It might be synonymous with UN judicial entities and the seat of Dutch government, but The Hague packs a regal punch with palatial embassies and mansions, leafy boulevards, public gardens and its own stretch of beach at Scheveningen. Queen Beatrix lives in The Hague and the city was the capital of the Netherlands until 1806, when the honor went to Amsterdam instead.
 
Reflecting its civic prestige from past and present, The Hague is a grandiose city, lacking the higgledy-piggledy medieval walled centers and canals of neighboring towns. Avenues lined with diplomatic residences dating back to the 18th century lead into the town center of 15th-century churches and gabled buildings.

For art lovers, The Hague’s highlight is the Mauritshuis Museum, with its prized collection of Vermeers – this is the place to see the real Girl with a Pearl Earring. The city’s historic parliamentary buildings cluster in the Binnenhof (Inner Court), including the 13th century Knights' Hall. To get a good overview of these buildings' uses and history, take a guided one hour tour of the parliamentary complex. Afterwards, go for a stroll around the Hofvijver, a scenic swan-filled pond surrounding the Binnenhof.

Some museums worth popping into include the Madurodam mini Dutch city complete with to-scale tulips and windmills, a museum devoted to graphic artworks by Escher, the city’s history museum and the Piet Mondrian collection. For insights into medieval torture chambers, the Gevangenpoort is a 15th-century gatehouse complete with dungeon. Examples of Holland’s famously steep and narrow houses line the graceful Lange Voorhout avenue, neck-to-neck with celebrated hotels and mansions.
 
You won’t lack opportunities for shopping and dining in The Hague with a wide variety of specialty shops in De Passage, the country’s first covered shopping arcade. Being near the coast, seafood is a culinary highlight, as are the coffeehouses and cafes.

The provincial capital of South Holland, The Hague is in the western Netherlands. It’s 56 km (36 mi) southwest of Amsterdam, under an hour away by train.
 
A network of tram routes makes it easy to get around. A tram runs to the pier, esplanade and sands of Scheveningen, 4 km (2.5 mi) from the city center, and onwards to Delft.