2025 Leiden Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in August)

🚀Tips before you go: Leiden, a city in the western Netherlands, is not only home to the oldest university in the Netherlands, but also many beautiful and unknown corners. Pack your bags, take this guide, and explore this city full of historical charm and modern atmosphere together! 🎒🚀 🏫Academic Hall: Leiden University As the oldest university in the Netherlands, Leiden University is undoubtedly the academic symbol of this city. Walking on the campus, you can feel the strong academic atmosphere, as if you can hear the whispers of great thinkers in history. 📚🏫 🌳Ancient Botanical Garden: Leiden Botanical Garden Entering the Leiden Botanical Garden is like stepping into a green fairy tale world. This is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, preserving the most primitive tulip varieties. Enjoy a picnic in the Japanese-style pavilion! 🌸🌳 🌬Windmill Wonder: De Valk Windmill Museum This windmill is not only a landmark of Leiden, but also a museum that shows the mystery of windmill wind technology. Climb to the top floor, you can enjoy the beautiful view of Leiden and feel the unique charm of this city. 🌬🏞 🏛Cultural Treasures: National Museum of Antiquities and Textile Guild The National Museum of Antiquities collects many cultural relics from ancient Greece and Rome, allowing you to better understand the history and culture of Leiden. The Textile Guild displays the works of European art masters, allowing you to swim in the ocean of art. 🏛🖼 🍽Food Exploration: Authentic Dutch Flavor How can you not taste authentic Dutch food when you come to Leiden? Little Urine Boy Fries, FEBO's fried food, The Pantry's Dutch food, as well as raw herring sandwiches and cream ice cream, every bite is the ultimate temptation to the taste buds! 🍟🍔🍦 🛍Shopping Paradise: Leiden City Center The shops in the center of Leiden are full of everything, from fashionable clothes to exquisite handicrafts. Here, you can enjoy shopping and take away a memory of Leiden. 🛍🎁 🌃Leiden at Night: Quiet and Vibrant Leiden at night, there are both quiet canal views and vibrant nightlife. In the bars and restaurants in the city center, you can enjoy a good night time with the locals. 🌃🎉

#winhkflight #Museum #Rembrandt #leiden #netherlands A place that is dedicated to the famous master painter Rembrandt van Rijn, The Young Rembrandt Studio. The studio is very special, it shows Rembrandt’s development as an artist during his artworks through a multimedia presentation. Even though the studio is small but is informative. Worth for a visit if you are in Leiden, Netherlands. You can explore around Leiden while finding the Young Rembrandt Studio. Operating Hours: 12pm - 5pm (closed on Monday) Address: Langebrug 89, 2311 TJ Leiden, Netherlands Reasons to Recommend: History of Rembrandt I want to travel to Hong Kong to explore more history.

#Halloween2023 External Landscape Reading history textbooks every day📕 Because you will see the historical castle right in front of you🏰 Found a place with a lot of stories There is a cafe on the outer floor ☕️Everyone sits here and chats💬 Stairs 🪜Climb up and you can see the whole city view🏙️ 🇳🇱Burcht van Leiden is an old castle in Leiden, the Netherlands Located on a small hill in the city center The castle was built in the 11th century It was a defensive fortification at that time. Used to protect cities from invasion 🔰 🌳Burcht van Leiden is now a park and tourist attraction Visitors can climb the castle to overlook the beautiful scenery of Leiden city. The ancient city walls, castle towers and tree-lined courtyards Let tourists feel the history and culture of ancient Holland You can take a relaxing walk here 🚶‍♀️🚶 Get panoramic views of the city and learn about Leiden's rich past Burcht van Leiden 📍 Van der Sterrepad 5, 2312 EK Leiden, Netherlands #trip #netherlands #leiden #hollandtravel #dutchtourism #europetravel #europetourism #historicalsites

#Halloween2023 🇳🇱One of the characteristics of Leiden city center is the beautiful landscape surrounding a series of canals and rivers. These canals surround the city center 🛶🚤 Create charming water scenery This makes Leiden a romantic city. ☕️🫖There are many cafes, restaurants and shops along these canals Living here, I often stroll here and enjoy the river view🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏿🏃🏻‍♂️ Enjoy delicious food and drinks at the same time🥳

#Halloween2023 Love to find and discover cool things 🚰🧽🧼Einstein sink As the name suggests, Einstein used it Some Nobel Prize winners also used this sink So it is famous And I used it too So maybe I will win a #Nobel Prize in the future! Congratulations to myself for gaining wisdom first 😁🤓😎✌🏿🤟🏿🤙🏿 It was a sink used by the famous physicist Einstein when he visited Leiden University in 1920. It was used to prove the light bending phenomenon in Einstein's theory of relativity This experiment was a key verification of the theory of relativity at the time It won Einstein the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 The sink is now preserved in the Institute of Physics at Leiden University It shows visitors the history of this major scientific achievement #Einsteinsink #Einstein #Leiden #LeidenUniversity #netherlands #EuropeanTravel #DutchTourism #trip #DutchTravel

Discover beautiful things and scenery I checked online and found out that he is a painter. It looks like a monument. Leiden, the Netherlands is such a beautiful city Wherever you go There is always a shadow of art🎨 📍Rembrandtple in Leiden Netherlands. 🇳🇱❤️🤍💙 Rembrandt, a famous Dutch painter (#Rembrandt) #jmebbtrueadventure #Netherlands #leidencity #rembrandtplein #hollandtourism #dutchtravel #leiden

Leiden, the Netherlands 🚶🏻‍♀️🚶🏿🚶🏻‍♂️See the flowers and scenery I walk around the city every day and take photos while walking. Usually you check the weather in the Netherlands from your phone 📱 If it is cloudy☁️ or raining☔️ in the morning It's amazing that it will be sunny in the afternoon ☀️ I think it's because the wind is strong here🌬️💨 So the clouds are also floating very fast☁️🌧️ So fortunately, the weather often clears up in the afternoon⛅️🌤️ 🏞️Because of this, every photo looks as beautiful as a painting #leidencity #Leiden #weekendtrip #trip #Hollandtravel #Dutchtourism #netherlands

🇳🇱Leiden Central Station in the Netherlands It is an important transportation hub located in the city center. This modern station is part of the Dutch railway network Provides travel to various parts of the Netherlands And convenient transportation options to other European cities I transfer here every day🚉 Travel to different cities to take photos📷 🦜When I was waiting for the bus, the seagulls were so cute that I laughed all the time😂😂 I love this place so much, even the animals are in it♥️ #HollandTourism #trip #DutchTravel #netherlands

This is the main market square in Leiden ☕️There are many cafes and restaurants around 🍴It is a good place to taste local food and observe city life I like to come here every day to walk and see the scenery You can see many ancient buildings The beauty of this city is that there are waterways everywhere. There are many bicycles parked on the roadside. ☀️Take photos when the weather is good Each one is as beautiful as a postcard #Leidencity #trip #like #netherlands #Dutchtravel #Dutchtourism #Leiden

Netherlands 🇳🇱 Indoor 🌵Hortus botanicus Leiden Botanical Garden Want an intimate encounter with natural life I strongly recommend visiting the Leiden Botanical Garden in the Netherlands. This place is called the "Plant Kingdom" Not only does it have a rich variety of plant species It's still a great place to explore. It's warm and hot inside So 🈶️Rainforest plants, 🈶️Succulent plants🍀, Also 🈶️Cute cactus🌵 🈶️Interesting pitcher plants and lotus ponds are in full bloom🪷 Enjoy the cool plants Hortus botanicus Leiden Botanical Garden 🌵Rapenburg 73, 2311 GJ Leiden, Netherlands #netherlands #leidencity #dutchtourism #dutchtravel #botanicalgarden

Visit downtown Leiden and explore its spectacular library 📚 Or visit the National Museum 🎨Learn about the art and cultural heritage of the Netherlands Leiden is also famous for its beautiful canal system. You can also rent a boat. 🛶Roam along the canal Admire ancient bridges and picturesque views I'm hungry The menu is all in Dutch 🇳🇱 So I chose a McDonald's Ordered a burger and a coke to fill my stomach. #Sign up for a cruise test seat #netherlands #leidencity #trip #relax #travelphotography #hollandtravel #netherlandsgoodplaces

🇳🇱The city of Leiden in the Netherlands is a fascinating place full of history and culture The city is situated along a picturesque canal Home to spectacular ancient buildings, museums and universities Leiden is home to the first university in the Netherlands Therefore, it is known as the birthplace of academic Leiden University University of Leiden There are many attractions near Leiden University City Ancient architectural cultural heritage Magnificent church building⛪️ Let people come here Fall in love with the Netherlands 🇳🇱Leiden💜 #Sign up for hotel test sleeper #Netherlands #DestinationNetherlands #Leiden #trip #leidencity #netherlands

🇳🇱The city of Leiden in the Netherlands is full of vitality ☕️There are various cafes, restaurants and shops Enjoy local food and shopping 🛍️ Leiden is a charming city that combines history, culture and beautiful scenery Definitely worth a visit 💯 Take advantage of the good weather to go out for a walk Everyone is sitting in the cafe leisurely drinking afternoon tea🫖 #trip #like #Leidencity #netherlands #Dutchtravel #Dutchtourism #Netherlandsgoodplaces #Leiden

Leiden, Netherlands 🇳🇱 One sure thing about this city is that EVERYTHING is within walking distance!☺️ Leiden has full of unique sites and landmarks: courtyard, windmills and churches, city gates and more. The buildings around the canal belt are closely packed together, so a walking tour is definitely recommended and worth your time.😉 Fun facts:⬇️ •Leiden is second only to Amsterdam in having the most water flowing within its city gates. •Leiden is the city of Museums. •Famous for having the oldest University in Netherlands (Leiden University). •In 2022, Leiden is the European capital of science for a year. I personally loved this city more than Amsterdam, it’s cleaner, nicer, more peaceful and less crowded. You can walk around the center and see many little charming alleys, authentic shops, cafes, and restaurants. ♥️ If you’re visiting Netherlands, make sure to go and check out Leiden, it’s definitely worth the visit. 💯 #timetotravel

#wecreate Let's remember my last visit to Vienna! The Museum of Ethnology in Vienna is a captivating place to explore. During my visit in summer 2019, I was fascinated by the exceptional collection of art and artifacts on display. The highlight for me was the majestic Penacho of Moctezuma, a remarkable feathered headdress from ancient Mexico. Its vibrant colors and intricate design were awe-inspiring. Many people from Mexico has asked it in return, but I guess in part is good for others to being able to see it in Europe and learn about my country. #Vienna #viennacoffee #museum #eurotrip #europe #mexico The museum's decoration and illumination added to the overall ambiance, creating a welcoming and engaging atmosphere. The exhibits were thoughtfully curated and provided valuable insights into the history of language and communication. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, offering interesting tidbits of information. If you have a passion for culture and history, the Museum of Etymology is definitely worth a visit.

#newyearadventure #vianasjourney This place is a national museum of natural history and research centre on biodiversity. Plenty of exotic animals from all around the world. Place was quite big with few levels, and during winter time, you can store your coat inside the storage room and there’s a locker for your belongings as well. The most interesting part for me was to view the massive dinasour skeleton and to view (from a pair of binoculars that you have to look inside) the landscape of Nederland with mammoth lived in it many years ago. While my partner really enjoy the unique exhibition (animal’s private part) on the highest level where you can also play games like guiding a sperm to the egg. You have to experience it yourself.

Recently, I took a train to nearby Leiden, and unlike summer, it felt like winter. It had a cute atmosphere as it was a small city, and it felt like a city with a lot of students. There were cute decorations everywhere on the streets in preparation for the upcoming Christmas. I went there at sunset, and I was able to see a beautiful sunset near the canal! #Netherlands travel #suburban travel #Netherlands Leiden #Europe travel #leiden #Europe train travel #europe #safe travel

A small city that can be reached in 40 minutes by train from Amsterdam, Leiden 🙋🏻‍♀️ As the Dutch people ranked it as the most livable city, it has a peaceful atmosphere itself! The weather was good, so many people were having picnics, and if you climb up the Leiden Fortress, you can see the whole view of Leiden. How about getting away from the complex capital and taking a train trip to the suburbs? ☺️ #traintrip #Netherlandstrip #Leidentrip #Europetrip #withnature

#springitinerary Spring in Leiden is a magical time, with vibrant flowers decorating the charming streets and canals. Tulips, daffodils, and blossoms bring bursts of color to the historic city, creating postcard-perfect scenery. The fresh air and cheerful atmosphere make wandering through Leiden’s parks and gardens a delightful experience. Biking past flower fields or enjoying an outdoor café adds to the charm of the season. Whether strolling by the canals or soaking in the festive vibes, Leiden in spring is simply enchanting.

Just a 25 minutes by train from Amsterdam, you will arrive to this hidden gem. Wander through Leiden, the picturesque birthplace of Rembrandt and home to the Netherlands’ oldest university! Stroll along serene canals, admire historic windmills and explore world-class museums like the Museum De Lakenhal. Don’t miss the stunning Hortus Botanicus, one of Europe’s oldest botanical gardens! Lose yourself in the Pieterskwartier, Leiden’s oldest district with hidden courtyards. Cruise the canals or picnic by the Rapenburg, the city’s most elegant waterway. Hunt for bookshops and quirky boutiques along the Nieuwe Rijn. Why Leiden? Less crowds than Amsterdam, but just as magical! #leiden #netherlands #amsterdam

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#earthdayjourney Nestled in the heart of Leiden, Museum De Lakenhal is a stunning blend of Dutch Golden Age art and the city’s rich textile history. Housed in a 17th-century cloth hall, the museum features works by masters like Rembrandt and Jan Steen, while also celebrating contemporary artists who carry forward the spirit of innovation. Walking through its galleries is like tracing the fabric of Leiden’s cultural identity—woven with creativity, craftsmanship, and deep local pride. But what makes this museum especially meaningful for sustainability-minded travellers is its modern ethos. Exhibits like Claudy Jongstra’s naturally dyed wool installations and eco-conscious digital art, such as Letters from Nature, reflect the museum’s commitment to sustainable storytelling. De Lakenhal isn’t just preserving the past—it’s inspiring a greener, more thoughtful future through art. #travel #vacation #netherlands #sustainabilitytravel #leiden

#hollandtrip One of my highly recommended hidden spots in Netherlands is Leiden, a small town in South Holland yet closeby to Amsterdam. If you more than 2 days you can take a half day trip here! Leiden has beautiful canals where you can see how the locals live, with their cars parked along the canals and some even has their own boats! 😆 Take a stroll along the canal or towards the town centre where you can see colourful houses and boats. How to get to Leiden -Taje a direct train from Amsterdam which is only about 25mins -Costs around $15 for intercity train which is much faster, otherwise there are also cheaper options like FlixBus which will take around 1h Have a great time in Leiden 😎

Very cute miffy

#europetravel #leiden #netherlands Leiden is a historic city in the Netherlands, famous for its university founded in 1575 and rich cultural heritage. The city is famous for its picturesque canals and old architecture. One of the interesting features of Leiden are the poems written on the walls of houses, which add to the uniqueness and atmosphere of the city. These texts reflect local traditions and cultural values, creating a special mood for passers-by. Leiden was also an important center of science and art during the Dutch Golden Age, and was home to prominent figures such as Christiaan Huygens and Rembrandt. The city continues to attract tourists with its combination of history, culture and picturesque streets.

#favouriteitinerary The Leiden City Hall (Stadhuis van Leiden) is located in the heart of Leiden. The Leiden City Hall is an iconic landmark of the city that combines historical charm with architectural grandeur. You will get to see the Dutch Renaissance architecture but there are parts that rebuilt after the fire, incorporate Art Deco and Neo-Renaissance elements, blending history with modernity. You should not miss the Leiden City Hall while city walk around Leiden. Address: Burgsteeg 2, 2312 JS Leiden, Netherlands

#favouriteitinerary Channeling the spirit of a young Rembrandt at the iconic Pieterskerk in Leiden! ✨ The same city that inspired the early works of the legendary artist. With its stunning architecture and rich history, Pieterskerk is the perfect backdrop for a creative moment. As Rembrandt once roamed these streets, exploring the beauty of light and shadow, there is a place to capture a little of that magic by standing near the window and you will reflect in the canvas like an artpiece. 📸 What would young Rembrandt have seen through his eyes? 🌟 #YoungRembrandt #Pieterskerk #Leiden #ArtHistory #RembrandtVibes