It’s always around this time of year that my heart always aches for my second home-- Leiden, the Netherlands, where I spent a semester abroad. This place will always hold such importance to me and so it’s comforting to sometimes pull up a map and mentally take a walk around and visit my favorite places. If you should ever find yourself in the Netherlands, I encourage you to spend some time in Leiden, just a short distance south of Amsterdam by train. When you get there, you should visit these places:
1. Us Bertus: Friesian Bakery.
Friesian is another language spoken in the Netherlands and there is a region called Friesland, which the heritage of this bakery. I remember getting lunch here several times. They make sandwiches and their bread is delicious to pick up and bring home if you don’t want to stop into one of the Dutch supermarkets. Get a sandwich and eat by the Rapenburg canal or pick up an almond cookie and explore the town. Enjoy!
2. Rijksmuseum van Oudheden.
This is the National Museum of Antiquities. I stopped in here many times while I lived here-- I had a Museumkart and I could get in for free as many times as I wanted. There are Egyptian artifacts there and pieces from ancient Rome and Jordan. There is also an exhibit on Leiden from the stone age to the present. It’s a really great overview of this neat place! Be prepared though, most of the museum is in Dutch, so you'll need to pick up an English guide if you want to read descriptions of most things in the museum. Look at the different artifacts and take in this really neat gem of the city!
3. Leiden Observatory.
This will be a challenging place to visit because usually, you need to be a student to go up to the observatory on the Universiteit Leiden campus. But if you happen to be in Leiden on Openmonumentendag (Open Monument Day) or on the day of a significant astrological event, you should stop by! It’s well worth it to stop in. Fun Fact: Albert Einstein spent some time at Leiden University!
4. Museum Boerhaave.
The science museum, and one of the coolest science museums I have ever visited. It’s kind of a history of science place. Because of Leiden’s history in Academics and exploration, this is a great place to go and see historical scientific instruments and learn about how people viewed thing like the human body and the universe. Take a look at the preserved specimen and go stand in the old operating theater in the middle of the museum!
5. Burcht van Leiden.
If you’re looking for an overview of this city, this is the place to go. Hike up the hill and enter the old fortress, at one time big enough to hold the city of Leiden and everyone’s sheep (the Dutch love sheep). Stand on the wall and behold this beautiful part of the Netherlands!
6. Saturday Market.
If you have never been to a Saturday market in the Netherlands before, you absolutely must go this time. Try traditional Dutch food like pickled herring and fries with mayonnaise (sounds nasty, is actually delicious)! There is also a lot of produce, meats, and cheeses to try. Even if you don’t buy anything, this is a great way to get a feel of what the city is like and start understanding Dutch culture.
7. Haarlemmerstraat.
If you want to go shopping, this is the place to go. This street is also one of the main roads in Leiden. The government buildings have doors on this street, there are plenty of places to eat. Visit Flying Tiger and since what interesting trinkets and fun gadgets are there. One of my favorite book stores is there as well-- there’s even some English books if you’re in need of new reading material!
8. Bagels and Beans.
If you’re looking for a slightly slower pace to your day, this is a great place to take that break. Come in and have a delicious bagel and some coffee or hot chocolate and either sit and look out the window on the walking street just outside, read a book at one of the benches, or meet up with friends for a bite!
9. Pennenkoekenhuis De Schaapsbel.
If you really want a taste of Dutch cuisine, this is a great place to go. Pannenkoeken is like a giant crepe, or a big thin pancake. You can put things like fruit in it or Nutella or something savory. One of my favorites has cream cheese, dill, and lox. It was incredible! It’s a great meal to sit and talk over and bond with another person, since the pannenkoeken take a little while to eat. This particular Pannenkoekenhuis is near the harbor and is in the heart of the city. It’s very beautiful!
10. Town Centre Limits.
There is a canal that goes around the entirety of the city centre. At one point in Leiden’s history, this canal was a defense preventing people from entering if the gates were closed. Some of the gates are still standing and you can walk through them entering or leaving the inner city. Rent a bike for a couple hours and bike around this canal. Get a feel for what living in this Dutch city is like, even if you’re there for only a day trip. It’s a great city and you’ll really understand this by becoming one with the city and biking its roads and canals.
Enjoy your visit to Leiden, and I hope you enjoy my second home!