Explore the eclectic cultural hotspots of The Hague from the Bierkade, where locals sip sumptuous pints by the canal, to the grand Grote Markt and Hofkwartier. The scholarly can soak up the atmosphere of Spinozakwartier, whilst the historically minded will revel in a ride to the Old City Hall and Grote Kerk.

While the official capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam, the country’s administrative center and seat of government lies in the noble city of The Hague, nestled on the west coast facing the North Sea. The de facto capital of Holland holds within its boundaries the International Court of Justice (the United Nations’ key judicial center) as well as the International Criminal Court, and is the third-largest city in the country after Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Although little is certain about the origins of this influential city, The Hague (Den Haag) is thought to have been founded by the last counts of the House of Holland, with the name roughly translating as ‘Count’s Wood/Hedge’. The famous Binnenhof (‘Inner Court’) was built when the King of the Romans in 1248 returned to The Hague and created his royal palace, to which the Binnenhof belonged.

A bicycle tour in The Hague is an exceptional way to capture the essence of this influential city in just a few hours, cycling to all the key sightseeing spots with numerous opportunities to dig deeper into this city’s diverse history. End your guided day tour with a cycle around the harbor and seafront of Scheveningen, or weave your bike through Haagse Bose, one of the oldest forests in Holland. Alternatively, glide through The Hague’s ever-changing gallery of murals, graffiti, posters and stencils on a street art bike tour that perfectly frames this fascinating city.