The Hague

From MyVacationsTo

The Hague (Dutch: Den Haag or 's-Gravenhage; English: The Hedge; [1]) is located in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. It is the seat of the Dutch government, and the residence of the Queen, although Amsterdam is officially the capital city. The municipality has about 470,000 inhabitants, the urban area about 650,000.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 3 Get around 4 See 4.1 Centre of town 4.2 Statenkwartier Area 4.3 Scheveningen 4.4 Elsewhere 5 Do 6 Buy 7 Eat 8 Drink 9 Events 10 Sleep 10.1 Budget 10.2 Middle-class 10.3 Splurge 11 Get out

[edit] Understand

Internationally, The Hague is probably best known as a place where many international courts are located. Among these are the International Court of Justice, which settles disputes between countries, the Yugoslavia Tribunal and since 2004 the controversial International Criminal Court. Thanks to these institutions, but also because of numerous European institutions, multinational headquarters (Shell) and embassies, The Hague has a distinct international character, one that is noticiably different from Amsterdam's. Rather than having many foreigns tourists and fortune-seekers attracted by a reputation for excitement and liberalism, The Hague has more ex-patriates coming in because of employment by these institutions. Its foreign residents are thus generally better-paid and relatively older than Amsterdam's. Because of this and because of the fact that large part of the local economy is based the presence of countless government institutions, The Hague has reputation as a wealthy, conservative and somewhat sedate city.

Indeed The Hague has none of the edginess and excitement of Amsterdam. As a city it provides well for its inhabitants however, with large areas of green, a location on the seaside, interesting shopping facilities and an extensive cultural life. Rather than having canals like other Dutch cities, The Hague has streets and avenues which are just a little bit wider than those in the rest of the country, and instead of the typical Dutch renaissance 17th century step-gabled houses, it has 18th century mansions in grand baroque and classicist styles. Indeed, the city is considered by many as the most stately of the country. Other than in the city centre, this is especially noticable in the posh 19th century neighbourhoods in between the city centre and the dunes, with their splendid eclectic and art nouveau architecture.

The further one gets away from the sea however, the less well-off neighbourhoods tend to be. The dividing line between good and bad areas is drawn by some at Laan van Meerdervoort, which runs parallel to the seaside. While this may not be entirely accurate, the city is quite unique in having such a clear geographical divide between rich and poor areas. The areas away from the sea have much less in the way of greenery. Their one centrally located park, Zuiderpark, also contains the stadium of the local football team ADO Den Haag. It's supporters are among the most notorious hooligans of the country, and indeed the local low-class ADO-supporter or 'Haagse Harry' is as much a The Hague stereotype as the posh old lady or the stuffy civil servant.

To tourists, The Hague offers great architecture, some of it picturesque, such as the medieval government complex of the Binnenhof, some grand and stately, like the mansions on Lange Voorhout. The museums in the city rank among the best in the country, and to food afficionados The Hague arguably offers the country's best Indonesian cuisine, due to large-scale immigration from this former Dutch colony. The city also offers good oppurtunities for outings, like extensive green areas for walking and biclycling, the seaside which is just a few tram stops aways, and the quaint Dutch cities of Delft and Leiden which are just 15 minutes by train. In addition, The Hague offers a few attractions especially appealing to children, such as the miniature city of Madurodam and the 360 degree Omniversum cinema.

Returning travellers may find that parts of the city have changed beyond their recognition. In the past 10 years, the city has been developing an extensive amount of modern architecture, and it is still doing so. Notable recent buildings include the huge white city hall by American architect Richard Meier, a round shopping centre next to the old town hall which has been aptly nicknamed the 'candy box', and a collection of post-modern brick-clad office towers in between the city hall and the Centraal railway station, which provide new housing for a number of ministries. An infrastructural development has been the construction of a Rem Koolhaas underground tram tunnel underneath Grote Marktstraat, which is used by a lightrail system linking The Hague with the neighbouring cities of Zoetermeer and Rotterdam.

Major redevelopment is currently going on in the area around the Centraal railway station. Here, more highrises up to 140 meter will be constructed, among which a giant building by Rem Koolhaas in the shape of a gate between the station and the city. The area should also house a still to be founded museum of national history.

[edit] Get in

Through its two central railway stations, The Hague has direct train links to Schiphol Airport (30 mins.), Amsterdam (45 mins), Rotterdam (25 mins.) and Utrecht (35 mins). Many other cities in the country can also be reached directly or with just one layover. International direct links are available to Antwerp (1h 20), Brussels (2h) and Paris (3h 30); with the opening of the High Speed Line to Brussels in 2007 these times will be cut, but layovers in Rotterdam will be introduced on some trips. Trains to Cologne, Frankfurt or Berlin require layovers in Utrecht or Amersfoort.

One of the stations, Den Haag Hollands Spoor, is a stop on the main north-south line from Amsterdam and Schiphol to Rotterdam, Belgium and France. The other station, Den Haag Centraal, is the western terminus of the main line that goes east and north-east to Utrecht, Arnhem, Groningen and Germany. Centraal is also connected to the main north-south line however, so it also has some trains to Amsterdam and to Rotterdam and beyond. Trains southbound from Centraal always pass through Hollands Spoor.

You are likely to use Centraal most often, as it is located more conveniently for access to the centre of town, tourist attractions and shopping. It also has the best local public transport links, and is also safer at night than Hollands Spoor, which is located in a somewhat dodgy area of town. The only reason for using Hollands Spoor you might have is to catch the international trains to Antwerp, Brussels and Paris. In addition to southbound trains from Centraal, tram lines 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17 cover the short distance from Centraal to Hollands Spoor.

Hollands Spoor is abbreviated as Den Haag HS by NS (Dutch National Railways), but is indicated as Station Hollands Spoor on tram and bus time tables. The railways abbreviate Centraal as Den Haag C, but it is indicated as Centraal Station or Station CS on trams and buses. In this article we shall use the names Hollands Spoor and Centraal.

The Hague is connected by toll-free motorways to Amsterdam (A4 and A44), Rotterdam (A13) and Utrecht (A12). Access to the centre of town is through the A12 motorway which penetrates the city centre like a needle and ends on a large traffic junction just north of the historic centre. Approaching the city from any of these motorways can take a long time during morning rush hours; in the evenings most of the traffic is headed out of town. On hot summer days, hundreds of thousands of people try to reach the Scheveningen (The Hague) beach by car, and huge traffic jams of up to 50 km long may occur, causing traffic delays of up to several hours. On such days, consider taking a train.

[edit] Get around

The Hague has an efficient city wide system of trams of buses, running mostly on free tracks allowing for a fairly speedy ride. HTM runs the public transport system in The Hague and some of the surrounding area. From Centraal and Hollands Spoor the entire city can be reached with between zero and two transfers; major attractions do not require transfers.

Fares are paid using the strippenkaart system as everywhere else in the country. Strippenkaarts containing 15 strips are bought in advance; travellers are expected to validate one strip plus one extra for every zone they travel through on their trip. Layovers are permitted. The zones are indicated on route maps. Trips within the city centre require two strips; trips to the Statenkwartier area and to Scheveningen require three. When travelling on trams, validate your ticket on the on-board machines. On buses, just tell the driver where you need to go and he will validate the appropriate number of strips. It is possible to travel together: just validate the same amount of strips twice.

If this all sounds too complicated to you, day tickets are available as well at E. 6,00, and bus and tram drivers sell single tickets, day returns and day tickets as well. As opposed to the nation-wide strippenkaart, these are only valid in The Hague, and they are all more expensive than the strippenkaart, which should cost you the equivalent of E 0,90 per town centre trip. Tickets can be bought from the HTM Offices at Centraal and Hollands Spoor as well as from the 'Kiosk'-stands at those stations. In town tobacconists, book shops, supermarkets and tourist office usually sell them, as does the HTM shop on Wagenstraat 35.

Hollands Spoor has trams stopping in the front of its main entrance. Centraal has most trams on the south side (Rijnstraat), but the main lines (2, 3 and 6) stop on platforms crossing the main station hall at level 1. Buses are on the bus platform, above the railway tracks. Centraal Station is currenly undergoing major reconstruction work which may make some connections hard to find. Just ask if you can't find your tram or bus.

[edit] See

[edit] Centre of town

• Plein. Walking south into town from Centraal, along Herengracht and Korte Poten, you will come accross Plein. This square — its name simply translates as 'square' in English — is one of the most elegant in the centre of town. Located right next to the Binnenhof, if is lined with historic government buildings on three of its four sides. The north side is lined with bars and cafés, which spill out onto the square in summer. These pavement cafés are quite popular with politicians from the neighbouring Binnenhof, and indeed the Prime Minister himself (easily recognisable by his resemblance to Harry Potter) can be spotted here with a pint regularly. The square is also the preferred place for many demonstrations against government policies. The statue in the middle is that of William of Orange, heralded as the founding father of the Dutch nation.
• Binnenhof, [2]. Since the 13th century the Binnenhof ('Inner Court') has subsequently been the seat of the government of the county of Holland, the Dutch Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It used to be a castle, surrounded by moats on all sides. Since then it has been modified countless times to accomodate the expanding Dutch government. The moats have been filled, but the castle still borders on the Court Pond (named Hofvijver): in its water the old buildings continue to mirror themselves. Today, the Binnenhof houses the two chambers of the Dutch parliament and Prime Minister's office, in a small round tower opposite the Mauritshuis. Enter through one of the gates on Plein or Buitenhof and you will find yourself in a medieval enclosed courtyard, surrounded by architecture from the 13th up to the 19th century. There may be crowds here sometimes, because of demonstrations, tv shootings or receptions of foreign officials. In the middle stands the Knight's Hall, the original centrepiece of the castle, now used for ceremonial purposes. The Knight's Hall is accessible in guided tours. Unfortunately, the other splendid rooms of the complex are closed to the general public. It is possible to attend the meetings of the parliament, however. The Tweede Kamer (second chamber) of parliament meets daily and has a new gathering room since 1992. The Eerste Kamer (first chamber) meets monthly, and does so in one of the most splendid Dutch 17th century interiors that the country has to offer. If you can get into a meeting do so, especially for the lavishly painted ceiling.
• Mauritshuis, [3]. Housed in 17th century palace overlooking the water of the Court Pond, the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis contains the former collection of last Dutch stadtholder William V. The museum is quite small, but the average quality of its old Dutch masters is excellent. It contains world famous works by Johannes Vermeer (Girl with the pearl earring,View of Delft), Rembrandt (The anatomy lesson of dr. Nicolaes Tulp), Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Jan Steen, Paulus Potter, Hans Holbein and others. Korte Vijverberg 8, next to the Binnenhof. Open Tue-Sat 10-17, Sun 11-17, also Mon 10-17 from Apr-Aug. Entrance 7,50, free under 18.
• Bredius Museum [4] A private collection of Dutch Baroque art.
• Museum de Gevangenpoort, [5]. De Gevangenpoort (Prison gate) was built in 1370 as an entrance gate to the Binnenhof complex; from 1420 it was also used a prison, and has been used as a such up to early in the 19th century. In 1853 it was converted into a museum. For a taste of medieval justice, have a look at this museum's collection of torture instruments and enter its original medieval cell blocks. Buitenhof 33. Open Tue-Fri 10-17, Sat-Sun 12-17. Entrance 4,00.
• Lange Voorhout. From either gate of the Binnenhof walk west, pass the short side of the Hofvijver, and you will reach Lange Voorhout. This former extension of the Hague Forest is now a huge tree-lined square, bordered on all sides by the grandest 18th century townhouses the city has to offer. Note the especially the huge baroque 'Huis Huguetan' on the long west side, home to the Dutch supreme court. The square is especially pretty in spring, when its crocuses are in bloom. On thursdays and sundays there is a very good antique and book market. In summer, the square hosts Den Haag Sculptuur [6], a yearly free outside sculpture exhibition.
• Escher in het Paleis, [7]. This former royal town house was recently converted into a museum dedicated to the famous Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher. The first three floors display prints, sketches and archive material showing how Escher progressed from realistic pictures to his later optical illusion and geometrical patterns. The top floor offers a trip through Escher's worlds through 3d graphic headsets. Lange Voorhout 74. Open Tue-Sun 11-17. Entrance 7,50.
• Denneweg. From Escher in het Paleis on Lange Voorhout, past the huge and posh Des Indes hotel, short Vos in Tuinstraat leads westwards up to Denneweg. This street is a good area for antique and specialty shops. It also has some good pubs and restaurants, although expensive, with upper-class atmosphere to match. Parallel to the Denneweg run Hooigracht and Smidswater, two of the few quaint canals in the city, with which other Dutch towns and cities are so well endowned.
• Paleis Noordeinde, [8]. This royal palace is currently the one Queen Beatrix uses as her office. It is not open to the public, but the grand 17th century façade can be admired from the Noordeinde street. Noordeinde itself has a large number of art galleries. There are gardens on the other side of the palace that are available for a stroll. Access through Prinsessewal.
• Panorama Mesdag, [9]. The Panorama Mesdag is a cylindrical painting from 1881, more than 14 meters high and 120 meters in circumference. The vista of the sea, the dunes and Scheveningen village was painted by one of the most famous painters of the Hague School, Hendrik Willem Mesdag. It is the oldest 19th century panorama in the world in its original site. Zeestraat 65. Mon-Fri 10-17, Sat-Sun 12-17. Entrance E. 4,00.
• De Verdieping van Nederland, [10]. Free exhibition showcasing the history of the country through original copies of its historically most significant documents. It has the original copy of peace treaty of Münster with Spain, marking the end of the 80-year Dutch independence war in 1648, and the original sales act of the Dutch purchase of Manhattan from the Indians. In the buildings of the Nationaal Archief and the Koninklijke Bibliotheek (Royal Library), right next to platform 12 on the north side of Centraal. Open Wed-Sat 9-17, Tue 9-20, Sun and Mon 12-17. Entrance free.
• Oude stadhuis. The orignal old town hall is nice but rather small building from the 15th century; at the time The Hague itself was a small town, mere a settlement around the Court. It was extended in the 18th century. This part has a grand facade facing the 15th century Grote Kerk (Great Church), originally the city's main place of worship, but now in use for events and occasional exhibitions. Dagelijkse Groenmarkt. Not open to the public.
• Stadhuis. Early in the nineties the municipality moved to this enormous white building by American architect Richard Meier, nicknamed by locals as the Ice Palace. Walk in to have a look at the lofty main hall (atrium), which has exhibits on various topic related to the city. The two air bridges through the hall connecting the various offices had to be fenced off to prevent suicides but still make for a nice view of the atrium below. The city hall borders a large, somewhat barren modern square with a bassin-less fountain. It contrast sharply with the Baroque Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), located in a small park in the other side of the road. Spui 70. Entrance free.

[edit] Statenkwartier Area

The Statenkwartier area, located conveniently between the dunes and the city centre, has leafy avenues and 19th century housing that is very popular with The Hague's large ex-patriate community. The area is nice for a walk as the 19th century mansions provide for great architectural diversity: all kinds of neo-styles are represented, but pay special attention to the attention to the examples of Art Nouveau architecture which abound here, as they in the city centre. Good shop, delicatessens and restaurants are to be found on Statenkwartiers main street, Frederik Hendriklaan, or 'Fred'. The area also has number of tourist attractions which make it worth a visit, clustered around the Gemeentemuseum on Stadhouderslaan.

• Haags Gemeentemuseum, [11] The Gemeentemuseum (Municipal Museum) has a good collection of classical modern art (Van Gogh, Kandinsky, Monet, Sisley, Picasso, Degas, Bacon). It boasts an especially large collection of Mondrians, showcasing the entire career of this painter known for his works with red, blue and yellow shapes. The Gemeentemuseum also has a large selection of paintings of the Hague School, a nineteenth century movement of landscape artists, in addition to period rooms and collections of fashion, musical instruments and decorative arts. The rotating exhibitions on 19th and early 20th century art held here are usually quite popular with the general public. The museum is housed in a 1938 yellow brick building by Dutch architect Hendrik Berlage, a pioneer in modern architecture, best-known for his Beurs van Berlage, the exchange building on the Damrak in Amsterdam. Next to the Gemeentemuseum are the GEM, with rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, and the Fotomuseum Den Haag, which has rotating photography exhibitions. Stadhouderslaan 41. Tue-Sun 11-17. Entrance E. 8,00, E. 5,00 concessions. From Centraal take tram 17 to Statenkwartier or bus 24 to Kijkduin; from Hollands Spoor take tram 17.
• Museon, [12]. Interactive popular-science museum, very popular with school groups. Stadhouderslaan 37, next to the Gemeentemuseum. Open Tue-Sun 11-17. Entrance 7,50, discounts for children.
• Omniversum, [13]. Cinema with a round screen, offering a 360 degree viewing experience. Runs Discovery-style documentaries; some are aimed at children. President Kennedylaan 5, behind the Museon. Tickets E. 9,00, 7,50 for children. Combined tickets with the Museon are available at a discount.
• Vredespaleis, [14] The Peace Palace was built in 1913, to house the Pemanent Court of Arbitration, which was hoped to provide with a means to settle international disputes legally. Ironically, World War I broke out just a year later. Today the Peace Palace also houses the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial body of the UN, which settles disputes between countries only. Carnegieplein 2. Open Mon-Fri. Visit by guided tours booked in advance at 070 - 302 41 37. Entrance E. 5,00. From Centraal take bus 24 to Kijkduin; from Hollands Spoor and the centre of town, take bus 24 or tram 1 to Scheveningen Noorderstrand.

[edit] Scheveningen

This sea-side resort was originally an independent fishing village, but soon came to be part of greater city of The Hague. Its inhabitants still maintain a sense of local identity, however. The area is divided into three parts: Haven is the seaport where fishers' boats still come in. It is not particularly picturesque like some French or Spanish fishing harbours, but some good fish shops and restaurants are available. Dorp is the former fishermen's village itself. The last part, Bad (meaning bath, not bad) is the beach resort that most visitors head for. The resort has a history of long royal and well-to-do visitors, but its 19th century grandeur has largely disappeared now due to unfortunate property development in the seventies. The area gets very crowded in summer. For large-scale nightlife, most city dwellers prefer Scheveningen to the centre of town. From Centraal take tram 9 or bus 22; from Hollands Spoor and centre of town take tram 1 or 9. All these are in headed to Scheveningen Noorderstrand, which is in Scheveningen Bad. Tram 11 takes you from Hollands Spoor to Scheveningen Haven.

• Kurhaus, [15]. This former bathouse and concert venue dates from 1886 and it the only remaint of the 19th century beach resort. It is currently in use as a luxury hotel and still serves as the icon and centrepiece of Scheveningen. Gevers Deynootplein 30.
• Pier, [16]. Opposite the Kurhaus lies the Pier, which was rebuilt in the sixties after the 19th century orginal was destroyed in World War 2. It affords nice views of the coast line with the Kurhaus. At the end is a restaurant which is mainly good for its views.
• Museum Beelden aan Zee, [17]. This museum has a largely collection of contemporary sculpture and rotating exhibitions. It has been recently built in the dunes sand underneath a 19th century classicist beach pavillion. It has glass walls and roofs that allows views of the surrounding dunes, pavillion and sea. Harteveltstraat 1, just a few hundred meters due south along the coast from the Kurhaus. Tue-Sun 11-17. Entrance E. 7,00.

[edit] Elsewhere

• Madurodam, [18]. This miniature city contains a selection of Dutch architecture, ranging from Amsterdam's canals and church spires from Utrecht and Den Bosch, to modern architecture from Rotterdam and the enormous Delta works that protect the country from the sea. Madurodam also has an airport, a seaport, beaches, and little cars and trains running through the entire town. This is a great attraction for kids (and those young at heart). George Maduroplein 1. Open daily 9-18, later in summer. Entrance E. 12,50, 9,00 children. Take tram 9 or bus 22 to Scheveningen Noorderstrand (from Centraal) or tram 9 (from Hollands Spoor).
• Paleis Huis ten Bosch, [19] The home palace of Queen Beatrix, Huis ten Bosch, is in the middle of greenery of the Haagse Bos. (The Hague forest). The palace is not open to visitors.

[edit] Do

Parks and green areas for walking or bicycling.

• Park Clingendael. Former estate, best known for its 1910 Japanese garden, open from april till june.
• Westbroekpark, [20]. English-style landscape park from the 1920's. Renowned for its Rosarium or rose garden, witrh 20.000 different varieties of roses blooming from june until november. The park includes a restaurant with lovely views.
• Haagse Bos. Oldest forested area in the country. It extends right to the doorstep of the Centraal Station, where it has a small fenced of area with deers. It also has a nest built, with which the municipality has recently succeeded in attractions a pair of storks. This effort has been made since the stork is in the city's emblem. The Haagse Bos also contains the Queen's palace of Huis ten Bosch.
• Scheveningse Bosjes, Park centered around a small lake, the Waterpartij. Home to the Indiëmonument which commemorates Dutch victims from the war in the pacific.
• Wassenaar. Wealthiest municipality in the country, just north of The Hague. Large foresty areas interspersed with huge estates. Also home to the Duinrell attraction park.
• The North Sea coast. Resort facilities at Scheveningen and at Kijkduin, to the south. The latter is considerably more peaceful.

[edit] Buy

Department stores

• Maison de Bonneterie, [21]. Opulent fashion store in a 1913 glass-domed building. Purveyors to Her Royal Majesty the Queen, etc. Expensive, naturally. Gravenstraat 2.
• De Bijenkorf, [22]. Middle-class to expensive department store, housed in a large building from 1924 built in a unique expressionist style with brick and copper. Have a look at the glass-stained windows in the staircase. The restaurant 'La Ruche' in the third floor has a good view of the surrounding area. Wagenstraat 32, corner Grote Marktstraat.
• V&D, [23]. Middle-class department store, in a concrete building in need of refurbishment. Grote Marktstraat 50.

Shopping streets and areas

• De Passage, [24]. Covered shopping gallery from 1882, unique to the Netherlands. Currenly undergoing restauration. Specialty shops, upmarket fashion shops. Entrances on Spuistraat, Buitenhof and Hofweg.
• Hoogstraat. Fashion, up-market.
• Prinsestraat. Specialty shops, delicatessens and restaurants in the area around this street, located between Grote Kerk and Noordeinde palace.
• Spuistraat. Pedestrianised shoppin streets, mainly chain stores. Other streets in the area are Vlamingstraat, Venestraat and Wagenstraat.
• Grote Marktstraat. Large department stores.
• Denneweg. Antiques, bric-a-brac, specialty foods.
• Noordeinde. Art galleries.

[edit] Eat

Like Indian restaurants abound in the UK, so do the Netherlands have an excellent tradition of Indonesian and colonial Dutch-Indies cuisine. After Indonesia became independent from the Netherlands in 1945, the country received a large number of former colonials from Dutch and mixed descent who had been forced to leave the new independent colony. The Hague received a relatively large number of these refugees and is still a centre of the Dutch-Indonesian community.

Indonesian, city centre:

• Garuda, Kneuterdijk 18a. Ancient place with waiters in traditional costumes, spread out over two floors
• Sarinah, in the Babylon shopping centre next to the railway station. Good take-away with sit in.
• Surakarta, Prinsestraat 13.
• Istana, Wagenstraat 71. Small restaurant with somewhat minimalist decor. Excellent sateh.
• Djawa, Mallemolen 12a. One the best places in town.

Indonesian, out of the centre:

• Bogor, Van Swietenstraat 2 (070) 346 16 28. Know by the in-crowd as traditionally the best place in town. Simple but excellent food, sas been around for over 40 years and has not changed since.
• Tampat Senang, Laan van Meerdervoort 6. Very colonial-style restaurant with waiters in traditional costumes. Beautifully decorated with indigenous art. Excellent garden for outside dining in summer.
• Palembang, Thomsonlaan 17. Cosy place with excellent food. Lots of pictures on the wall local celebrities who visited here.
• Sarinah, Goudenregenplein 4, 070-3601585. A local institution, this place gets especially busy in the weekends when service can be a bit slow. Has both a restaurant area and a take-away service.
• Keraton Damai, Groot Hertoginnelaan 57, 070-3639371. Small 'living-room-restaurant' with a very personal and attentive service. Small but excellent choice of dishes.

Other:

• Chinatown. Recently the town has officially hailed the area around Gedempte gracht and Wagenstraat as its local Chinatown, and added street signs in Chinese and all that. The area is not particularly spectacular, but good Chinese food is to be found around here. Fat Kee has a superb chicken and broccoli dish. Another excellent place is the Harvest, which is in the heart of Chinatown; try the various dim sum dishes there.

• Dudok. Hofweg 1a. Dudok lies right opposite the Binnenhof and is quite popular with both politicians and the "ordinary" public out shopping.

• Sakura. In Scheveningen. A friendly sushi bar that can accommodate a big crowd.

• Irodion (Greek) In the city centre, next to the Media Market. Actually this is made up of two restaurants; the first one is fast food take out, where you can get the ubiquitous giros and tzatziki, with a generous portion of french fries. The second part is actually more fancier eat-in restaurant. Highly recommended.

• There are also other small mom and pop restaurants around Den Haag, such as take out Suriname, Chinese, or Thai. They are small and normally a tourist wouldn't know much about them. But if you wander around the city and the more residential areas, such as the Zeeheldenkwartier, you'll find them easily. On the main street in the Zeeheldenkwartier (Elandstraat), past the McDonald's and the Albert Heijn, you'll find a small Suriname restaurant there. It is mostly for take-away dishes, but there are a few tables and chairs inside if you want to eat there. The people are friendly and the food is good and cheap. Try the roti and curry dishes, as well as the simple Suriname "broodjes". Heel lekker! Eet smaaklik!

[edit] Drink

• Asta, [25]. Club located in a former theatre and cinema building. The atmosphere of the old cinema is retained in the interior, including one room which still has the original cinema seat available for lounging. Student's nights in thursday, club nights on friday and saturday. Queues can get massive on thursday's and on other days when well-known acts are contracted. Spui 27. Open Thu and Fri 11-4, Sat 11-5.30.
• Paard van Troje, also a venue for concerts and such [26]. Prinsegracht 12.
• De zwarte ruiter [27]. A busy bar at the "Grote Markt" sqare near Paard van Troje.
• September, next to De zwarte ruiter.
• Club Sillies, a bar cum night club catering for the partyfolk, next to September and De zwarte ruiter.
• De boterwaag opposite September, housed in a former weighing building it's a spacious and atmospheric venue.

During summer, the "Grote markt" becomes a big open air terrace, great for people watching!

[edit] Events

• KoninginneNach, [28]. Evening of the 29th of April. While Amsterdam is generally known for having country's largest celebration of Dutch Queen's Day on the 30th of April, in recent years The Hague has held the largest anticipatory party the night before. KoninginneNach (Queens' Night in The Hague dialect) has bands and DJ's giving shows in 5 different locations in the city centre.
• Scheveningen International Sand Sculpture Festival, [29]. May.
• Parkpop, [30]. Last Sunday of June. Huge, free, one-day pop music festival held in Zuiderpark. Attracts nearly 400.000 visitors each year, nearly as many people as actually live in the city, making the festival the largest of its kind in the world.
• North Sea Regatta, [31]. End of May / Beginning of june. International sailing contest, held of the coast of Scheveningen.
• Pasar Malam Besar, [32]. End of May/beginning of June. This 'big evening market', as its Indonesian name literally translates, claims to be the largest Eurasian festival in the world. Since its first edition in 1958 it has been the quintessential event and meeting place for the country's sizable Dutch-East-Indian community. The festival also attracts lots of outsiders though, who come to sample Indonesian cuisine in the huge food halls, listen to music, buy foodstuffs, Indonesian clothes and parafernalia and inform themselves about Indonesian culture. The festival is held in large tents on the Malieveld, opposite Centraal. It is not to be confused with lots of other Pasar Malam events, held all over the country throughout the year, which are similar, but much, much smaller.
• Den Haag Sculptuur, [33]. June, July and August. Free sculpture exposition on Lange Voorhout with different themes each year.
• North Sea Jazz Festival, [34]. Second weekend of July. After having been held in The Hague for thirty years, this world famous jazz festival has now (2006) moved to Rotterdam because of accomodation problems in The Hague.
• Prinsjesdag. Third tuesday in September. Prinsjesdag or 'Princes Day' marks the beginning of the new parliamentary year. On this day, large crowds are drawn by the traditional journey which Queen Beatrix makes from her palace at Noordeinde to the Knight's Hall at the Binnenhof. She makes her trip in the Gouden Koets (Golden Carriage), a gift from the people of Amsterdam to her grandmother Wilhelmina from 1903. The carriage is only used for this special occasion. In the Knight's Hall, the Queen then performs her duty as the formal head of state by reading out the Troonrede (Throne Speech) to the gathered chambers of the parliament. The throne speech contains a summary of the policies the cabinet is planning to implement over the next year.
• Crossing Border Festival, [35]. November.

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Budget

• Stayokay Den Haag, [36]. Fairly standard hostel: 2 to 8 bed dorms with each room having its own toilet and shower facilities. Located just behind the Rijswijkseplein traffic junction, close to Hollands Spoor. HI members get the usual discounts and you can get a one-year membership card if you plan on staying at various other HI hostels. Scheepmakersstraat 27, tel +31 70 315 78 88, denhaag@stayokay.com. From Centraal take tram 17 to Wateringse Veld, exit at Rijswijkseplein. From Hollands Spoor walk or take tram 17 to Statenkwartier, exit at the first stop which is Rijswijkseplein.

[edit] Middle-class

• Ibis Den Haag Centre, Jan Hendrikstraat 10. Excellent location 100m from Grote Kerk.
• Novotel Den Haag Centrum, Hofweg 5-7. Located in the Passage.

[edit] Splurge

• Hotel des Indes, Lange Voorhout 54-56. While it is a property in the Le Méridien hotel chain, there is nothing remotely "corporate hotel" about it. A former residence of a seventeenth century aristocrat, this über luxury hotel, probably the most famous in the Netherlands, opened its doors in 1881. Conveniently located just down the street from the American Embassy, it has hosted many celebrities, artists, kings and heads of state. The fabulous and legendary bar/lounge is not to be missed. Notable prior guests include: Bing Crosby, President Roosevelt, Anna Pavlova, Winston Churchill, Czar Nicolas, Emperor Haile Selassie, Charles Lindbergh, Dwight Eisenhower, General Montgomery, Jaques Chirac, Tony Blair, Mata Hari, the Spice Girls, and Priscilla Presley.

• Kurhaus, [37]. This former bath house and concert venue dates from 1886 and it the only remaining of the 19th century beach resort. It is currently in use as a luxury hotel as well as casino and still serves as the icon and centrepiece of Scheveningen. Gevers Deynootplein 30.

[edit] Get out

• Delft. Arguably the country's most picturesque canal-lined town. Home of the famous Delftware, and hometown of Johannes Vermeer. Trains from Centraal or Hollands Spoor every 15 mins, trip takes 12 or 8 mins respectively.
• Leiden. The country's oldest university town, and its second largest 17th century town centre after Amsterdam. Home to many interesting museums. Trains from Centraal or Hollands Spoor every 15 minutes, trip takes 13 or 10 mins respectively.