DO-IT-YOURSELF EXCURSIONS
Going North to Leiden and Amsterdam
Leiden is a mere 15 to 20-minute direct connection by train from all train stations in The Hague. It houses the oldest Dutch university founded in 1575 and has a very walkable historic city centre. Sites worth exploring are the Hortus Botanicus which also houses the oldest existing observatory, the museum of sciences and medicine and the Dutch national museum of Antiquities with its extensive collection of Egyptian artifacts and a complete Egyptian temple in the inner courtyard.
For local information, DIY walking tours and an overview of events: Leiden, Key to Discoveries | Visit Leiden
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Oudheidkundig museum |
National Museum of Antiquities – a large Egyptian collection |
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Hortus Botanicus & Sterrewacht |
University botanical garden
Oldest existing astronomical observatory in the world (book a private tour) |
Hortus botanicus Leiden | Oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands | Hortus Leiden |
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Boerhaave Museum |
Museum of Science and Medicine An exposition on the unseen inequality in medical research and practice until March 2026 |
Discover the world of science and medicine – Rijksmuseum Boerhaave |
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Corpus |
A journey through the human body |
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Lakenhal |
Art Museum With an exposition on an unknown master painter and contemporary of Rembrandt October 2025-March 2026 |
News: Museum De Lakenhal opens search for Rembrandt’s enigmatic contemporary – Museum De Lakenhal |
Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands, gaining city rights around 1300 and is home to AFC Ajax, a prominent football team (Johan Cruijff ArenA | Stadium Tours). There are trains between Den Haag Central Station or Laan van NOI stations and Amsterdam every half hour (direct) or every 15 minutes with a change in Leiden.
Well known attractions include
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Rijksmuseum |
National Museum of Art |
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Van Gogh Museum |
Large Van Gogh collection |
The Museum about Vincent van Gogh in Amsterdam – Van Gogh Museum |
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Anne Frank House |
The Achterhuis where the Frank family hid in World War II |
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Eye Film Museum |
Film and tv museum |
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Heineken Experience |
Heineken Brewery Museum |
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Canal tour |
Various vendors |
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Vondelpark |
Amsterdam’s city park |
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Albert Cuyp Market |
Large open-air flower, food, clothing and flea market |
Discover the most beautiful market of Amsterdam | Albert Cuyp Markt |
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Stedelijk Museum |
Museum of Modern Art |
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Dutch Jewish Museum |
History of Jewish religion and culture in the Netherlands |
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Portugese Synagoge |
The oldest 17th century synagoge |
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Maritime museum |
500 years of maritime history |