The Netherlands · TOURS IN LEIDEN
Good tours in Leiden fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 4 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Join Rondvaart Leiden at Aalmarkt 4 for a one-hour cruise through Leiden’s canals and singels. Your local captain guides you past City Hall, Hortus Botanicus, Museum De Lakenhal, and historic bridges. Commentary is given in Dutch and English. Buy a drink or snack before boarding, and bring a jacket for the wind.
“A very enjoyable and informative boat ride, learning about the history of Leiden.”
Join a 50-minute electric boat cruise from Blauwpoortsbrug for a close look at Leiden’s canals, university, observatory, Hortus Botanicus, parks, terraces, and old bridges. Your skipper gives lively stories in Dutch and English, with an audio app available in other languages. Boats are covered and heated when needed, and drinks are sold before boarding.
“It was sooo nice. The guide was so cool, funny and shared a lot of new information and secrets about Leiden. The boat was comfortable this 50 mins is perfectly enough. It’t worthy for sure.”
Take the wheel of a private electric boat for up to 8 people and explore Leiden’s canals for two hours. You’ll get a safety briefing and map, then choose your own route, pause at waterside parks, and bring your own food and drinks if you like. No boating license is needed, but the boat is not suitable for wheelchair users.
“4 adults and 2 children, we had a great 2 hours on the boat. Really easy to drive”
Visit Hortus Botanicus Leiden at your own pace with a one-day entry ticket. Allow about 90 minutes for the historic Clusius Garden, Japanese Garden, tropical orchids, carnivorous plants, seasonal flowers, and century-old trees. Dutch and English support is available, and the garden is wheelchair accessible.
Pick a canal, a gallery or a road out of town.
