Leiden: Museums, Canals and Historic Paths

Leiden combines an art collection, medieval buildings, botanical research, and a dense network of canals and bridges. At Museum De Lakenhal, visitors can see works by Old Masters such as Lucas van Leyden, Rembrandt van Rijn, and Jan Steen, as well as modern artists such as Theo van Doesburg, Jan Wolkers, and Erwin Olaf.

Culture and History

Museum De Lakenhal began in 1868 as Leiden’s city museum. The collection therefore spans from the Old Masters mentioned above to modern artists, while also preserving the building’s original purpose as a city museum.

The city’s historic buildings include the Pieterskerk, Leiden’s oldest parish church. In 1121, it was consecrated as a chapel of the count’s court. Its present form was created between 1390 and 1565.

The Burcht van Leiden is also one of the city’s prominent historic buildings. It is one of the oldest surviving examples of a castle in the Netherlands. On the northern bank of the Rhine stands Molen De Put, which was rebuilt in the 1980s. Its location on the riverbank and its reconstruction connect the site with its more recent history.

With 13 museums within walking distance of one another, Leiden also offers several cultural destinations within the city. The Leidse Loper is a city walking route that passes historic monuments and special vistas. This makes it possible to combine museum visits with a walk through the historic cityscape in the same city centre.

Nature and Botanical Diversity

Hortus botanicus Leiden is the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands and Western Europe. It was founded in 1590 in Leiden’s city centre. Its largest research collection is the tropical orchid collection (Orchidaceae) from Southeast Asia. It comprises more than 4,000 species, bringing a great diversity of tropical plants to the city-centre garden. At the Hortus, the garden’s long history and the geographic origin of its extensive orchid collection come together directly.

Walking Routes and Waterways

The Leidse Hofjes Route is 5 kilometres long and takes approximately 2 hours, depending on the pace and the number of stops. The Leidse Loper is a city walking route through Leiden that passes historic monuments and special vistas.

Leiden’s historic city centre has a total of 28 kilometres of canals and singels, as well as 88 bridges. Anyone wishing to experience the waterways for themselves can rent a boat in Leiden or book a canal cruise. The many water connections and bridges form a clearly recognisable element of the historic city centre.

Getting There and Cycling Information

Visitors can reach the city centre from Leiden Centraal railway station on foot in just 5 minutes. Buses depart every few minutes for the same journey. For exploring the city and region, information and inspiration are available on cycling routes, bicycle parking, bicycle hire, and places to dismount.

To the main travel overview: Leiden.