What should we see and do during our stay in Leiden, the Netherlands?

Many of the cycling routes that we like to create will pass through the town of Leiden. It is a beautiful city in between Haarlem and Delft. The center of Leiden is patterned by canals and it is the birthplace of the painter Rembrandt. The city has the oldest University of the Netherlands and is still an attractive city for students today.

Leiden Hortus Botanicus
The Hortus Botanicus of Leiden is the oldest botanical garden of the Netherlands, and one of the oldest in the world. It is located in the southwestern part of the historical center of the city, between the Academy building and the old Leiden Observatory building.

Naturalis
Naturalis Biodiversity Center is a national museum of natural history and a research center on biodiversity. Although its current name and organization are relatively recent, the history of Naturalis can be traced back to the early 1800s. Its collection includes approximately 37 million specimens, making it one of the largest natural history collections in the world.

De valk
Molen de Valk (The Falcon) is a tower mill, dating from 1743. The mill is located in the center of Leiden and is open for visitors both downstairs and upstairs. It is also possible to make a guided tour in the mill and learn about it’s history.

National Museum of Antiques
The National Museum of Antiquities shows antiquity and archaeology. In the museum everyone can enjoy the ancient civilizations from Egypt, the Classic World, the ancient Near East and the Netherlands in prehistoric times, Roman times and the Middle Ages. In 2018 the museum existed for two hundred years.

National Museum of Ethnology (volkenkunde)
Museum Volkenkunde is, as one of the oldest ethnological museums in the world, in the middle of current events. With large successful exhibitions, small surprising exhibitions such as Most Wanted for enthusiasts, innovative public programs, leading scientific research and many international cooperation projects.

Boerhaave
What are the most important discoveries from our Dutch history of science? Which researchers were behind it and how much impact do their discoveries have on our lives today? You can discover more about their inventions and think along about the big questions of today in Museum Boerhaave.

De Burght
The Burght is a city park with the remains of a 11th-century castle fortification. Located at the spot where the Old Rhine river and the New Rhine river come together. The Burght shows an interesting overview of the city and at the entree of the Burght is a lovely café.

Canal tour
Just like many other towns in the Netherlands, the center of Leiden is full of canals. It is highly recommended to make a guided tour on one of the open sloop boats and learn all about the Leiden history while relaxing.

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