About this experience
Discover hidden stories of beautiful Leiden on a Tip-Based Walking Tour. Delve into the Golden Age + the artists, zealots & brilliant minds that transformed Leiden & the World. 5 Stars on TripAdvisor
Highlights
- Walk through a city gate, see the last surviving remnant windmill
- See the spot where the first tulip was introduced from Turkey
- See where Pilgrim Father's are buried + how Dutch culture influenced a new world
- Walkthrough the streets Rembrandt would recognise, where he grew up and sketched
- Discover hidden courtyards and historic homes of Leiden
What's included
- Walking tour of Leiden
- Visit to the last surviving windmill of the city ramparts
- Visit a working windmill, built on a pedestal that moves with the wind
- Tour of the shopping and market district
- Visit to the oldest University in the Netherlands
- Walk through the City Gate
- Explore of 3 hidden courtyards
- Visit the city's namesake cathedral, and learn why Leiden is known as "Key City"
- Visit to the Hortus Botanicus and the original University of Leiden Academic building
- Learn about the tradition of signing the wall inside the University building, and which US President's signature is still viewable there today
- Tour of Rembrandt's childhood streets
- Pass by the homes and studio spaces of other Dutch Grand Masters, Jan Steen and Jan Lievens
- Climb into a 1000+ year old fortress that's been a city park since the 1600s
- Brief stops at a free restroom and a cafe, if needed
- Restaurant recommendations
How to use
- Show Mobile Ticket
- At Redemption Counter
What to expect
Begin your walking tour at the entrance of the Leiden, at the base of the last surviving Windmill that use to grace the city ramparts. Follow the path along the natural boundaries of the old city walls, envisioning a world of chaos beyond the gates, and a dramatic existence within. We walk through the gardens of one of Europe's first Anthropology Museums, through one of the last surviving city gates, and into the streets most recognisable to the renown Dutch Masters Rembrandt, Steen, and Leivens, who introduced Dutch art to the World.
We'll see the landmarks that have attracted visitors for 400+ years:
- The Netherland's first Botanical Garden and home of the first tulip delivered by the Ottomans'
- The first University that was gifted to the city for withstanding siege and famine
- The largest library of 17th century books still known in existence.
Learn how Leiden University kept Galileo's ideas alive and see where French Philosopher Renee Descartes lived as a student. Beyond that, we'll visit the traditional shopping and market district, that has been a mainstay of daily life since the Medieval times. Wander through the quiet streets and hidden courtyards where the pilgrims planned their trip to the New World after fleeing England.
In 90 minutes, you will learn about the tulip mania of the 1600s, when a single tulip bulb sold for the price of a canal house. You'll see the streets where Rembrandt grew up, sketched his earliest works, and became the painter who would define the Dutch Golden Age - and you'll learn about this lesser known contemporaries. Hear how Leiden's canals were built as moats to stop invaders and how those invaders impacted the unique Leiden accent you'll still hear today.
Move over, you'll leave with wonderful ideas on how to spend your next few days or next few vacations in this unique South Holland city.
We offer both English or Spanish language tours, so please confirm you've selected the correct tour when booking.
Terms & conditions
You're about to embark on a 90 minute guided walking through the city Learn, focused on the Golden Age of the city.
Bikes and cobblestones are your only hidden dangers.
We cover approximately 5k / 2.6 miles at a moderate pace through the city, so please wear comfortable shoes.
The tour includes a WC and cafe stop at the midway point.
We'll share facts and stories that take you through the 1000 year history of Leiden, including its historic canals and hidden courtyards, Dutch Masters, and the Pilgrims. We also talk about the prison, execution meadow, and Siege of Leiden, which may be scary for the youngest walkers.