Seat of the International Court of Justice.
Scheveningen beach
A long sandy beach with a pier and promenade.
Binnenhof
A medieval parliamentary complex on a central pond.
Escher in the Palace
A museum of M.C. Escher’s mind-bending prints.
What to eatFood
Kibbeling
Fried fish bites best eaten at the seaside.
Haringkar herring
Fresh raw herring from a street cart.
Indonesian rijsttafel
A colonial-era feast of many small Indonesian dishes.
Good to know
- Combine museums downtown with an afternoon at Scheveningen.
- Trams connect the center, courts and the beach.
- Delft, with its blue pottery, is a short tram ride away.
Getting there
The Hague is 30 minutes by train from both Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
Next city
Utrecht