Museums
Leiden was the birthplace of Rembrandt and the city is proud of its cultural legacy. The Lakenhal museum is a must-see if you're interesting in visual art, housed in a 17th-century building and home to a selection of works by old masters. Another stopping point for history and art lovers is the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, where you'll find a world-class collection of ancient Roman, Greek and Egyptian artefacts including the Temple of Taffeh – given as a gift to the Netherlands for helping to preserve Egyptian antiquities during the 1960s.
If you're after more ancient artefacts, the Museum Volkenkunde holds a staggering collection of over 200,000 objects from places including China, Indonesia and Africa. For an insight into the connection between the Netherlands and the early colonists of America, make your way to the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum and learn about the Leiden Group and their voyage to New England.
Leiden University
The oldest university in the Netherlands is located in Leiden, and is well worth an afternoon spent ambling around its various campus buildings. The university was originally a reward to the city from Willem the Silent for being able to withstand two Spanish sieges in 1574. René Descartes was once at the university and today there are over 20,000 students.
Cycling
The most iconic mode of transport in the Netherlands is the bike. Rent one and soon you'll be whizzing around the city, following the network of canals and popping into the odd tulip market. If you're looking to explore further out, the North Sea coast is within cycling distance of Leiden and here you'll find an exciting landscape of dunes and seaside resorts to explore. Also within cycling distance is Holland's Bulb Region – a spectacular, colourful area that's definitely worth the journey if you happen to be travelling during the blooming season.
Food and drink
Leiden is a great showcase for Dutch cuisine and the city boasts an enormous variety of cafés, restaurants and bars. One of the best places to treat your taste buds is Pieterswijk, one of the city's oldest neighbourhoods and home to plenty of pancake houses and pubs where you can kick back and sip at a local Dutch lager.
Further afield
Leiden is conveniently located between a number of major Dutch cities. Hop on a train and within around thirty minutes or less you'll be in Amsterdam, Rotterdam or The Hague, all of which are full to the brim with museums, galleries, shops and public parks.
