The Netherlands · TOURS IN LEIDEN
Good tours in Leiden fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 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.
Meet your English-speaking guide at Leiden Central Station for a 70 to 90 minute walk through old gates, canalside sights, churches, squares, and Rembrandt’s early world. The tour includes entry to Young Rembrandt’s Art Studio, bottled water, and a climb to the Burcht for city views. Groups are limited to nine.
“Our guide PJ was great and very knowledgeable! Leiden is a beautiful city with lots of history. Highly recommend this tour!”
You and up to five companions follow a self-guided Leiden city game on your smartphone. GPS leads you from Morsstraat through churches, museums, mills, canals, markets, and monuments while you answer questions and complete search tasks. Plan about three hours, bring mobile data, and pause whenever you like.
“Lees goed de vraag door, bij sommige vragen staan foto's waar de vraag betrekking op heeft en niet op het onderwerp van het verhaaltje, bekijk het te onderzoeken onderwerp van te voren als er een tijdslimiet aan verbonden is.”
Explore Leiden at your own pace with Outside Escape’s phone-based city game. Solve riddles at Rembrandtplaats, Doelenpoort, Pieterskerkhof, Van der Werfpark, and Koornbrug while learning about the city. The route takes about one to two hours, but you can pause for food, drinks, views, or a visit to the Hortus Botanicus.
“This was our second Outside Escape, and it didn't disappoint. The puzzles are challenging without being frustrating, and the route is full of interesting places and fascintating historical facts. This is a great way to discover parts of the city. I would recommend taking the detour to the citadel as it has some great views.”
Follow Discovery Trips’ self-guided Leiden puzzle walk from Molenmuseum de Valk to Koornbrug. Your group of up to six solves clues while passing old churches, Rapenburg, Doelenpoort, and De Burcht. Allow 75 to 105 minutes, bring a charged smartphone with mobile data, and download the app before you start.
“The route was nice and indeed took 1 to 2 hours. Some answers/puzzles were either wrong or needed more info (like with the weights or pigeons).”
Join Punartha, also called PJ, for a private walk from Leiden Centraal into Merenwijk. You’ll follow the River Zijl, see windmills that once pumped water from reclaimed land, pass a golf course, and visit a children’s farm. The route is flat, calm, and usually takes about 1 to 1.5 hours.
“Great walk in the park with a knowledgeable guide. Enjoyable easy pace well worth the time an effort. It was money and time well spent.”
At LEERzaam Leiden, Emma guides you through making a handmade leather tote in her cozy 19th-century home workshop. Choose from leather colors and thicknesses, learn each step with one-on-one help, and finish with personal engraving. Materials, coffee, and tea are included, with vegan leather available.
“This leather purse making session was absolutely amazing! Emma ant LEERzam Leiden is absolutely lovely to work with and we very much enjoyed our time with her. The purses we made came out BEAUTIFUL! Would highly recommend this studio/Viator offering!!”
You’ll cruise the Kagerplassen from Warmond for about an hour, taking in Dutch polder scenery and windmills from a clean, air-conditioned boat. The experience is offered in English and includes WiFi and a restroom. Food and drinks are not included, and the boat returns to Gemeentehaven 1.
“Wonderful way to experience and learn about this fascinating area! Clean, comfortable boat and great service”
You’ll walk Leiden’s compact historic center with a private local guide, learning about Rembrandt, the Pilgrim Fathers, the country’s oldest university, and the city’s role in the Eighty Years’ War. The tour usually lasts 1.5 hours, starts at Beestenmarkt, and can be tailored to your interests.
Meet Rondvaart Leiden at Aalmarkt 4, learn the basics of paddleboarding, then follow a route through Leiden’s canals. You’ll pass the Academy Building, city gates, bridges, windmills, and waterside courtyards. The rental is for a private group, with English or Dutch assistance, but no guide, food, drinks, or changing room.
“Paddleboarding on Leiden's canals was a fun and novel experience for me and my friend. The paddleboarding place was friend and accommodating. Perhaps because we were beginners some extra paddle boarding tips for stability would have been useful.”
Spend about 4.5 hours with a private English-speaking guide in Leiden and Delft. Walk past medieval gates, windmills, churches, canals, royal tombs, Delft Blue pottery sites, and Vermeer’s View of Delft location. Guides have included Niels and Jocelyn. Hotel pickup and drop-off are available with selected options.
“Niels was an excellent guide for the day! It was a last-minute decision on my part to take the tour so I was thankful I ended up with Niels. He was flexible with start time and very knowledgeable about the areas visited. He was great company and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour.”
Walk from Leiden Centraal through the old city with a private Dutch guide. See Morspoort, Molen de Put, Rembrandtplaats, Pieterskerk, the old town hall, Burcht van Leiden, and Haarlemmerstraat. The pace is yours, and guide Federico has been praised for making Leiden’s long story clear, friendly, and fun.
“The Leiden tour was outstanding and Federico was a wonderful guide. We were able to ask lots of questions and see many centuries of history spread out over the town. Would do this again and highly recommend to anyone from outside.”
Pick a canal, a gallery or a road out of town.
