The Hague, or Den Haag in Dutch, is best known for the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
But, look a little closer and you will find a surprisingly quirky city with some unexpected food and drink options. Here are four things not to miss:
Indonesian cuisine
They say that The Hague is one of the best places to find Indonesian cuisine outside of Indonesia – a legacy of colonialism. While one of the oldest restaurants, Garoeda, has closed after over 60 years, there are plenty of other options. TripAdvisor has a list of the most highly rated Indonesian restaurants* in The Hague.
Vintage genever
If you’re a gin lover, you might be interested in trying some genever. It’s often seen as the forefather to gin and is still produced in the Netherlands today. Head to Van Kleef to find the oldest working genever distillery in The Hague where you can learn about genever in its museum and taste some interesting liqueurs and spirits with local food.
Bike and coffee
The Hague is a seriously bike friendly city and cycling is one of the best ways to get around. Lola Bikes & Coffee is possibly the friendliest bike place on the coffee circuit – it sells coffee and bikes. Its coffees were voted the best in the Netherlands by Esquire. And just down the road is where you will find Totzo, where you can rent your own bike or go on a coffee and bike tour.
Breakfast by the sea
A short tram journey, or indeed bike ride, takes you to Scheveningen – the city’s seaside. It’s not the most picturesque of beaches but breakfast served at its beach clubs is divine. The one I went to has already closed but this website has a whole list you can choose from.
Travel and stay
The closest airport to The Hague is in Rotterdam – check cheapest flights on Skyscanner* here – or you can travel by train. Try the Trainline* for rail tickets.
