The Hague:
The Hague, officially The Hague, is the capital of the province of South Holland and the third largest municipality in the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and has a coastline of eleven kilometers.
The city of The Hague arose in the Middle Ages around the Hofvijver and the Binnenhof, today the center of Dutch politics. The Dutch government and parliament are located in the city, and it is the residence of the royal family. Most embassies, all ministries and the Supreme Court are also located in The Hague. In addition, the city is home to various national and international courts, including the International Court of Justice in the Peace Palace and the International Criminal Court.
Due to its location on the North Sea, The Hague has been an international tourist destination since the 19th century. The city has two seaside resorts: Scheveningen and Kijkduin. In addition, there is a wide sandy beach with a row of dunes: an extensive nature reserve. Scheveningen – formerly a fishing village – has a regional port. The city spawned an influential art movement in the 19th century, the Hague School, and is home to two internationally renowned art museums, the Mauritshuis and the Kunstmuseum Den Haag (for modern art).
Rotterdam:
Rotterdam is a port city in the west of the Netherlands, in the province of South Holland and it is the second largest city in the Netherlands in terms of population, after Amsterdam.
Rotterdam owes its name to a dam in the river Rotte. The city is located on the Nieuwe Maas, one of the rivers in the delta formed by the Rhine and the Meuse. For a long time, the port of Rotterdam was the largest in the world and is still the largest and most important in Europe. The port area extends over a length of 40 kilometers and is an important logistics and economic center. Partly because of the port industry, Rotterdam has the image of a working-class city and the city has a very diverse population.
Madurodam:
Madurodam is a Dutch miniature city in The Hague opened on July 2, 1952 at George Maduro Square. This tourist theme park attracts approximately 600,000 paying visitors every year. Madurodam is called a city, but it includes many miniature images of rural elements of the Netherlands. There are buildings from historic inner cities, modern residential areas, harbor areas, an airport, canals, roads, farmlands, nature reserves and more. It is a miniature city ‘with a smile’: many, sometimes comical, situations from everyday street life are depicted. Furthermore, there are many moving means of transport such as: cars, tour boats, planes, trains and trams.
Delft:
Delft is the city of the characteristic Delft Blue. The pottery has been world famous since its origin in the 17th century. Moreover, Delft is still the place where you can see and experience how Delft Blue is produced in an authentic way.
The Master of Light Johannes Vermeer was born in Delft. His work is spread all over the world, but you can only admire his entire oeuvre in Delft. Finally, the city is known for its close relationship with the Oranjehuis.
Important buildings in Delft are, for example, Het Stadshuis, Het Vriendenhuis and the Koornbeurs. Museums include The Technology Museum and of course the Army Museum. There are also De NieuweKerk and the Oude Kerk and the reptile ZOO SERPO.
