Leiden, the Netherlands | City guide for expats

Welcome to Leiden! This 17th-century city is a perfect microcosm of Dutch life, with students, natives and expats all living here side-by-side, enjoying the busy and cheerful city centre. Find out more about the origins of Leiden and what there is to see and do.

Leiden city guide

Leiden is home to the oldest university in the Netherlands, and as many as one in six of its residents are students. This means while the city itself is old and venerable, there is a youthful exuberance in its streets, with plenty of bars, cafes and music venues.

The history of Leiden

From humble beginnings, Leiden developed into a prosperous city during the 16th century, becoming famous for its weaving and printing industries. 

Siege and revolution

In 1572, the city sided with the Dutch revolt against Spanish Rule, and in 1574 it spent six months under siege from the Spanish army. Gaps were cut into the dikes to allow ships in and out with supplies, but it was still a very hard time for the city. The siege finally ended on October 3, a date that is still celebrated in Leiden every year with the Ontzet Festival.

In 1575, to say thank you for its fortitude withstanding the siege, Willem I of Orange offered Leiden a choice: the city could either be exempted from certain taxes, or establish its very own university. The city chose a university, and Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands today.

Piety and pioneers

Around 1607, a group of Separatist Christians moved to Leiden from England in order to worship separately from the Church of England. They formed a small community, and spent just over a decade working in Leiden’s textile and printing industries, and studying at the university.

After much planning, in 1620, this group set sail for America and became known as the Pilgrim Fathers, founding the colony of New Plymouth in what is now Massachusetts. 

Slowdown and disaster

In the 17th century, the textile industry of Leiden began to decline, partly due to the English starting to manufacture their own woollen cloth instead of exporting wool to the Netherlands. With a shortage of employment in the area, people moved away and the population of Leiden dropped dramatically over the next century, from a high of 70.000 to around 30.000.

To add to the city’s woes, in 1807, a ship carrying 17.400 kilograms of gunpowder exploded in the middle of Leiden. Over 150 people died and more than 2.000 people were wounded, and a large part of the city centre remained in ruins for many years. In 1886, after the arrival of the railway had marked a change in Leiden’s fortunes, the affected area was turned into a public park.

City of science

Leiden remained a centre for learning, thanks to the university and the abundance of books. The university has produced 16 Nobel Laureates, and many great inventions were born there, including the Leyden jar, liquefied helium and the Big Bang Theory.

Added to that, one true symbol of the Netherlands owes its thanks to Leiden: In the 1500s, the botanist Carolus Clusius brought tulips back to Europe from Turkey and created the first Dutch strains in Leiden’s botanical garden. These strains are still present and used today. 

Leiden today

All that learning has left its mark on the city, and today it boasts a large number of excellent museums, often started from the collections of individual academics. The university is still going strong, and the lively student culture means there is always something going on. 

Groups and clubs in Leiden

The most famous clubs in Leiden are the fraternities at the university. Only for students, these associations are the forerunners of the famous American Frat Houses. Many of them are infamous for the initiation rituals would-be members are required to go through. 

However, there are plenty of other places where you can have fun and meet people in Leiden, with special interest groups and meetups for internationals happening all the time. Explore some of the various clubs and groups in Leiden.

Jobs in Leiden

Of course the university is a major employer in the city, but there are also several major international companies based in Leiden, including Airbus and Eurotransplant. There are also lots of jobs in the fields of life sciences and medical research, especially at Leiden Bio Science Park. Check out our job board for the latest vacancies for expats in Leiden.

Housing in Leiden

Leiden is a great place to base yourself in the Netherlands. From cute 17th century housing in the city centre to modern apartments outside the old city walls, it has something for everyone, and you’re also really close to other major cities such as The Hague, Utrecht, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Looking for a rental in Leiden? Find the perfect place to live in our housing listings.

Sights and activities

There’s a huge number of things to see and do in Leiden, especially for museum lovers. Here are some of the highlights:

Museums and galleries

There are so many museums and galleries in Leiden, it can be hard to know where to start! The super-modern Naturalis museum is an exciting and fresh look at the natural world and evolution. Yes, there are stuffed animals, but this museum is anything but stuffy. If humans are more your thing, Rijksmuseum Boerhaave can tell you anything you want to know about medicine and the body.

For lovers of the classics, the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (Museum of Antiquities) is unmissable. When the first thing that greets you as you enter is a complete ancient Egyptian temple, you know it’s a good museum. For those with a more specific cultural focus, the Japan Museum SieboldHuis is a celebration of the long connection between Japan and the Netherlands, with items collected from Japan in the early 1800s that still fascinate and impress today.

The Leiden American Pilgrim Museum houses a collection of items showcasing the way the Pilgrim Fathers lived during their time in Leiden, and is a favourite for American visitors looking to understand their country’s roots.

Art is not overlooked in this scientific city - Leiden is the birthplace of Rembrandt van Rijn, and while he moved away to the metropolis of Amsterdam, in Leiden you can visit the Young Rembrandt Studio and see where he first learnt to paint and sketch. The Museum de Lakenhal is the Municipal art museum, and houses a few Rembrandts and a large Theo van Doesburg collection, the founder of Dutch art movement De Stijl.

Have a beer or two

Leiden is overflowing with classic Dutch brown bars and cosy places to have a beer. But choosing one place to settle into can leave you feeling like you're missing out on the other options! 

The group Bierwandeling has realised this, and organises a walking tour for every beer season. Their Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter beer walks take you to six cafes and pubs, along a randomised route so not everyone is filling up the same places at the same time. In each pub, you get to try one of their time-limited seasonal beers, and perhaps find your new favourite local!

Read the walls

Inevitably, this rather untypical city doesn’t have typical graffiti. More than 100 poems are written on the walls in Leiden, in over 30 different languages. You can find a map of them on the Tegen Beeld website, and devise your own route either around your favourites or to try and take them all in. 

The website also includes translations of poems into Dutch and English, so you don’t have to guess what the beautiful words mean.

Take to the water

The peaceful canals of Leiden are perfect for exploring the city from a different angle. Not only can you take the ubiquitous boat tour, but you can also try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding, getting you out in the Dutch sunshine and up close and personal with the city itself.

Annual events

There’s always something happening in Leiden, but some events are definitely bigger than others. You can check out upcoming events in Leiden on our events page, but here are a few of the yearly highlights:

Ontzet Festival

The big one is Ontzet Festival - the annual celebration of the end of the siege in 1574. The passing of hundreds of years has only served to make this party even bigger! With the whole city taking part, there are fairground rides, musical acts, late-night DJs and a parade. There’s no doubt that Leiden is the place to be on October 3.

Leiden International Film Festival

One of the biggest film festivals in the Netherlands, the Leiden International Film Festival brings the best and brightest film-makers and films from all over the world to Leiden. The festival lasts for more than a week, and celebrates everything from indie shorts to mainstream hits.

Paarspop

If historical remembrance and arthouse films are a little staid for your tastes, Paarspop may be more up your street. It’s a one-day music festival, aimed so squarely at the student community that it traditionally takes place on a weekday. Of course, everyone is welcome; student, expat or local, and its waterside location makes it the perfect place to start your summer.

Explore and discover

Leiden might be a compact city, but there’s still a lot to discover, even within the old city walls. From Egyptian mummies and T-Rex skeletons to stand-up paddleboards and a city-wide party for a 450-year-old event, Leiden has surprises around every corner.