Sauntering down leafy avenues past typical Dutch step-­gabled buildings , carpets of crocuses , the occasional cyclist whooshing quietly by and the sun bouncing off the canal , I can think of few more pleasant places to spend a spring weekend than The Hague . This is also prime territory for a gallery­ lover like me : the beautiful , elegant and not-­too-­big Mauritshuis was restored last year . This is also the home of Girl With A Pearl Earring , the 'Dutch Mona Lisa ' . But I am not only here for the Vermeer , Rembrandt and Hals . Much more than a village : The Parliament Building stands proud in The Hague - a hidden gem of a city . There is the Escher gallery ( devoted to that geometry-­defying genius ) , the contemporary art Gemeentemuseum and more . Meanwhile , I am being charmed by an unsuspected delight : this medieval city by the sea . 'City ? This is Europe 's biggest village , ' says my guide , Remco Dörr . He is right : The Hague , despite being home to Holland 's royal family and an eye-­catching parliament , was classed as a village until Louis Bonaparte ( Napoleon 's brother and king of Holland ) set up here in 1806 . It has a genteel moat/canal , which encircles the historic centre . We step across and in front of an approaching car , which slows down deferentially . Remco tells me that many traffic lights have been taken out for aesthetic reasons . 'Now , the cars are very careful , ' he says . The Hague is home to one of the cornerstones of European art - Vermeer 's Girl With A Pearl Earring . You have to love that kind of Dutch logic - though it does n't seem to apply to cyclists , who rule the place . Next time , I will rent a bicycle , although the trams and buses are easy and cheap ( an all-day pass costs €7.70/£5.60 ) . Over the moat , we are in Noordeinde street . Remco ushers me into what used to be part of a palace , and still has huge chandeliers and ornate mirrors . This cobbled part of town is home to private galleries and unassuming cafes ( I snacked in the Juni Lekkernijen ) , as well as altogether more assuming ones . HanTing is the latest Michelin star in town and the best place for Indonesian cuisine . The most prized Dutch colony was apparently run from The Hague ( aka 'the Widow of Indonesia ' ) . For summer : the excellent Grapes & Olives and the Café de Bieb on Veenkade will have boats on a newly renovated bit of canal , with music and boat trips planned , including a tour at the Kompaan brewery ( I can vouch for the product ) . My art gorging finishes at the Panorama , an extraordinary , 14 ft-­high circular panorama of The Hague 's seaside resort , Scheveningen , painted by Hendrik Mesdag . I take a 15-minute tram to the place itself and gorge on scallops and sole at Catch by Simonis on the harbour front . The Hague has netted a new fan . British Airways ( 0844 493 0787 , www.ba.com ) flies to Rotterdam Den Haag ( half-hour taxi ) from £100 return . For tours with Remco Dörr , email remco.dorr @ ­hotmail.com . Double rooms at the Carlton Ambassador ( 00 31 70 363 0363 , www.carlton.nl/­ambassador ) cost from £84 , room only . More information on travel in The Netherlands at www.holland.com .
The least known of the Dutch cities , The Hague was a village until 1806 . It owes its growth to Louis Bonaparte , Napoleon 's brother , who ruled here . The city has a wealth of art , including Vermeer 's 'Girl With A Pearl Earring '