Voorschoten – Culture, Landscape and Routes

Culture and History

In the 13th century, Duivenvoorde Castle was built as a large square residential tower. In the 17th and 18th centuries, this building was transformed into the country house with landscaped park seen today.

The Voorschoten Museum preserves, collects and makes accessible the village’s history, both old and more recent. Its collection includes historical material on social history, the church and religion, education and upbringing, as well as visual art.

A guided tour of the old centre of Voorschoten can be booked through the Voorschoten Museum. The tour includes the Voorstraat, Treubstraat, part of Schoolstraat and the first section of Molenlaan.

In addition to worship services, cultural events are organised at the Dorpskerk, including concerts, theatre, cabaret and literary events.

The Zilverfabriek Van Kempen en Begeer was built in 1858 in an eclectic-classical style. The history of silver is the central theme of the Zilverroute Leiden-Voorschoten.

The Voorschotense paardenmarkt originally began as a fair, a so-called free market, and is more than 800 years old. Since 2017, the Voorschotense paardenmarkt has been part of the Voorschotense Paardendagen.

The local history thus brings together several eras: the medieval residential tower was followed by its transformation into a country house, industrial silver production from 1858 onwards, and the long tradition of the paardenmarkt, which is more than 800 years old and has been part of the Voorschotense Paardendagen since 2017.

Routes and Landscape

The Prins Frederik Parkenroute runs through the present-day municipalities of Wassenaar and Voorschoten.

The Bomen wandel-route centrum Voorschoten passes 50 notable trees. These trees are visible from public roads. At 7.5 kilometres long, the Bomen wandel-route centrum Voorschoten can be completed on foot or by bicycle.

The landscape of Voorschoten includes polders with pastureland, dunes and forests, as well as landscaped and urban parks. It also includes waterways and peat lakes; all of the landscape elements mentioned can be reached on foot or by bicycle.

The route along the country estates is 10 kilometres long and can start at Voorschoten railway station or De Vink railway station.

The Beleef Fietsroute is approximately 25 kilometres long. Van der Valk Voorschoten is one of two convenient starting points for this route.

The routes therefore pass through different parts of the town and its surroundings: from notable trees and public roads to country estates, polders, dunes, forests, parks and waterways.

Voorschoten.

Markets and Products

The Friday market in Voorschoten offers fresh vegetables, fruit, cheese, nuts, meat, fish and chicken. The selection also includes bread, fresh biscuits and Turkish specialities.

The market in Voorschoten regularly features stalls selling products from Voorschoten. These include the stall of Wijngaard Chateau deux filles, the only winery in Voorschoten. Since 2000, Wijngaard Chateau deux filles has produced unique regional wines and liqueurs.

Van der Valk Voorschoten can be reached by car. Bus 45 between Leiden and The Hague stops directly outside.

To the higher-level travel overview: Voorschoten.