Leiden, Netherlands, canals, lanes, train station and museums

travel videos & photos at: townsofeurope.com/ with text, maps & links.
We are taking another look at Leiden, one of the most beautiful towns in the Netherlands. Wandering along the canals enjoying the reflections, heading for the shopping streets and some historic monuments and museums.
This is kind of like a video postcard rack where we're going to look at some of the buildings, we will see the dogs sitting out on the sidewalk and people at their terrace tables, or just out for a stroll in the historic neighborhoods. Sure there are lots of monuments and important sites that you'll want to see, but one of the joys and being in a place like Leiden is just simply taking a walk and watching the bicycles.
At the end of this short movie we will take you inside two of the main museums, covering history and culture. We will also have a look inside the modern train station, which is the transportation heart of the city.

[@hanslaro917]

Dear Dennis. Every time it is a pleasure to learn about my own country via your comprehensive video's. My compliments for your extensive research and report. Thank you, it's a pleasure to watch!

[@Snakesborough]

Another beautiful video dedicated to the town where I studied for six years (history and medieval languages) back in the eighties and which is still very dear to me. Even though I live near the German border and going to Leiden takes me much longer than half an hour, it's still always a treat to stay a few days in Leiden, just as it's always a treat to watch your splendid video's. Thank you most kindly!

[@denniscallan]

You are very lucky to have spent such time in that great place. It must have been delightful, and educational to learn about history in such a historic place.

[@Snakesborough]

@@denniscallan Thank you and you are always welcome in our country making such splendid videos. Indeed in Leiden I had very happy years and I studied hard. And I served honourably in the Dutch Royal Field artillery as a conscript and since thirty years I work for agricultural publications here in the east where farmers are greatly honoured. Maybe some day you will find the time to visit the old hanseatic towns here in the east alongside the beautiful IJssel river. Thank you again!

[@rjvanhouten]

Dear mister Callan, I quite enjoyed your videos on Leiden, not in the least because I was born and bred there. You actually filmed the house along the Langebrug (the white building with the wicket shaped railings at 4:44) where I lived during my time as a student at the Leiden University, some 35 years ago. Your videos provided accurate information about the city; my only worry would be that - as a result - the hordes of tourists now choose to come to Leiden, instead of Amsterdam... 😉

[@joycesmith8354]

We visit Leiden couple times a year when we go to The Netherlands. We just like to sit outside a cafe , looking over the water people watching.

[@denniscallan]

yes, one of life's simple but profound pleasures.

[@frenchgrama]

I stumbled upon your travel videos a couple of weeks ago and I’m loving them, I really appreciate the common sense tips about travel and how to get around along with any tidbits of history you throw in. Thanks for sharing...

[@holgers.3397]

I LOVE LEIDEN the best stad van nederland denk ik.

[@wanderplanet]

I love the beautiful cities of the Netherlands so much.❤ But I've heard there are so many Dutch who are suffering from so many tourists in Amsterdam. So hesitant to visit there.😨 How's Leiden? In your video, Leiden is full of canals, windmills and bicycles except for trams that I love. I have to put it on my destination list.😉 Thanks for the wonderful video!👍

[@hanslaro917]

Dear "wanderplanet". Please don't be putt of and visit our country, You are more then welkom here. Of course there is a part of the tourists who cause nuisance, certainly in Amsterdam, but those are the tourists who come for the wrong reasons (soft drugs and red light district). Don't limit your visit to Amsterdam, the country has so much more to offer, especially outside the cities.

[@denniscallan]

Thank you for the comments, which are exactly why I created the series on "Netherlands beyond Amsterdam" to show how much more there is to see in this wonderful country. You can't find a better Dutch city than Leiden and all the other cities in my series are also wonderful to visit. You don't need a tram in Leiden because everything is in walking distance. The series is complete now with 22 movies kzbin.info/aero/PLke86NFI6R8yHA2T5e7P38pniCONuuN_3

[@nicholasjames100]

I recently got back from Leiden it blew me away how beautiful it was 10/10 a must visit !

[@chick262]

His voice soothes me

[@dwohio6398]

Well done.

[@arandomki]

Nice video 👍

[@RichardRenes]

About the Museum voor Volkenkunde: it is now joined by 3 other museums: the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, the Africa museum in Berg en Dal (near Nijmegen) and the Wereldmuseum in Rotterdam. The building the Museum voor Volkenkunde is housed in used to be the university hospital btw (and you can still kind of see it in the floorplan)

[@denniscallan]

Thank you for the specifics on that grand merger. I did refer to it in the video, saying "The museum moved to its present location in 1937, which underwent major expansion in the 1990s and now it is joined with two other Dutch museums to form the national Museum of World Cultures with a total collection of nearly half a million items."

[@ktw380]

😍😍😍😘😘😘

[@RAWDernison1]

I'm missing "Naturalis".

[@colbyloveless5245]

This is were I stay in vacant dorm rooms during the summer. I don't recommend trying to sleep in Amsterdam.

[@denniscallan]

That is a great suggestion. How does it work out for you in the dorm rooms?

[@larciabella]

Dennis,Do you know what happened to the original train Station?Was it destroyed in the war?

[@royzilko2523]

Did I miss the Mayflower Museum?

[@arhu74]

Love the video of my city and even my house but I need to correct you : Bicycles do not have the right of way, they are treated as other vehicles with the same rights and restrictions as all vehicles

[@denniscallan]

Thanks for that information.