Cosy Tour · A private boat through Leiden’s historic waterways, drinks and snacks included, available all year
A private boat leaves Beestenmarkt and winds through Leiden’s historic inner-city canals — past centuries-old bridges, merchant houses and the city’s waterside streets...
Unlike a shared sightseeing boat, it’s fully private, so just your own group aboard. The captain-guide can point out the history behind the buildings and bridges you pass, tell you about Leiden's hidden gems, or simply let you enjoy the ride in quiet. Drinks and snacks are included throughout.
A private boat: No sharing with strangers, just your own group and captain.
No stress: A relaxed, easy 90 minutes through Leiden’s historic canals with a tour tailored around you.
A local captain-guide: Able to share stories and knowledge only a local can.
Drinks and snacks included: An assortment of different drinks and snacks to enjoy during the trip.
Evening departures available: For a magical, lit-up atmosphere on the water.
Flexible & personal: celebrating something special? Let us know and we’ll help make it memorable.
Make the most of Leiden’s quieter streets with this seasonal private cruise, available October through February. Snuggle under a heated blanket with a hot chocolate or glühwein as your captain guides you past the city’s best-loved sights. Prefer quiet? Your captain is happy to stay in the background and let you enjoy the ride in peace.
The Cosy Tour isn’t the only way to see Leiden from the water. View all our canal cruise options, including the Autumn and Winter Tour, Big Group Tour, Dutch Windmill Tour and Deep Dive Discover Tour, or explore our land-based Culinary, Cultural and Active tours if you’d rather stay on your feet.
The boarding location for the Autumn and Winter Tour is on De Beestenmarkt, in Leiden, about a 5-minute walk from Leiden Central Station.
The Autumn and Winter Tour lasts 90 minutes. If you’d like something shorter or longer, send us a message, and we’ll see how we can accommodate you.
Leiden’s historic inner city: its canals, bridges and merchant houses, with the captain sharing stories and pointing out highlights along the way.
Our tours are available in English and Dutch.
Plans can change and unforeseen things can happen; we understand! You can cancel or reschedule the Cosy Tour free of charge up to 48 hours before departure.
In daylight or evening — you choose a start time when booking. Evening tours offer a particularly atmospheric view of the lit-up canals.
Tours run in most weather, with umbrellas and blankets on board. We’ll contact you to reschedule if conditions become unsafe. In general we reccommend to dress 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.
Leiden is a wonderful city to wander on foot, but seeing it from the water shows you something different. A boat tour takes you along the historic canals, beneath centuries-old bridges and past the city’s characteristic buildings, giving you a view of Leiden that you won’t get from the streets. As you glide along, you’ll learn about the city’s history and the stories behind the places you pass.If you’d like to combine sightseeing with a relaxing break, a canal cruise is an ideal choice. Discover our boat tour options here.
If you’d rather explore on land instead, our sister site Discover Leiden runs Culinary and Cultural tours year-round.
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 is priced for 2 passengers, with room for up to 6 in total (€29 per extra person). Not sure it fits your group? Send us a message, and we’ll help you out.
The Cosy Tour runs all year from morning till well in the evening. You can book it through the booking button under the tour.
We are happy to create a custom, personal experience together with you. So please don't hesitate to convey your ideas and contact us.
Leiden offers plenty of activities to enjoy, from visiting its museums and walking it's historic streets to exploring its picturesque canals. For a truly memorable way to see the city, take to the water on a canal cruise. On a private boat tour, you can sit back and relax as historic Leiden drifts by, revealing a side of the city you’d never see from land.
A Cosy Tour can be ordered through our website by clicking on the booking button under the tour. The button will open up a calendar where you can select your preferred date and time, select how many guests will be joining the tour, and select any other tour-specific options. You can find the Cosy Tour and the booking button underneath here.
Drinks and snacks on board are all-inclusive on the Cosy tour, so generally there’s no need, but you are welcome to bring your own. In case of special dietary requirements, please contact us by phone or through our contact form.
On our Cosy Tour, your captain doubles as your guide. With an in-depth knowledge of Leiden, they’ll share the city’s sights, history and plenty of fun facts as you cruise along. Have a question? Just ask, because your captain is happy to help.
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 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.
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!
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!
Contact form
