Discover the Magic of a Leiden Day Trip: A Complete Guide
Exploring Leiden While Mehran Works
In April 2019, Mehran had a work trip to Leiden, Netherlands, and I decided to tag along. One day, I decided to explore Leiden on my own while he worked. He dropped me off at my first destination, and from there, I started a self-guided walking tour of Leiden.
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Arriving in Leiden
- Via Train or Bus: Leiden is centrally located in the Randstad region with excellent rail connections through Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague, making it easily accessible from major European hubs. To check schedules and book your ticket, use the Busbud platform here.
- Via Flight: Fly into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (only a 15-minute direct train ride from Leiden) or Rotterdam The Hague Airport to experience the beautiful, historic city of Leiden. To find the best deals on airfare, search and book your flights here.
Getting Around and Staying in Netherlands
- Going Around:
- Taxis & Private Transfers Secure a reliable, fixed-price ride with professional drivers. Avoid the airport queues by booking in advance. Book your taxi/transfer here.
- Car Rentals Enjoy the freedom of the open road. Compare the best rates from top brands to find your perfect vehicle here.
- Public Transport Travel like a local and save money. Skip the station lines by securing your train and bus tickets here.
- Stay Connected: To navigate the city like a local and share your photos in real time, we recommend getting an eSIM. Pick the option that suits your needs:
- We recommend Airalo for a budget-friendly and basic plan. Get your Airalo eSIM here.
- Yesim is our top-pick for unlimited data needs. Get your Yesim eSIM here.
- Where to Stay: To make the most of your trip, I recommend booking one of these hotels.
Interactive Learning at Corpus
Corpus is an interactive science museum located near Leiden. The entrance ticket cost 24.95 Euros, and I spent nearly two hours exploring the museum.
Pro-tip: Secure your entry passes in-advance using the widget below.
The building is uniquely shaped like a giant human body, and the experience takes you on a journey from one body organ to the next. It is essentially a thorough biology lesson explaining the inner workings of the human body. During my visit, I came across a lot of school groups. The exhibition features big screens with interactive experiences as well as interesting facts about different body mechanisms. I would definitely recommend this to school-going kids who are interested in the human body.
My Self-Guided Leiden City Tour
As I left Corpus, I started my walking exploration of Leiden. My first checkpoint was Leiden University. I love looking at university campuses, and since Leiden University has a decent-sized one, I had to go and take a look. My next destination was Molen De Valk, an old-style windmill built in 1743. The Netherlands has plenty of old and new windmills, and I always like to search for them and enjoy their presence.
As I walked further, I came across Heilige Geestweeshuis (Holy Ghost Orphanage), which was built in 1583 to house orphans who had no extended families to look after them. Then, I came across Hooglandse Kerk, a Protestant church featuring stunning architecture.
A trip to any Dutch city is incomplete without spending some time at the canals. While walking towards my next location, I came across the water and spent some time watching the cruise boats going around.
My next activity was searching for the different suitcases of the Leiden Baggage Jewish Monument. There are six suitcases made out of concrete placed in different locations around Leiden to signify the hardships faced by the Jewish community during World War II. Behind one of the suitcase locations, I also came across a rather interesting and old police station building.
As I was walking towards my final stop, I noticed a building with a mathematical formula painted on it. After doing a quick search online, I found out that this is part of a public art project where different math formulas are painted on random city walls. This was a nice, geeky end to my city tour.
Relaxing at Hortus Botanicus
Hortus Botanicus was my last checkpoint of the day. I spent the remaining amount of time there until Mehran came to pick me up, and then we had dinner together. The entrance ticket was 11 Euros, and I spent nearly two hours inside.
Pro-tip: Secure your skip-the-line Hortus Botanicus ticket using the widget below.
It is a beautiful botanical garden featuring a huge variety of different plant species. There are also tropical greenhouses featuring lots of vibrant greenhouse plants. The way the gardens are designed is heavily influenced by Japanese gardens. As a big admirer of Japanese gardens, I absolutely loved the overall structure of Hortus Botanicus. The visit was extremely therapeutic for me. I moved through the gardens slowly and sat down to enjoy the peaceful views.
Incredible Halal Food in Leiden: India Way
- 🥘Cuisine: Authentic Indian
- ⭐ Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 🌙 Halal Status: 100% Halal (Alcohol Served)
- 🌐 Website: https://india-ways.nl/
- 📸 Socials: Instagram
- 💰 Budget: €25–€45 per person
One of Mehran’s colleagues took us to India Way for dinner. The restaurant serves a 100% Halal menu and offers authentic Indian cuisine. We were served one of the best Indian meals we have ever had.
The butter chicken was creamy and delicious, the naans were soft and hot, and the aloo gobi was divine. The tandoori chicken was an absolute treat, and the mango lassi tied everything together perfectly. The food and service experience was so awesome that we actually returned to Leiden during our next visit to the Netherlands, driving 90 minutes one way just to eat at India Way. We usually have a very hard time finding good South-Asian Halal food, but the meals served at India Way are pure perfection.
Final Remarks
My short day-trip to Leiden was an extremely relaxing experience for me. The weather was nice and I enjoyed walking around and exploring the city. The highlight for me was the walking tour of different landmarks in Leiden.
Enjoyed my mini-exploration of Leiden? We’d be happy to build a personalized itinerary just for you! Head over to our Custom-Plans page to get started.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get to Leiden from Amsterdam?
Leiden is easily accessible by train from Amsterdam Centraal. The journey takes around 30 to 40 minutes, making it a perfect destination for a day trip. You can check schedules and buy tickets here
Is Corpus Museum suitable for young children?
Corpus is highly interactive and great for school-aged children who are curious about science and biology. It features large screens and a walk-through tour of the human body.
Is it easy to find Halal food during a Leiden day trip?
Yes, Leiden offers some incredible dining options, including 100% Halal South-Asian cuisine. Restaurants like India Way serve exceptional dishes, making it well worth planning your evening meal or dinner stops around them.
