Explore Leiden
Restaurants
Cafes
Bars
Museums
Attractions
Parks
Coworking
Neighborhoods
Day Trips
Healthcare
Schools
Shopping
Leiden is one of the most beautiful and intellectually rich cities in the Netherlands. Home to the oldest university in the country, the birthplace of Rembrandt, a world-class botanical garden and more museums per capita than almost any city in the Netherlands.
Population
125,000
Expat residents
18,000+
1-bed rent (central)
1,200-1,700/mo
Train to Amsterdam
35 minutes
Train to Den Haag
20 minutes
Train to Schiphol
20 minutes
The city
Why Leiden
Leiden has more canals than Amsterdam and a historic centre of extraordinary quality. The university, founded in 1575, is the oldest in the Netherlands and brings 30,000 students to a relatively small city, keeping it young and lively. The Hortus Botanicus – one of the oldest botanical gardens in the world – and the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden are both world-class institutions.
Leiden has a significant medical and pharmaceutical research community centred on the LUMC academic medical centre and the Leiden BioScience Park. For researchers, academics and medical professionals, it is a natural home.
The train connection to Amsterdam, The Hague and Schiphol makes it an excellent base for professionals working across the western Netherlands.
Practical info
Getting around and settling in
Getting around: Very cyclable compact city. Excellent train connections – Amsterdam 35 min, The Hague 20 min, Schiphol 20 min.
Language: English widely spoken, particularly in the academic community.
Cost of living: More affordable than Amsterdam. See our cost of living guide.
Healthcare: LUMC is one of the finest academic medical centres in the Netherlands. Dutch health insurance mandatory. See our health insurance guide.
Just arrived
Your first two weeks in Leiden
1
Register at the Leiden gemeente and get your BSN
Essential first step. Gemeente guide and BSN guide.
2
Open a Dutch bank account
ABN AMRO, ING and bunq are the most expat-friendly. Full guide.
3
Arrange health insurance within four months
Mandatory and backdates to arrival. Full guide.
4
Set up your DigiD
Required for all Dutch government services. Full guide.
5
Walk the Rapenburg
The most beautiful canal in Leiden and home to the university’s main buildings.