Things to do in Leiden
The city of Leiden has a rich variety of sightseeing opportunities. There are several interesting museums about the history of Leiden.
Leiden has more than 122,000 inhabitants. The city is full of culture and history. One of the common features of Leiden is immediately noticeable: the canals. The historic city centre of Leiden has a total of 28 kilometres of canals.
In Leiden you can take a walk through 800 years of visible history. The city of discoveries is home to the oldest university in the Netherlands. The city is also known for its rich history and old town, with its canals, city gates, bridges, windmills, a castle, an observatory, the botanical gardens of Hortus, weavers' houses, the courtyards, two large late Gothic churches and various historical buildings.
We would like to give you some recommendations:
Museums
Leiden is a spectacular, historic city with many interesting and famous museums. Three of the Netherlands national museums are located in Leiden. These national museums include the National Museum of Antiquities, the National Museum of Ethnology and the Dutch National Museum of the History of Science and Medicine. Other museums in Leiden include the 'Naturalis', one of the largest natural history museums in the world, and the municipal museum of 'De Lakenhal'.
Botanical Gardens
One of the Europe's first botanic gardens, now part of the University of Leiden. It is small and beautifully kept. There is also a Japanese garden named after the scientist Von Siebolt who carried out botanical research in Japan during the 19th century.
There is also a systematic garden named after the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus. The garden is the most beautiful in the spring with huge, very, very old wistarias blooming. The cafe serves a great hot apple drink and has many delicious baked goods.
Shopping
Leiden has beautiful walkways and great variety of shops side by side to browse through, including retail stores, restaurants, cafes, ice cream shops, souvenir shops, and more. Stores are open throughout the day and the specialty shops in small lanes and alleyways in the historic center create a fun and unique shopping experience. Good, friendly service, attention to quality, and many special offers!
Local Market
The Leiden market offers a different kind of shopping: here you will find exotic spices, clothing, vegetables, fruit, fish and flowers. Every Wednesday and Saturday
Pieterskerk (church)
The newly restored Pieterskerk in Leiden is an amazing building with a fascinating history. It is one of the oldest and largest monuments in the town. It serves now as a museum and monument, hosting a number of art treasures and memorials to those buried at the church. The Pieterskerk is a historic meeting place available for all your events, a place that you and your guests will always remember.