Secrets of Leiden: The People and Stories Behind the City
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About the Tour
About the Tour
Leiden's tidy canals and university halls conceal stories far stranger than its postcard views suggest. On this walking tour, you'll find out how a miller's ninth child became Rembrandt, and how a trusted neighborhood caregiver became one of Holland's most prolific poisoners.
The tour starts on Rembrandtplaats, beside a statue of the artist as a boy gazing at his older self. You'll follow the Galgewater past historic houseboats and the shuttered Stadstimmerwerf, then along the elegant Rapenburg canal, where you'll pause outside the house of Philipp Franz von Siebold, the physician who smuggled Japan's secrets to Europe, and the plaque marking René Descartes' Leiden home.
Inside the Pieterskerk, you'll hear how Pilgrim leaders worshipped here for eleven years before sailing on the Mayflower, and how their pastor John Robinson lies buried within. Nearby, the former Gravensteen prison reveals how justice and punishment once stood beside the church itself. The tour ends at the ruined Vrouwekerk, where French Protestant refugees baptized a family whose descendants would include Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
On this 120-minute tour, you'll have a chance to:
- Step inside the Hortus Botanicus, where the first Dutch tulips were cultivated in the 1590s
- Learn how William Brewster's illegal printing press in a hidden alley led to the Mayflower voyage
- Hear how Jan Steen turned his chaotic household into some of Holland's most celebrated paintings
- Stand where physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes first liquefied helium and discovered superconductivity
- Visit Van der Werfpark, where a mayor's wartime defiance and a fiancée's secret bargain saved Leiden from siege
- Climb the Burcht, an ancient hilltop fortress hidden at the heart of the city
- Wander around Hooglandse Kerk, a Gothic church built partly out of rivalry with the Pieterskerk
By the time you reach the Vrouwekerk's broken walls, you'll understand how a demolished chapel quietly connects Leiden to American presidential history.
Tour Producer
Tour Producer
Inkroost
I’m Süha, a Leiden-based walking tour creator who specialises in small-group, story-driven experiences. I design and lead my own walking tours through Leiden, researching the city’s hidden history and collecting the overlooked details, forgotten figures and surprising connections that most visitors pass without noticing.
My tours are built from many hours of walking Leiden’s streets, studying its buildings, monuments and local stories, and testing which moments truly capture people’s imagination. After receiving consistently strong ratings from guests, I decided to create self-guided audio tours for travellers who want to explore Leiden independently or who are unable to join me in person.
Rather than simply listing dates and famous landmarks, my tours focus on the people behind the city: artists, scientists, refugees, philosophers, rebels and ordinary residents whose lives became part of a much larger story. As you walk, you will discover how Leiden’s history connects with Japan, the United States, European science, religious freedom and global culture.
My aim is to help you see Leiden not only as a beautiful Dutch city, but as a place whose streets have quietly influenced the wider world.
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Preview Location
Preview Location
Location 7
Twelve Years Before the Mayflower
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This church stands at the centre of several Leiden stories, but begin with the one that crossed the Atlantic.
Many people know that the Pilgrims sailed to America aboard the Mayflower. W...
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How VoiceMap Works
Major Landmarks
Major Landmarks
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Rembrandtplaats
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Pieterskerk, Leiden
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Van der Werf Park
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Koornbrug
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Burcht van Leiden
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Hooglandse Kerk
Getting There
Getting There
Route Overview
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Start locationGalgewater 44, 2311 VZ Leiden, Netherlands
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Total distance3km
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Final locationVan der Sterrepad 5, 2312 JS Leiden, Netherlands
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Distance back to start location513.66m
Directions to Starting Point
Make your way to the corner of Weddesteeg and Rembrandtplaats, beside the Galgewater canal. The easiest landmark is the statue of the young Rembrandt looking toward a representation of his older self.
Stand near the entrance to Weddesteeg, where the narrow street meets the square. When you can see both figures clearly, you are at the correct starting point. Press Start when you are ready.
Show Directions
Tips
Tips
Places to stop along the way
There are several good places to pause or extend the tour along the way. Near the beginning, Japan Museum SieboldHuis is the most relevant museum stop, with Japanese prints, maps, natural-history objects and other material connected to Philipp Franz von Siebold and his years in Japan.
At the Academy Building, you can visit the Hortus Botanicus and explore the full botanical garden. The historic observatory behind the garden is also worth seeing, although access and opening times may vary.
Around the Nieuwe Rijn and Koornbrug, the route passes the heart of Leiden’s market area. De Waag is a good option for a longer food or drink stop, particularly if you would like to spend more time around the historic market district. For local coffee, Borgman & Borgman, a Leiden coffee roastery on Nieuwe Rijn, and Bij Daaf & Maan are both close to the route.
For a longer museum visit, Wereldmuseum Leiden offers broader collections relating to cultures around the world, including Japan and the history of Dutch contact with Dejima.
Near the end of the tour, science enthusiasts can continue to Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, while visitors interested in Rembrandt, Jan Steen and Leiden’s artistic history should consider Museum De Lakenhal. Check current opening hours before planning a museum visit, and allow extra time, as entering any of these attractions will make the tour considerably longer.
Best time of day
The Burcht might be closed during nights. Otherwise, anytime of the day works beautifully but you will need good shoes and be cautious about the weather.
Precautions
Leiden’s historic centre is mostly flat and easy to walk, but parts of the route include cobblestones, uneven paving, narrow streets and busy cycle lanes. Please stay aware of bicycles and other traffic, especially when crossing roads or looking at your phone.
The Burcht includes steps and may be slippery in wet weather. Take your time there and use the handrail where available. Some streets or paths may occasionally be affected by construction, markets, events or temporary closures, so always follow local signs and use your judgment if conditions have changed.
Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring an umbrella or rain jacket, as the weather can change quickly. Water is also recommended, especially in warm weather.
The tour takes place entirely in public outdoor spaces, and no museum entry is required. Please do not enter private property or closed areas, and pause the audio whenever you need more time to cross a street, rest or check the route.
You are responsible for deciding whether the route is suitable for your mobility, health and the current conditions.
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