The Hague

The Dutch constitution may identify Amsterdam as the official "capital," but The Hague has been the Netherlands' seat of government since 1588. It's home both to the country's parliament and to the International Court of Justice. It's bigger and less cozy than Delft, Leiden, or Haarlem, and smaller and less architecturally thrilling than Rotterdam. But it's worth a few engaging hours of sightseeing (and it's a particularly easy half-day side trip from Delft — so close it's practically a neighborhood of this city).