Delft And Leiden Travel Guide – Visit Delft And Leiden – Budget Travel In The Netherlands

Visit Delft and Leiden to experience two small Dutch towns, just 12 km apart. Whilst they can both be enjoyed as a day trip from Amsterdam, an early start means you can visit both towns in one day.

Getting up early in Amsterdam isn’t always easy, especially if you also like to enjoy the Amsterdam nightlife. However, getting to Delft, which is the furthest away from Amsterdam of the two towns, takes less than an hour. As Delft is only a small town, you can easily spend a couple of leisurely hours here before getting the train to Leiden and then use the same ticket to get back to Amsterdam. It makes for a great day out exploring these two charming Dutch towns.

Arriving In Delft

I arrived in Delft around noon. I had found a walking map online which was a circular walk from the train station, taking in the main sites. This was very useful. It is still online at https://www.routeyou.com/en-nl/route/view/4422456/walking-route/walking-tour-of-delft.

I headed from the station towards central Delft. The town already looked very pretty: like a much calmer Amsterdam.

After a coffee stop, I continued on the route which took me away from the city centre and through residential areas. Many of the homes had paintings on the side walls.

After exploring the peripheral areas, it was time to head towards the centre.

The walk took me to ‘Eastern Gate’ (map) which is the old city gate from the 1400s.

The walk took me to the back of the ‘Nieuwe Church’ (map) which looked impressive even from behind.

I followed the walking route through the quaint streets.

Eventually, the route led me to the main square.

The square is surrounded by many cafes and bars. On a nice day, it’s a great place to enjoy a drink and take in the surroundings. At either end of the square are two of Delft’s most significant buildings.

In the square, you will see examples of Delft’s famous blue pottery.

Delft artist Johannes Vermeer, famous for the painting ‘The girl with a pearl earring’, has works on display at ‘Vermeer Centrum Delft’ (map). You can see his influence in souvenirs and displays across the town.

After exploring the old town and enjoying a beer in the main square, it was time to move on to my next town. I really enjoyed my short time in Delft. It is a small but beautiful town and a relaxing break from busy Amsterdam.

Where To Stay In Delft

These are affiliate links to the Agoda web site. I receive a small amount for any bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.

• Shangai Hotel Holland
• Campanile Hotel
• Best Western Museum Hotel
• Riva Hotel Den Haag
• Hotel Bridges House Delft
• Juuls B & B
• Hotel de Koophandel

Arriving In Leiden

Leiden is a university town so I was expecting the town to be a little more vibrant and modern than Delft.

I had been very impressed with Delft and, on first impressions, Leiden was also looking like a nice town.

There is a big outdoor market in the town so I treated myself to some herring which was so fresh and delicious, I went back and bought some smoked fish.

I didn’t have a great deal of time left so I quickly did a little more exploring before returning to the station for the train back to Amsterdam.

Where To Stay In Leiden

These are affiliate links to the Agoda web site. I receive a small amount for any bookings made through these links at no extra cost to you.

• Golden Tulip Leiden Centre
• Tulip Inn Leiden Centre
• ibis Leiden Centre
• Hilton Garden Inn
• Holiday Inn Leiden
• House on the banks of Leiden’s old Moat

Are Delft And Leiden Worth Visiting?

Both of these towns are very pretty and a great day out from Amsterdam. If you skip the museums, you can easily do both in one day. A return ticket to Delft will allow you to visit Leiden on the return journey. It’s a much slower pace than Amsterdam. Both towns have coffeeshops.

• For more information about visiting Delft, visit https://www.delft.com/
• For more information about visiting Leiden, visit https://www.visitleiden.nl/