Boat trips The Hague

Built in 1649-1656, so it is not so new anymore. Now it serves as a concert hall. In the garden is the grave monument of Baruch Spinoza, who was buried in the church with six others in the same vault. In the 18th century, the vault was opened, and the remains within were scattered across the churchyard, leading to his monument being placed outside the church. The brothers Johan and Cornelis De Witt were also buried in one of the vaults within the church after they were lynched by a militia in the Rampjaar of 1672.

In the early 1990s, 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, which has exhibits on various topics 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 fountain. It contrasts sharply with the Baroque Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), located in a small park in the other side of the road.

The tallest apartment tower in The Hague, nicknamed "the flatiron" in Dutch for its elongated triangular shape, has a viewing platform, café, bar and restaurant at the top. A drink is included in the ticket for the elevator that takes you to the top two floors, alternatively you can opt for a lunch, dinner or Highest Tea at the restaurant. The views are indeed impressive, especially at good weather and at sunset, as The Hague does not have many tall buildings to obscure them.

This square — Plein simply translates as 'square' in English — is one of the most elegant in the centre. Located right next to the Binnenhof, it 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 sidewalk cafés are quite popular with politicians from the neighbouring Binnenhof, and even Prime Minister Mark Rutte can be spotted here with a pint regularly. The square is also the scene for demonstrations against government policies. The statue in the middle is that of William of Orange, heralded as the founding father of the Dutch nation.

The Binnenhof (Inner Court) is a castle built in the 13th century as residence of the count of Holland. Ever since, it has almost subsequently been the seat of the government of Holland, and later all of the Netherlands. It used to be surrounded by moats on all sides. Since then it has been modified countless times to accommodate the expanding Dutch government. The moats have been filled, but the castle still borders on a pond (the Hofvijver, Court Pond). In its waters the old buildings continue to mirror themselves. Today, the Binnenhof houses the two chambers of the Dutch parliament and the Prime Minister's office in a small octagonal 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 gathered here on occasion because of public demonstrations, TV airings or receptions for foreign officials. In the centre stands the Ridderzaal (Knight's Hall), the centrepiece of the castle, today used for ceremonial purposes. Unfortunately, the other splendid rooms of the complex are closed to the general public. It is possible, however, to attend the meetings of the parliament. The House of Representatives of the parliament meets every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, in a modern chamber from 1992. The Senate meets on a weekly basis, on Tuesdays, and does so in a splendid 17th century Dutch-styled chamber with a lavishly painted ceiling. Because the Binnenhof is closed for several years (reopening is expected in 2028) there is a temporary view tower at the Buitenhof square, from where you can view some of the progress of the restauration.

Housed in a 17th-century palace overlooking the water of the Hofvijver pond, the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis contains the former collection of last Dutch stadtholder, William the V. While the museum is quite small (a complete tour takes a little over an hour) it contains some of the most famous work from the old Dutch Masters, including Johannes Vermeer (Girl with a Pearl Earring and View of Delft), Rembrandt van Rijn (The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp), Andy Warhol ("Queen Beatrix"), Rembrandt self-portraits at ages 20 and 63, and others. It is well worth a visit, especially as it has just been renovated.