Leiden Walking Tours

14/06/2019

31/08/2016

After the celebrations of Trix the T. Rex's arrival on Friday, it looks like she's escaped and caused some trouble. If you are in Leiden, keep an eye out and stay safe.

13/07/2016

If you are interested in a tour, we can plan them on request. Generally, tours are only available on Saturdays and Sundays. Just send us a message to ask about availability.

13/07/2016

Evening clouds over the Burcht.

17/06/2016

Double rainbow during a summer shower.

03/06/2016

Our next scheduled tour is tomorrow, the 4th. It's forecast to be a warm, sunny day, perfect for enjoying a walk around our lovely city!

21/05/2016

We love this sculpture, which is part of Beelden in Leiden. It can be seen, along with about 10 other installations, on the Hooglandse Kerkgracht until 7 August.

27/04/2016

It's a chilly King's Day, but Leiden is still bustling!

Leiden is klaar voor Koningsdag 2016! Nu alleen het weer nog. ☔
Wat zijn jouw plannen voor morgen? :)

(Foto: James Herbert)

01/04/2016

Our next tour is tomorrow, Saturday, 2 April. It's promising to be a sunny spring day, perfect for touring Leiden and seeing some of its hidden corners!

22/03/2016

Spring is here! Which means it's once again time for the famous Keukenhof gardens to open. They will open on Thursday the 24th, just in time for the Easter weekend. The gardens are just outside of Leiden, so if you are going to the Keukenhof, consider a visit around our lovely city as well! On our tours, we tell the story of how the tulip came to Holland and you get a glimpse of the Botanic Gardens.

27/02/2016

It's been a lovely, late winter day! Only 1 week until our first tour of the year on 5 March!

17/01/2016

A wonderful aerial view of the center of Leiden, including the round fortress of the Burcht, the city hall, and the Pieterskerk, along with the y-shape of the Rhine.

De Burcht ligt in het hart van de stad! Het is een zogenaamd motte (heuvel)-kasteel en is ontstaan in de 9e eeuw.

(Foto: creatievestadleiden)

27/11/2015

A gorgeous scene yesterday evening: the full moon next to windmill, reflected in the .

26/11/2015

A happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans!

It is exciting to live in Leiden and remember that the Pilgrims lived here before about half of the group decided to sail to America. Their echoes can still be found in plaques and names around the city. Some Pilgrims who stayed in Leiden are buried in the Pieterskerk, which hosts a Thanksgiving service each year. This plaque is inside the church, remembering John Robinson, the leader of the group.

18/10/2015

I recently had a great time giving 2 tours to nearly 40 people who were in Leiden for a conference at the university. I got to chat with people from all over the world and I enjoyed the opportunity to show them around Leiden and share stories about the city.

The visitors were all involved with astronomy (one of my favorite topics!) and at the end of the day I got to join them on a tour of Leiden's observatory. One of the visitors brought a plush Rosetta spacecraft with him around Leiden and I got a photo with it at the observatory. =)

11/10/2015

Another photo from today of the fountain on the Beestenmarkt with the Lido cinema in the background.

11/10/2015

The Burcht looking amazing on this gorgeous fall day. Enjoy your Sunday!

02/10/2015

Gorgeous 2 October morning in with flags on windmill and the ferris wheel ready for the kermis tonight. Tomorrow is Leiden's big day, celebrating the end of a Spanish siege in 1574.

17/09/2015

This coming Saturday is our last planned tour for the 2015 season! Don't fear the weather, just bring an umbrella, and join us for a pretty and informative walk around beautiful Leiden.

15/09/2015

Did you know that through the 1920's Albert Einstein came to Leiden for a few weeks each year to give special lectures at the university?

We mention more details about his time in Leiden on our tour, but starting this weekend you can also learn more at the new Einstein & Friends exhibit at Museum Boerhaave. Objects are on display related to Einstein's science, but also things showing his personal side, such as letters and photos of him with his hosts in Leiden.

Museum Boerhaave

12/09/2015

in , one of our favorite events of the year. The chance to see normally off-limits things, like this gorgeous wood inlay map of Leiden designed by MC Escher, located in the mayor's office.

03/09/2015

There is NO tour this Saturday, 5 September, though it's the first Saturday of the month. We hope you can join us though for the tour on 19 September!

17/08/2015

On our tours, we tell about the dark deeds of former Leiden resident Maria Swanenburg, aka Goeie Mie, one of the deadliest serial killers in Dutch history. In about 3 years' time in the 1880s, she poisoned over 100 of her neighbors and family members, 27 of whom died.

On 19 September, during the Nacht van Kunst & Kennis (Night of Art and Science), there will be a special performance about Goeie Mie at the Leidse Schouwburg. Definitely recommended for those who want to learn more about this infamous figure in Leiden's history.

Na ruim 130 jaar keert gifmengster Goeie Mie terug in Leiden. Over deze legendarische figuur wordt een theatervoorstelling gemaakt.

12/08/2015

Summer is winding down and we only have 2 scheduled tours left this year! The first is coming up this Saturday, August 15th, then our last tour will be on Saturday, September 19th. But if you are in Leiden on a different weekend, get in touch for availability on other Saturdays or Sundays.

02/07/2015

Our next tour is this Saturday, the 4th of July! Join us to learn about the early American settlers, the Pilgrims, and their time living in Leiden before sailing to the new world. Also learn how Leiden may have influenced another American holiday, Thanksgiving.

30/06/2015

Leiden's Hortus Botanicus, the oldest in the country, is celebrating its 425th anniversary this year! With celebrations, the recently renovated greenhouses, and now this gorgeous weather, it's a perfect time to visit. On our tours, learn more about the history of the gardens, the exotic plants they have, and how they are connected to the famous Dutch symbol: the tulip.

26/06/2015

Enjoying the , part of the annual . Tons of activities this weekend from a food fest to dragon boat races. A great time to enjoy !

04/06/2015

Leiden really comes alive on sunny days when people take to the parks and floating terraces, and jump on their bike or in their boat. We'll be touring the city this Saturday and with warm weather predicted, it's sure to be bustling! But we'll guide you to some of the quiet, hidden corners, as well as to central areas like the market and Breestraat.

01/06/2015

Did you know that the area where Leiden is now was once the northern edge of the Roman Empire and there was a fort to guard the border? A replica of the fort is in Park Matilo, just outside the city center.

28/05/2015

Woot! We're also on Yelp now too!

Walking Tours in Leiden, Zuid-Holland