{"id":3975,"date":"2018-07-24T11:36:23","date_gmt":"2018-07-24T11:36:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mylittletravelstories.com\/en\/?p=3975"},"modified":"2018-07-24T15:14:20","modified_gmt":"2018-07-24T15:14:20","slug":"canal-cruise-leiden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mylittletravelstories.com\/en\/netherlands\/canal-cruise-leiden\/","title":{"rendered":"Canal Cruise Leiden"},"content":{"rendered":"

Because our family had something to celebrate, we decided to do something exciting and take a canal cruise on the canals of Leiden. Leiden is a beautiful city, not far from the Dutch beach. It looks a bit like Amsterdam but it is a bit smaller. Therefore, Leiden is therefore also called ‘Little Amsterdam’\ud83d\ude0a We booked a boat at the ‘Leidse Rederij’. The Leidse Rederij<\/a> is a voluntary organization. It has more than sixty captains, guides and engineers who are doing this work voluntary because they want to show us the beauty of the city of Leiden. Their dock is situated at the\u00a0Apothekersdijk. A part of the terrace ashore is reserved for visitors of the Leidse Rederij. While our boat is waiting for us in the water, we take a quick sip of water and then it’s time to go! \ud83d\ude04<\/p>\n

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\u00a9 My Little Travel Stories<\/p><\/div>\n

The weather is incredibly beautiful: 30 degrees Celsius and sunshine everywhere!\u00a0\ud83c\udf34<\/span><\/span>\ud83c\udf1e<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Our canal tour starts on the\u00a0Galgenwater and we pass\u00a0 windmill ‘De Put’ and the Rembrandt bridge. If you would walk from the windmill across the bridge, you’d stand in front of the birthhouse of the famous painter Rembrandt van Rijn. He was born here in 1606 and lived here for many years.<\/p>\n

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\u00a9 My Little Travel Stories<\/p><\/div>\n

Our guide is extremely nice and very sympathetic. He translates everything in both Dutch and English and seems to know everything about Leiden \ud83d\ude42 It is definitely a man with real passion for his voluntary ‘job’.<\/p>\n

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\u00a9 My Little Travel Stories<\/p><\/div>\n

“This is the most beautiful canal of Holland”, he says. “Are there any people from Amsterdam on this boat?” He asks them whether they agree with him about that canal being the most beautiful canal of Holland. But of course they don’t, haha\u00a0\ud83d\ude0f
\n“I’ll explain why this is the most beautiful canal of the Netherlands”, he continues. In the meanwhile the boat has stopped in front of the amazing building on the photo down below\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\ude42 This is the academy building of Leiden University. It was built in 1516 and houses the so called ‘Sweat Room’.\u00a0It is a tradition in Leiden to immortalize your name in the sweat room after receiving your diploma. Many important people have immortalized their name here as well: Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and our very own king Willem Alexander.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Academy Building, Leiden University \u00a9 My Little Travel Stories<\/p><\/div>\n

During the canal tour we found out that only a few meters away from the impressive Academy Building, there is a house that used to belong to our king Willem-Alexander. That white\/yellowish house is where he used to live and study during his education at Leiden University. Funny isn’t it?\u00a0\ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n

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The former house of king Willem Alexander \u00a9 My Little Travel Stories<\/p><\/div>\n

The picture down below shows the flour factory of Leiden. It has been a while since it has been closed and plans for renovations have been made. If you look through the two buildings you will be able to spot a birds nest. It is huge! That is because it was made by a Dutch artist. He even slept inside the birds nest for three days!\u00a0\ud83d\ude2e<\/p>\n

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Flour Factory \u00a9 My Little Travel Stories<\/p><\/div>\n

Well, in case you want to do the canal cruise as well I won’t give away any more information and surprises about the tour and Leiden. I liked it a lot and although I know Leiden very well, I heard a lot of new information and above all: a lot of very interesting and cool stuff! I would definitely recommend a Leiden Canal Tour!\u00a0\ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n

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Canal tour Leiden \u00a9 My Little Travel Stories<\/p><\/div>\n

Tip<\/strong>: You are allowed to bring your own food and drinks aboard the ship. So bring your wine, Dutch cheese and olives and your Leiden canal cruise will be perfect!\u00a0\ud83d\ude0d<\/p>\n

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