A weekend in Leiden: best things to see & do in two days

If you have decided to spend a weekend in Leiden, you have made the right choice! There are plenty of wonderful things to see and do. You will be able to enjoy the typical Dutch architecture and canals in a more calm atmosphere than you will find in crowded Amsterdam. Culture freaks will love the wide variety of museums Leiden has to offer. There are a lot of cute boutiques for those who love to shop. If you want to indulge yourself with the most delicious food and drinks, you can choose from the many fine restaurants and bars.

When I arrived in Leiden I immediately felt overwhelmed by its beauty. Everywhere I looked and behind every corner I discovered another dreamy street or a new interesting sight. I got so excited I did not know where to start! I only just arrived and already realized, I would want to return! So I decided to write this little guide for you. So you can plan your two days in Leiden at ease and know exactly where to go!

A perfect weekend in Leiden: best things to see & do

A perfect weekend in Leiden: best things to see & do

Where is Leiden?

Leiden is a charming small town in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands situated between famous Rotterdam and Amsterdam, less than 10 kilometers from the seaside. The historic city center is surrounded by a six kilometer long canal. Leiden’s canals form one of the biggest city defenses in Europe, of which the structure is still intact!

How to get to Leiden?

If you plan a weekend in Leiden, I advise to take the train. The train station is only a 5 minute walk from the city center.
If you are coming by plane, the easiest is to land in Schiphol, Amsterdam and take the train from there.
Should you decide to come by car; there are hotels offering parking, so do check in advance. Find all information concerning public parking on the official tourism board website.

Where to stay during a weekend in Leiden?

I stayed two nights at the Golden Tulip Leiden Center Hotel. Its location was perfect; just outside the city center near De Valk, a tower mill and museum. My room was spacious enough and I slept like a baby. But I had some hygiene issues. They did not clean my used glasses and the bath mat I received on the second day was dirty with shoeprints on it. At arrival I received a bottle of water, but on the second day I did not get a refill. Which also was a bit of a disappointment, since I think this should be a basic in a 4 star hotel. Breakfast was extensive and served between 7.30 and 11.30.

One of my fellow travelers recommended Boutique Hotel D’Oude Morsch which offers a more authentic and intimate vibe and is situated right across windmill De Put. So next time I will definitely try that hotel!

When is the best time to go to Leiden?

Visiting Leiden is always a good idea, but I definitely recommend spring when the tulip season is at full force! Leiden is situated in the middle of the bulb region and that way you can combine your visit to Leiden with a visit to the tulip fields and Keukenhof, which is less than 15 km from Leiden. Also summer is perfect since Leiden is located only a few kilometers from the seaside. You could go for a beach walk at Katwijk or do another activity, but more on that later!

Some fun facts about Leiden

Leiden University is the oldest Dutch university and one of Europe’s top universities, with thirteen Nobel Prize winners. Being a university city since 1575, Leiden has been one of Europe’s most prominent scientific centers for more than four centuries.
One of the world’s most famous painters, Rembrandt Van Rijn, was born and educated in Leiden.
Leiden is also known as the “City of Keys“. This dates back from 1293, when official city documents started showing a city seal with the Apostle Peter as the patron saint of the city. Peter was always portrayed holding a key since he was “given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven”. The famous “Pieterskerk” bears his name which is why the city’s coat of arms and flag show two crossed keys.
There are 28 kilometers of canals and 88 bridges in Leiden. Leiden, after Amsterdam, is the city with the most bridges, canals, and moats.

What are the best things to see and do in Leiden?

Wander around town

One of my favorite things to do in every city is just wander around the streets and get lost. Leiden is not that big, but it sure has a lot of cute quaint streets and canals to explore. My favorite areas were the Pieterskwartier, which is the quarter situated around the Pieterskerk (Peter’s Church). This area consists of cobblestone streets decorated with picturesque houses, lanterns, trees and plants. Also the area near the Burcht, where you can find the dreamy street Hooglandse Kerkgracht is super romantic. The whole town is simply stunning with a wide variety of different facades to admire. I cannot wait to return for another weekend in Leiden and explore more streets! Even though I was here during the weekend, it was so relaxed. Definitely not like Amsterdam where you stumble upon crowds the whole time!

Explore the “hofjes”

Leiden counts 35 “hofjes” meaning courtyards. These courtyards were little communities meant for the poor and elderly people who could not afford to pay for housing during the Middle Ages. These days they are still inhabited simply because these are little oases of peace and serenity within the city. Who would not want to live there? I was not able to visit them all, but the ones I found I thought were incredibly beautiful and cozy. If you are short in time like I was (I had different plans during this weekend in Leiden), I strongly advise to visit the Jean Pesijnhofje. During spring you will find a gorgeous Magnolia tree blooming here. You can buy a courtyard walking tour map at the VVV tourist office for only 3.5€ and make it a mission to find all 35!

Visit the Young Rembrandt Studio

When walking around Leiden, it is hard not to notice it is the hometown of the famous painter Rembrandt Van Rijn. Everywhere you look you will see references to the Golden Age painter. At the Young Rembrandt Studio, which is the place where Rembrandt learned to paint in his early years, you can watch a fantastic 7 minute long video mapping about Rembrandt’s first 25 years in Leiden (after that he moved to Amsterdam). It was a beautiful animation and well explained. I think even kids would love to watch it.
Entrance fee: 2.5€ (children -6 free) – Location: Langebrug 89, 2311 TJ Leiden

Get your portrait sketched by Rembrandt

Now that you know a little more about Rembrandt’s history, you can go to the “Latijnse School” (Latin School). The Latin School served as a university preparatory school. Latin was used primarily in conversations and teaching. Rembrandt learned to draw here for the first time. You cannot enter the building, but when you look through the window, you will see your portrait being sketched on canvas! You can download it the next day! Mine looks as if I turned 100 years old, but I still think it is quite impressive how fast Rembrandt’s spirit was able to sketch me! 😉
Location: Lokhorstraat 16, 2311 TA Leiden

Unlock Rembrandt’s secret

After this magical moment you can choose for some more Rembrandt mystery and action! At the Jan Van Houtkade you will find the oldest building of Leiden; a medieval rampart or as the locals call it; “het Kruithuisje” (the Gunpowder House). There used to be 31 of them surrounding the city, but this rampart is the only one left. Inside you will find an escape room being the secret painting studio of Rembrandt. Within the hour you need to unlock the secret or you will disappear forever. We were lucky to reveal the secret within 54 minutes or I was not able to write this blog post. I had no idea so many clues and riddles could be hidden in just one room! I absolutely loved playing this game! And luckily for those who do not speak Dutch; you can also play it in English!
Price: depends on the size of the group – Location: Jan van Houtkade 50, 2311 PE Leiden

Explore the canals on a boat trip

It would be a pity not to take a boat ride, when spending a weekend in Leiden, a city with so many canals, right? I did a 55 minute boat tour with Rederij Rembrandt, which has a boat with a sliding roof in case the weather turns bad. The trip starts at the Beestenmarkt. A charming triangle shaped square that used to serve as a livestock market from 1616 to 1969. Luckily this was no longer the case, so the square was calm and there were no unpleasant smells these markets often bring along. The boat will take you along the canals showing the beautiful sights from a different perspective. We passed the mill De Put, the garden of Hortus Botanicus, the impressive astronomical observatory (the oldest surviving university observatory in the world dating from 1633), the Groenesteeg cemetery, the Koornbrug and many other places. It is a nice and relaxed way to explore the town and the captain shares a lot of history and stories on the way.
Price: 11.5€ – Location: Beestenmarkt

Admire the plants and flowers at Hortus Botanicus

The Hortus Botanicus of Leiden is the oldest botanical garden of the Netherlands and one of the oldest in the world dating from 1590. Here were the first tulips of Holland cultivated. I was lucky when I visited the tropical glasshouse the Jadevine (Strongylodon macrobotrys) was flowering. It was the first time in three years that several clusters were flowering at once. The blue shades of this flower are breathtakingly stunning! Also the outside garden is worth your time to take a stroll.
Entrance fee: 8€ – Location: Rapenburg 73, 2311 GJ Leiden

Museums, monuments & theaters

Leiden has a lot more to offer, but I could not cram it all into one weekend. Some museums that seem interesting to me are:

the Naturalis museum: showcasing the amazing world of nature and even a T. Rex!
the National Museum of Ethnology: learn about cultures, beliefs and traditions from all around the world
the National Museum of Antiquities: showing treasures from ancient cultures such as mummies and sarcophagi

You will find impressive churches spread all over town and also theater lovers will surely find something to their liking! More information about all of this can be found on the website of the tourism board.

A day trip to the seaside and the tulip fields

If you are in for something different and you are staying for a little longer, you might consider a day trip to the seaside or the tulip fields. The best way to combine both is to rent an e-chopper at E-wheels Katwijk. With this electric motorcycle you can drive through the dunes and the bulb region and have the best of both worlds! You can download various routes on the Dit is Katwijk website. But this is the route I did. It was a little cold on the day I did this tour, but on a warm sunny day this must be a wonderful experience! The views on the way are incredible and being on a such a bike with the wind your hair just gives a fantastic sense of freedom!
Price: 59€ for a full day rental – Location: Scheepmakerstraat 1c3, 2222 AB Katwijk aan Zee

Where to eat and drink during a weekend in Leiden?

Freddy’s Gastrobar

Freddy’s Gastrobar is the new hotspot in town. Making a reservation in advance is essential here! It is situated right beside the main office of the Heineken brewery and named after Freddy Heineken. It has its own microbrewery, so you can taste their own beers. The restaurant is quite big with an industrial modern look, but it still has a cozy and nice atmosphere thanks to the (fake) plants and warm colors they used in the decor and furniture. The food was good, the drinks even better (and stronger)!
Location: Stationsweg 41, 2312 AT Leiden

Pipa Streetfood Bar

Pipa Streetfood Bar is decorated as if you are eating on the street. It has a pedestrian crossing and mural art inside, which makes you feel as if you are somewhere eating in South America. The menu consists of various streetfood dishes from around the world. Streetfood is ready-to-eat food served in the street, but over here it is served in a little more comfortable way. I went here for lunch and tried the bao bun with the fried chicken. I swear this chicken was to die for! The crusty chicken and the sauce on it was absolutely delicious!
Location: Morsstraat 60, 2312 BN Leiden

Lot & de Walvis

Lot & de Walvis is a cozy restaurant situated in the old head office of the steamboat company of Leiden called “De Volharding”. The interior screams bohemian vibes and the restaurant’s menu let’s you travel around the world via its wide range of international food.
Location: Haven 1, 2312 MG Leiden

Zand (Katwijk aan Zee)

This beautiful restaurant with some serious Ibiza vibes is located in a beach pavilion at Katwijk aan Zee. I had lunch here after my e-chopper adventure through the dunes and the tulip fields. The views from the big windows of the beach and waves are super relaxing. One of my fellow travelers had ordered the seafood platter and I immediately regretted not ordering the same. It looked so good! But also my burger tasted good! It was the perfect ending of my weekend in Leiden!
Location: Boulevard Zeezijde 35, 2225 BB Katwijk aan Zee

Combine your weekend in Leiden with other destinations in the Netherlands

If you love the Netherlands just as much as I do, maybe you are also interested in visiting other places and do a little tour. Make sure to check out my other blog posts and get inspired!

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