Netherlands 25: More wandering in Leiden

With us spending two weeks at Duinrell, we ended up returning to Leiden multiple during our 2025 trip. With it being a fairly short ride away and such a pleasant place to spend time, how could we not?!

For our second ride to Leiden, there was just the three of us, while the others took the bus. We’d be meeting up for lunch in the city, before the others headed to Corpus, while we stayed in Leiden.

Riding to Leiden

Getting there, we largely followed the route we returned on during our last visit to Leiden. This involved riding along Van Zuylen van Nijeveltstraat, then out of Wassenaar along Deijlerweg. We then continued parallel to the A44 on Ommedijkseweg. After crossing the Oude Rijn, we entered Leiden and parked at our usual spot at Beestenmarkt.

Looking out on cows in the field from Oude Trambaan

On Ommedijkseweg, next to the A44 motorway — Looking out on cows in the field from Oude Trambaan

Wandering round Leiden

After parking at Beestenmarkt, the three of us made our way along Haarlemmerstraat to meet the others. We arrived at Annie’s on Hoogstraat. It looked like an interesting place to try. We grabbed a table and waited for the others to arrive on the bus.

Lunch at Annie’s was really good. It was such a nice spot to sit in the sunshine. The place overlooked the Rijn, just across the river from where we ate last time at Waag. It was also quite an interesting space, with the restaurant located in the old wharf cellars opening onto the river.

After lunch, the others set off to Corpus, while we went for a wander round Leiden. This took us along Janvossensteeg, then along Oude Vest and past Marekerk, before stopping at Hartebrugkerk for a look inside.

Boat about to pass under Marebrug on Oude Vest

From there, we crossed the Rijn at Kippenbrug, then across Breestraat and towards Pieterskerk. We then explored the area around Pieterskerk. We took in the former prison Gravensteen. Sadly, the Young Rembrandt School was covered in scaffolding.

We then made our way Herensteeg and across Breestraat, having a look in and around the Stadhuis. We then made our way back to Beestenmarkt, to collect the bikes and head off.

Vrouwenkerksteeg, towards Marekerk — Boats on Galgewater, near Beestenmarkt

Riding back to Duinrell

Leaving Leiden, we made our way through the university quarter, past the Gorlaeus Lecture Hall. At Valkenburgse Meer, we stopped for a quick look round, thinking we may return during our trip. We then followed the route along the Zijwatering Canal, including the diversion we did on our previous trip to Leiden.