All Leiden Tours & Excursions in 2026

Set sail from Leiden for a cruise through the 'Green Heart' of the Netherlands, an area of typically Dutch landscapes, filled with windmills, picturesque villages, farms, colorful bulb fields, shallow lakes, and polder islands. As you cruise through the scenic lakes, your captain will introduce you to the stories of this unique landscape.

Explore the enchanting canals of Leiden on a private boat tour. With exclusive access to the city’s picturesque waterways, this wonderful cruise offers a unique perspective of Leiden’s rich history and culture. Enjoy onboard drinks and snacks while a friendly local guide shares hidden gems and stories about the city’s landmarks. Perfect for couples or small groups seeking an intimate experience, this private tour allows you to immerse yourself in the charm of Leiden at your own pace. - 90-minute private canal cruise tailored for 2 to 6 passengers - Enjoy drinks and snacks included during the cruise - Guided by a knowledgeable local captain who shares insights about Leiden - Depart from Beestenmarkt, just a short walk from Leiden Central Station

Discover two of the prettiest and most historically significant cities in the Netherlands on this private half-day tour, with a transfer between the cities included. In Leiden, your guide walks you through a city packed with stories: it heroically survived a Spanish siege in 1574, it is where Rembrandt was born, where the Pilgrim Fathers found refuge before sailing to America, and where the oldest university in the Netherlands was founded. In The Hague, you explore the political and royal heart of the Netherlands: the Binnenhof, Noordeinde Palace, foreign embassies, and the elegant streets that have been at the center of Dutch power for centuries. You can do this tour both ways: starting in Leiden or starting in The Hague. You can also choose to be picked up and dropped off at a location of your choice, like in Amsterdam. And remember: It is you who determines the pace of this tour.

Discover two of the most historically rich cities in the Netherlands on this half-day private tour, with a transfer between the cities included. In Leiden, your guide walks you through a city packed with stories: it heroically survived a Spanish siege in 1574, it is where Rembrandt was born, where the Pilgrim Fathers found refuge before sailing to America, and where the oldest university in the Netherlands was founded. In Delft, you step into the Dutch Golden Age: canals, churches, and the stories of Vermeer and William of Orange. Walk past the leaning Old Church and the towering New Church, discover lesser-known gems like the former Dutch East India Company office, and hear the stories of the city that shaped so much of Dutch history. The transfer between the two cities takes just 20 minutes. You can do the tour in either direction. This is a private tour. You set the pace, and if you have any special requests or an interest in a certain topic, just let us know.

This is the only Dutch landscape walking tour in the Leiden area, which is also close to the Dutch flower fields. This tour can be combined with a visit to the Dutch flower fields close to Leiden as well (in the vehicle)

We delve into the rich history and vibrant culture of Leiden's Golden Age on this ±90-minute free, tip-based, walking tour. Explore the picturesque canals, majestic mansions, and hidden courtyards while uncovering stories of the Pilgrims and the Dutch Masters. Your guide will lead you through 12+ significant stops, including the iconic Molen de Valk and the stunning Hortus Botanicus, where tulip mania began. Whether you're a local or a traveler, this tip-based tour offers a unique perspective of the city’s past and present. - This walking tour will cover 2-3 km in 90 minutes throughout the city's historic center, highlighting areas for your continued exploration. - Explore historic sites like the Molen de Valk and the Hortus Botanicus - Insightful narratives on Leiden's role in art, history, and culture - Available in English and Spanish with knowledgeable local guides - Suitable for all individuals comfortable with the walking distance, uneven cobblestone streets, and some stairs

Explore Leiden on a private walking tour through one of the most historically rich cities in the Netherlands. With your own knowledgeable local guide, you discover a city that played a key role in Dutch history, art, and science. Leiden is home to the country’s oldest university, beautifully preserved canals, and the birthplace of Rembrandt. During this guided tour, your guide brings the past to life with stories of painters, pilgrims, professors, and Leiden’s heroic resistance and relief during the Eighty Years’ War. The private tour of Leiden takes place entirely in the compact historic center and normally lasts about 1.5 hours. Because this is a private walking tour, the pace and focus are flexible and can be adapted to your interests. This tour is ideal for travelers who want insight, context, and stories rather than a simple checklist of sights.

Leiden, 17th century. You are Pieter Lastman, a celebrated Amsterdam painter searching for a successor. Word has reached you of an exceptionally gifted young man growing up in this city. You travel to Leiden to follow him in secret and decide: is this the one? This self-guided city game uses the Questo app to lead you through 10 chapters across Leiden's historic center. Start anytime at Windmill De Put and follow Rembrandt's story from his birthplace to his first atelier. No guide or fixed timetable: just you and the making of a master. Your route visits the landmarks of Rembrandt's youth: his birthplace square, the Latin school with a free interactive portrait feature at the door, the Pieterskerk where his parents are buried, and the atelier where he painted before leaving for Amsterdam in 1631. Suitable for couples, families, and anyone fascinated by Dutch Golden Age history. The route is open at any hour but best enjoyed during daylight. Download the free Questo app to begin.

Discover Leiden with the help of a local guide on this small-group tour of the city. See Morspoort, Molen de Put, Rembrandtplaats, and more as you walk its cobbled streets and bridges. Learn all about the city from your guide as you sightsee, from Leiden’s storied past to current cultural trends.

It is a pleasure to sit in our quiet Tesla and pass by the beautiful flower fields with your own company. We will take some d tours through the colorful flower fields. After the nice smell of flowers we are going to breathe the salty healthy air of the sea. And finally we will taste the typical Dutch delicatessen: de zoute haring (salted herring). I know you’re not sure if you should buy one. So I will. When there are no blooming flowerfields we will visit the rural area near Zoeterwoude where we will see several meadow birds and we will visit a farmstore.

Discover Leiden’s city center during this interactive, self-guided game. City trails are suitable for both iPhones and Android smartphones. Games never expire and are available in multiple languages. There is no time limit—you can follow along at your own pace, stopping or pausing wherever and whenever you wish.

Combine a visit to the Keukenhof Gardens with a beautiful windmill Cruise (of approximately 1 hours) on the 'Kagerplassen' (also known as the 'Amsterdam Lakes') During the cruise you can enjoy the beautiful views, historic windmills and typical Dutch villages in the famous bulb region. The boat is covered and offers an open deck as well, providing great photo opportunities, so be sure to bring your camera! Come at your own pace and first enjoy a beautiful 1 hour windmill Cruise on one of the great ships of Rederij van Hulst. When checking in for the cruise you will get your timed entrance ticket for the Keukenhof Gardens which can be visited after the cruise. The Keukenhof Gardens are located only 15 minutes (by car) from the cruise departing point. With the Keukenhof ticket you will have directly access to the gardens (we will reserve a time slot after the cruise for you) Attention! You will receive the Keukenhof ticket at our meeting point in Warmond.

The people of Leiden believe that their city is the most beautiful one in the country, if not the whole world. It is hard to argue with that :). In fact, there is no other place on Earth, where stories from all over the world are intertwined in such a dense tangle. This is the birthplace of Rembrandt and genius mocker Jan Steen. It is where the origins of the modern Netherlands come from, as well as the United States of America and modern art. Einstein and Churchill walked on these cobblestone pavements here. All these stories are full of surprises, amusing paradoxes, and sometimes ridiculous tales or absurdities. Here, the subject of botany suddenly turns from a primary school class into a real detective story, physics - into tragedy, commerce - into philosophy and the rational organization of the urban environment - into poetry. After Leiden, your life will never be the same!

WHY CHOOSE US? We offer the best stories (45) handpicked by a local guide. Not just dry facts, but engaging tales that bring the city to life. Loved by travelers – or your money back! Discover Leiden with an audio tour that takes you through the stories of one of the Netherlands’ most charming historic cities. During this 5 km self-guided walking tour, you’ll wander along canals, courtyards and centuries-old streets, passing highlights such as the Castle of Leiden, Pieterskerk, Hooglandse Kerk, Koornbrug and Gravensteen. Along the way, you’ll hear how Leiden became a city of knowledge, art and resistance, from its famous university and connection to Rembrandt to hidden almshouses, medieval churches and stories from the city’s turbulent past. With the CityAppTour app, you explore Leiden at your own pace, without a guide or group, while the stories bring the city to life. Works offline!

A Pub Trail is a scavenger hunt through Leiden, combined with short pub games in cafés that you choose yourselves. For friends, colleagues and families who want to explore the city without feeling like tourists. You walk together through the city, complete challenges, and play games in the cafés. The group stays together, and the player with the most points wins a prize. Pub Trail Leiden is an activity, not a traditional pub crawl. You choose the cafés yourselves: no fixed bars, no set routes. This gives you the freedom to choose the cafés you want to visit. Pub Trail Leiden is an active and playful experience, much more fun than a standard walking tour.

Delve into the city of Leiden with the help of this self-guided game that takes you through town. Discover hidden gems and popular attractions alike as you work through the story of the game and solve its puzzles. In the game, a police officer has taken sensitive files away from the station. Before the information gets into the wrong hands, can you track him down to find out why?

On this self-guided audio tour, you’ll discover how a medieval town transformed into a center of knowledge and culture that shaped global history. The tour begins at the Hartebrugkerk. You’ll weave through narrow alleys and alongside picturesque canals, exploring the Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, where medical science flourished. Along the way, you’ll discover how commerce, religion, and innovation shaped this influential Dutch city. You’ll climb the ancient Burcht van Leiden, a fortress that’s stood guard over the city for nearly a thousand years. Along quiet canals, you’ll find wall poems painted in dozens of languages and hidden hofjes (courtyard almshouses) that tell stories of charity and community. The tour ends at the ornate Renaissance façade of the Stadhuis. By the end of this tour, you’ll understand how this seemingly quiet Dutch city played an outsized role in science, art, and global affairs throughout history.

What sets our tour apart is the personal touch, peaceful setting, and focus on quality. This isn’t a crowded, commercial cruise — it’s a private experience for you and your group (up to 8 people) aboard a stylish, comfortable boat with soft cushions and a premium sound system. Your local skipper knows the area and will guide you through the historic canals of Leiden and into the scenic, wide-open waters of the Kagerplassen. Along the way, you’ll hear stories about the region’s history, nature, and hidden gems — from windmills and waterside farms to quiet islands and grazing cows. Bring your own snacks and drinks, sit back, and enjoy a relaxed and memorable journey through some of the Netherlands’ most beautiful waterways. It’s wise to dress in layers, as it can get chilly on the open water especially in the evening.

Close your eyes. Can you hear the sound of young Rembrandt running around in the alleys? And the shouts of the children playing? Can you hear the carts on the cobblestones coming in through the White Gate? The loose women calling out to the militia men? The quiet steps of Rembrandt going to his art class? Step into the world of Young Rembrandt and see what shaped him as an artist. Hear the stories that he heard about the Siege of Leiden. Find out how the proud people made a living in the bustling new republic and see their legacy in the Renaissance town of Leiden. Feel the liberty that attracted the Pilgrim Fathers, and made some leave to America. Look up at the sky and see the light that sheltered it all. It is here that an artist was made that conquered the world.

During the Discovery Trip "The Stolen Keys", you will explore the city of Leiden during a 90-minute self-guided walking tour. In 90 minutes, you will see the most iconic places of Leiden while solving fun puzzles about the environment. Do your best and set a new high score for the trip together with your friends or family. As Discovery Trips is self-guided, there are no fixed starting times. You can pick whenever you want to start discovering. Furthermore, the trip is available in English, German and Dutch. So, what are you waiting for? Let's discover!

Keen crafters, or anyone who likes learning new practical skills, will enjoy this introductory leather-crafting workshop in Leiden. The class takes place in a dedicated leather-crafting workshop and is led by an experienced professional, who will provide all the tools and instructions you need to get started. Choose your leather pieces—with vegan leather also available—and create a unique piece to take home.

On this full-day private tour, you will discover The Hague, Delft and Leiden. See the highlights of all three old cities together together with our passionate guide. Lunch and transfers between the cities are included. Forget about Amsterdam! During this tour, you will see three totally different sides of the Netherlands. From charming artistic Leiden and classy political The Hague to quaint old Delft. You'll dive into the Dutch Golden Age and get to know modern Dutch society at the same time. From Rembrandt to Vermeer and from William of Orange to Napoleon Bonaparte. Be prepared to learn a lot and to see some royal palaces, our parliament, charming canals, old churches, Delft Blue pottery, historical sites, an old university and more. See you soon! You can do this tour both ways: starting in Leiden or starting in Delft. You can also choose to be picked up and dropped off at a location of your choice, like in Amsterdam. And remember: It is you who determines the pace of this tour.

Leave behind the kitschy souvenirs and opt for something memorable—that doubles as an experience. With this workshop, you’ll be welcomed to a local’s home, where you’ll chat over coffee or tea before picking up your leather-working tools. No skills required, and at the end of the session, you’ll walk away with your own personally made, genuine leather creation with your name inscribed, a true one-of-a-kind.