Netherlands · BOAT TOURS IN LEIDEN
A trip always has one free day too few. These 6 boat tours in Leiden are worth the slot, priced and timed so the choice takes minutes.
See Leiden from its 17 miles of canals on a one-hour cruise led in Dutch and English by a local captain. You’ll pass City Hall, Hortus Botanicus, Museum De Lakenhal, and many of the city’s 88 bridges. Buy a drink or snack before boarding at Aalmarkt 4, and bring a jacket because the canal breeze can be cold.
“Extremely polite and nice guide/boat driver.!Well served in English!”
See Leiden from a quiet electric boat on a 50-minute guided cruise from Blauwpoortsbrug. Your skipper explains the city in Dutch and English, with an audio app available for other languages. Expect low bridges, canal views, the university, observatory, Hortus Botanicus, parks, and covered, heated sailing in poor weather.
“It’s not hard to see why this is the best rated cruise in Leiden. Really well located, friendly & knowledgeable staff a super boat & lovely route. Highly recommend !!”
Join Rederij van Hulst in Warmond for a one-hour cruise across the Kagerplassen. You will pass working windmills, low-lying polders, and traditional villages while an audio guide shares how the area stays dry, in places up to 5 meters below sea level. Boats have an open rear deck, onboard toilets, and guides in four languages.
“My birthday as well as the captain. All joined in with song for birthday wishes ! - Lovely !”
Take the helm of a private electric boat in Leiden for two hours, with room for up to eight people. Staff at Rondvaart Leiden provide a clear briefing and map, then you choose your own route through the city’s canals, stopping at waterside parks or for a coffee. No boating license is needed, but the boat’s slow acceleration calls for care around other boats.
“Very good activity. Staff very friendly, easy to use and figure out.”
You’ll spend one hour aboard a covered Rederij van Hulst boat on the Kagerplassen, with an open deck for photos of windmills, villages, and spring fields. Collect your Keukenhof ticket in Warmond before sailing, then drive yourself about 15 minutes to the gardens. The boat audio guide is offered in five languages.
“Rejs na, którym można odpocząć doświadczając widoków ze strony wody.”
Spend 2.5 hours aboard a boat crossing the Kaag Lakes, known as the Amsterdam Lakes. You’ll see working windmills, shallow water, polders, pasture, marinas, villages, and seasonal flower fields. The English, German, or Dutch-speaking crew offers a relaxed ride, with helpful boarding assistance and wheelchair access.
“The trip was really nice and pleasant. Both the captain and the service staff on board were super friendly and accommodating. During the tour you get a completely new perspective on your (holiday) region, see fantastic properties and great marinas. I would particularly like to mention the captain's willingness to help passengers who weren't quite able to stand their ground when getting on and off. The rollator was always moved first and then the person in question was given help. Really very commendable.Read more”
Pick a canal, a gallery or a polder.
