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Burcht van Leiden and around
A day in Leiden · 9:30–16:30 · 6 stops
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mapvivid.com/leiden/itineraries/burcht-van-leiden-and-aroundA walking day around Nieuwe Rijn, Burcht van Leiden and Hooglandse Kerk, with a lunch break nearby and Rapenburg to end the day.
Every stop on Google Maps: open the list
Morning
9:301Nieuwe Rijn ↗30 min
Pretty canal in the middle of town, with cafes and terraces.
- Stop at a terrace
- Walk it at dusk
↓ 2 min walk
10:002Burcht van Leiden ↗1 hGo early
12th-century hilltop fortress with a view over the old town.
- Entry is free
- Climb up for rooftop views
↓ 4 min walk
11:003Large late-Gothic church in the heart of the old town.
- Look for the interior arches
- Often hosts concerts
↓ 5 min walk
12:154Gothic church near where the Pilgrim leader John Robinson is buried.
- Often used for events
- Check opening hours
Lunch
13:15Lunch break nearby · Find restaurants nearby on Google Maps ↗
↓ 5 min walk
Afternoon
14:305One of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, founded 1590.
- Visit the historic orangery
- Best in spring and summer
↓ 6 min walk
15:306Rapenburg ↗1 hLate afternoon
The most elegant canal of Leiden, lined with university buildings.
- Look for the canal-side facades
- Great for photos
Good to know. Times are a guide for an unhurried pace. Check opening days before you go.
Leiden tips
Cultural
- Join Leidens Ontzet on 3 October: the city celebrates the end of the 1574 Spanish siege with a parade, fair, herring, white bread and hutspot stew.
- Follow Rembrandt's footsteps: the painter was born here, and the Young Rembrandt Studio and Museum De Lakenhal show his early years in the city.
- Feel the student city: Leiden University, the oldest in the Netherlands, gives the centre its lively bars; locals love a borrel with drinks and bitterballen.
Local Hacks
- Visit the Hortus Botanicus: one of the world's oldest botanical gardens, where Carolus Clusius grew some of the first Dutch tulips, right by the Rapenburg.
- Climb the Burcht: this medieval fortified mound in the centre is free to climb and gives a great view over Leiden's rooftops and church towers.
- See the canals by boat: a canal tour or rented electric sloop shows Leiden's waterways and hidden courtyards from the water, best on a calm summer evening.
Saving
- Base yourself in Leiden: hotels are often cheaper than Amsterdam, and the short train ride means you can still see the capital on a day trip.
- Shop the Saturday market: the big market along the Nieuwe Rijn and Vismarkt sells Dutch cheese, fresh herring and stroopwafels at local prices.
- Hunt the wall poems for free: more than a hundred poems in many languages are painted on Leiden's walls; following them is a lovely free walking tour.
Security
- Respect the bike lanes: red asphalt paths belong to cyclists and scooters, so look both ways and never stand in them while checking your map.
- Use two locks on a bike: bike theft is common around the station and student areas, so lock the frame to a fixed rack and use the guarded station bike park.
- Watch canal edges at night: many quays along the Rapenburg and Oude Rijn have no railings, so take care after a night out in the busy cafe streets.
Transportation
- Tap in with contactless: trains at Leiden Centraal and local Arriva buses accept contactless bank cards via OVpay, so no OV-chipkaart is needed for short visits.
- Ride the fast trains: Leiden Centraal has frequent direct trains to Schiphol, Amsterdam and The Hague, making it a handy and calmer base for the Randstad.
- Rent an OV-fiets: the NS public transport bike at Leiden Centraal is ideal for riding out to the dunes at Katwijk or the bulb fields around Lisse in spring.
Weather/Clothing
- Pack a rain shell all year: North Sea weather brings sudden showers and wind in every season, so a hooded waterproof works better than an umbrella on a bike.
- Bring layers for summer: June to August is mild and pleasant but rarely hot, and evenings by the canals can turn cool, so carry a light sweater.
- Wrap up in winter: December to February is cold, grey and windy with short days, so pack a warm coat, scarf, gloves and waterproof shoes.
Planned with MapVivid. Opening hours change, so check each place before you go. This day, with the map: mapvivid.com/leiden/itineraries/burcht-van-leiden-and-around
Day 1 of 29:30–16:306 stops
Burcht van Leiden and around
A walking day around Nieuwe Rijn, Burcht van Leiden and Hooglandse Kerk, with a lunch break nearby and Rapenburg to end the day.
Opens Google Maps with every stop of the day, ready to save to your own list.
Morning
109:30 · 30 minPretty canal in the middle of town, with cafes and terraces.
3 tips
- Stop at a terrace
- Walk it at dusk
- Busy on weekends
📷 Photos
2 min walk
210:00 · 1 h12th-century hilltop fortress with a view over the old town.
- Tip: Go early
2 tips
- Entry is free
- Climb up for rooftop views
📷 Photos
4 min walk
311:00 · 1 hLarge late-Gothic church in the heart of the old town.
3 tips
- Look for the interior arches
- Often hosts concerts
- Free to peek in at times
📷 Photos
5 min walk
412:15 · 1 hGothic church near where the Pilgrim leader John Robinson is buried.
3 tips
- Often used for events
- Check opening hours
- Walk the surrounding square
📷 Photos
Lunch
Lunch break nearby · 13:15
Find restaurants nearby on Google Maps5 min walk
Afternoon
514:30 · 1 hOne of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, founded 1590.
3 tips
- Visit the historic orangery
- Best in spring and summer
- Bring a camera
📷 Photos
6 min walk
615:30 · 1 hThe most elegant canal of Leiden, lined with university buildings.
- Tip: Late afternoon
2 tips
- Look for the canal-side facades
- Great for photos
📷 Photos
Take this day with you
Add the stops to your calendar
Times are local time in Leiden. Apple Calendar adds every stop at once (Outlook too). Google Calendar adds one event per link.
Times are a guide for an unhurried pace. Check opening days before you go.