Skip to content Skip to menu Skip to search
Your official guide for visiting the Netherlands.
You are looking at
in
Boating on the canals in historical Leiden city center
© Boris Stroujko via Shutterstock
Category:Leiden

Leiden’s inner city

Leiden’s inner city is an attraction all by itself. With as many as 88 canals lined by hundreds of gentlemen’s houses, national monuments and churches, it is a unique and fascinating spectacle. Little has changed in the charming inner city of Leiden since Rembrandt strolled through these streets in the Golden Age.

  • Enjoy the delightful atmosphere of Leiden's city center.
  • Stroll alongside picturesque canals and historic monuments.
  • Visit remarkable museums and discover great areas to shop.

By loading the photos, you accept that Holland.com uses cookies to share data with third parties as described in our privacy statement (holland.com/privacy).

Water and monuments

Leiden is a city of canals, bridges and little boats. After Amsterdam, Leiden is the city with the greatest quantity of water flowing through its city centre. In summer, find a place on the terrace of Annie’s and you can relax while watching the many boats sail by. Naturally you could also be one of the people afloat if you take a boat tour or rent a canoe or rowing boat.

The historic inner city is full of monuments – over 2800 monumental buildings ranging from inner courts to windmills, churches and city gates have enriched Leiden’s history for centuries.

A day in Leiden

The historic inner city is well worth visiting Leiden. Its extensive shopping districts, excellent Saturday market and many museums with international top collections ensure that you will not waste a minute of your time.

Did you find this interesting? Discover more

Leiden Visit the cities Discover the Netherlands