Explore the wonderful city of Leiden with Discover Canal Cruises
Discover Canal Cruises is pleased to offer you exclusive private boat tours and guided excursions along the unique canal system of the medieval city of Leiden.
Explore the picturesque waterways with us and learn more about Leiden’s rich trading history, culture and famous landmarks.
Cruise through the charming canals of the Dutch city of Leiden and discover its hidden gems with our private guided boat tours whilst enjoying onboard drinks and snacks.
Our English-speaking captains provide cosy private tours as well as party cruises and boat trips combined with activities like local beer tastings, a chocolate or gin workshop, and visits to local museums, to name a few. During the tour our local guides will tell you all about the hidden gems of Leiden and about the historic and modern places of interest.
Check our arrangements and book your unforgettable experience now!
Just relax with the company of your choice, with all-inclusive drinks and snacks, on this private cruise through Leiden's inner-city waterways. In about 90 minutes, the captain will guide you through the most beautiful places of Leiden in a cosy canal boat. Along the way, we share local-only info and tell you all about our favorite bars, restaurants, and other hidden gems in Leiden! This sightseeing adventure is sure to be one of the highlights of your visit!
This special canal tour is perfect for bigger groups that want to discover the city of Leiden within the privacy of their own group. During this 90-minute cruise, our true local captains will tell you all about the city’s rich history, showing you the city's sights and letting you in on some of Leiden's hidden gems. So settle in on board and enjoy the highlights of Leiden whilst drinks and snacks are served.
Traveling in style on a private boat with your own personal English-speaking guide and captain, we offer you a deep dive into what the city has to offer. From exploring the famous Hortus Botanicus, Holland's oldest Botanical Garden, to visiting Leiden's most well-known windmill, built in 1743.
Next to that you can either enjoy an active workshop at Leiden's Artisan Chocolate Manufacturer (Morning Tour at 10:00) or a special Gin Workshop where you will learn about a special piece of Leiden's history combined with a gin tasting session (Afternoon Tour at 14:00).
On top of the snacks and drinks that are available on board, either a leisurely lunch or dinner is included at the end of the tour to top off an amazing Leiden experience.
Make the most of the seasonal quiet on the streets and enjoy a serene city experience from October through February with this special private tour. Cruise past Leiden's most wonderful sights in autumn and winter colours, snuggled up under a heated blanket with a hot chocolate or gluhwein. Your captain will tell you all about what there is to see, or stay in the background for a more intimate experience, depending on your preference.
Prefer to explore Leiden without a boat? We've got you covered there as well.
Explore the city's culinary heritage on our tantalizing Culinary Tour, sampling iconic Dutch delicacies, or delve into Leiden's rich history with our Cultural Tour, which includes visits to museums, windmills, and architectural marvels.
Seeking more of an adrenaline rush? Then opt for our Active Tour, where Dutch cycling is combined with thrilling activities like indoor climbing, paddleboarding, and virtual reality.
Our tours takes you through the center of Leiden where you can enjoy all major sights and get an impression of Leiden city life while cruising leisurely along the canals.
The duration of most of our tours is 90 minutes. The duration of our Deep Dive Discover tour is around 4 hours. If you wish to have a shorter or longer tour, send us a message and let's see how we can best accommodate your needs.
Our tours are available in English and Dutch.
Plans can change and unforeseen things can happen; we understand! You can cancel or reschedule free of charge up to 48 hours before departure.
Our tours go ahead in most weather. If conditions are unsafe, for example because of strong wind, storms or ice, we will contact you to reschedule. We recommend dressing for the weather.
Guests need to step from the shore onto the boat. Unfortunately, we currently don't offer wheelchair access on our smaller boats. If limited mobility might be an issue, please contact us so we can discuss your situation and look for solutions together.
During our tours the captain on board will be your guide. They know everything about the city of Leiden and will inform you about the sights, history and fun facts of the city. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the captain. They are at your service.
We advise you to be at the departure spot 10 minutes before departure so we can maximize your time on the water during the tour.
The Cosy Tour and the Autumn and Winter Tour are priced for 2 passengers, with room for up to 6 in total (€29 per extra person). The Deep Dive Discover Tour is also priced for 2 passengers, with up to 6 in total (€99 per extra person). Our Big Group Tour is priced for 14 passengers and can host up to 24 in total (€12 per extra person). Not sure which tour fits your group? Send us a message and we'll help you out.
The Autumn and Winter Tour runs from October through February. You can book it through the booking button under the tour.
One of the most recommended activities in Leiden is enjoying a private Canal Cruise along the city's waterways. A boat tour in Leiden is definitely a great way to explore the city!
On most of our tours the drinks and snacks available on board are included, so generally there is no need to bring your own.
With our Big Group Tour, all-inclusive drinks and snacks are optional and you can indicate your preference during the booking process.
In case of special dietary requirements, please contact us by phone or through our contact form.
The one thing you definitely don't want to miss while visiting Leiden is a canal cruise. Water plays such an important role in the city and its history, so you want to make sure you get to experience that part of Leiden with a private boat tour.
We had a private cruise for 6 people with Johnathan. Brilliant experience! Communication was easy and the boat trip was wonderful with lots of information about Leiden and even some snacks and drinks on board. If you’re in Leiden it’s definitely the best way to see the city. Highly recommend!
We are a French senior couple. Yesterday we had a beautiful experience cruising with Discover Canal Cruises on Leiden city canals for 90 minutes. Just the two of us and our guide on a small electric boat. Martijn had even prepared a special information sheet in French so we wouldn’t miss any of his explanations. And special treat: we enjoyed some hot coffee with traditional waffles and licorice candies on the way.
I strongly recommend this company if you want a real personal experience.
We enjoyed a picturesque day in Leiden on a private 4hr canal tour guided by Jonathon and Martijn. Both guides were very knowledgeable about the area and we enjoyed the land activities (windmill, Hortus Botanicus, chocolate workshop and lunch) as much as we enjoyed cruising the canals themselves.
We really appreciated the personalised nature of the private tour which made the day our extra enjoyable and special.
We had an amazing autumn–winter canal tour for my wife’s birthday. Everything was perfectly on time, and the route felt very private and special. The warm mulled wine, Dutch snacks and electric blankets were such thoughtful touches, cozy and romantic when the city lights came on. Martijn was incredibly professional, attentive, and kind, who also helps set up a surprise arrangement for my wife. Definitely the best private boat tour in Leiden.
Five stars, and we’ll be back again!
Highly recommend this company for a Leiden canal tour! We requested a custom tour for a group of nine with a focus on windmills. Jonathan delivered a perfect three-hour itinerary starting in the city center that took us out to see nine windmills. Our skipper was very hospitable and highly knowledgeable about the local area, and the team even provided packets with details about each windmill. We were looking forward to the included pizza, beer, and wine and were delighted to see that Jonathan included juices and soft drinks for those in our party who don’t drink alcohol and also surprised us with extra snacks and desserts.
We booked the Discovery Canal cruise on the 7th of October. Martijn helped us to book the tour, and he nicely explained all the details. Also shared the Google map link of the boarding point beforehand that helped us to reach the spot without any hassle.
Jonathan was our captain for the trip, and he was right on time with the boat. The boat was nice and cosy, and it also had electric blankets that can be used during the trip if any one feels cold. He also arranged numerous food and drinks that we relished through out the trip. Hot Gluhwein( really enticing ), Stroopwafel named a few of many items that was available on board for us.
He sailed through the beautiful canals of Leiden with explaining all the details about different eminent places. We mesmerized by the scenic sights of the Lieden. We were so engrossed in enjoying the tour that couldn't realise when the 90 mins got over .It was a memorable and serene tour. Definitely we recommend this tour to all and will come back again.
Thanks to Jonathan for giving us such an unforgettable experience.
Do you want to receive further information about the tours we provide or do you want to receive a tailor-made quote? Send us a message below and we'll get back to you!
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