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All the Netherlands Leiden

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Leiden

47 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Leiden, Netherlands

Updated March 25, 2026
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Unusual Attractions in Leiden

Leiden, Netherlands

Museum Boerhaave

A former plague hospital turned medical museum.
The holiday market at Leiden.

Leiden, Netherlands

Leiden's Floating Christmas Market

A market built atop boats is one of the few floating holiday markets in Europe.
Hortus Botanicus Leiden

Leiden, Netherlands

Hortus Botanicus Leiden

A 'living museum' in Leiden, the oldest of its kind in the Netherlands.
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The Hidden Eschers of Leiden

Leiden, Netherlands

The Hidden Eschers of Leiden

Tucked away in the Leiden city hall are a group of works by famed artist MC Escher.
The world’s second-oldest observatory in all its glory

Leiden, Netherlands

Leiden Observatory

Devious political maneuvering and four ancient, working telescopes are central to the world's second-oldest observatory.
Homunculus Loxodontus

Leiden, Netherlands

'Zhdun' (Homunculus Loxodontus)

This Dutch art piece became a Russian icon.
Temple of Taffeh.

Leiden, Netherlands

Temple of Taffeh

An ancient Egyptian temple sits within a modern European museum.
See All 47 Things To Do in Leiden

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Leiden

A runny-yolked egg is the crowing glory to a ham-and-cheese pancake.

Leiden, Netherlands

Oudt Leyden

This institution has been serving up some of the best pancakes in the Netherlands for over a century.
In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Leiden, Netherlands

Science 10
History 6
Collections 6
Universities 5
Einstein 5
Memorials 4
Hidden 4
Architecture 4
Physics 4
History & Culture 4
Museums 3
Monuments 3
Houses 3
Art 3
Mathematics 3
Medical Museums 3
Anatomy Museums 2
Homes 2
Outsider Art 2
Botanical Gardens 2

Leiden Leaderboard

Places Added

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  2. R RottenHead profile photo
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    1
  3. W WHALEN profile photo
    WHALEN
    1
  4. Renate profile photo
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    1
  5. B blahdotnet profile photo
    blahdotnet
    1
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Leiden.

Places Edited

  1. CoolCrab profile photo
    CoolCrab
    37
  2. J jschrlmr profile photo
    jschrlmr
    5
  3. thomasvanderkruis profile photo
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    4
  4. F Flaneuse profile photo
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    3
  5. Vololona profile photo
    Vololona
    3

Places Visited

  1. CoolCrab profile photo
    CoolCrab
    46
  2. Renate profile photo
    Renate
    35
  3. Jeffwraithes2 profile photo
    Jeffwraithes2
    34
  4. Dark Nebula Deluxe profile photo
    Dark Nebula Deluxe
    32
  5. hrnick profile photo
    hrnick
    30

Recent Leiden Activity

  • V veralientje profile photo

    veralientje

    wants to go to Kabouterhuisje van Elmer (Elmer's Gnome House)

  • V veralientje profile photo

    veralientje

    has been to Archeological Park Matilo

  • V veralientje profile photo

    veralientje

    wants to go to Museum Depot

  • V veralientje profile photo

    veralientje

    wants to go to Israƫl Kiek Memorial

  • M mmchendriks1974 profile photo

    mmchendriks1974

    has been to Hortus Botanicus Leiden

Stories About Leiden

A quarantine sign in front of a tulip field in the Netherlands.

How a Long-Planned Pandemic Exhibit Adapted to COVID-19

A Dutch science museum was set to showcase the horrors of contagion. Then came coronavirus.
by Keely Sullivan, Atlas Obscura
December 8, 2020

Lists Featuring Leiden

The House of the Temple.
Statue of George Washington

Novus Ordo Seclorum: 14 Places to Unearth Masonic Secrets

Your best bets for gaining insight into the real history of Freemasonry.

14

Including Zedekiah's Cave, Masonic Lodge of the Andaz Hotel, and House of the Temple

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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