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Picture-perfect canals lined with somber-colored, skinny houses, gray––but romantic altogether––winter skies, and stroopwafels straight from the market:
It’s easy to see how Amsterdam would still rank high on everyone’s Europe bucket list despite the intense crowding.
Something most tourists fail to grasp, however, is that, as beautiful as it may be, the capital of the Netherlands is not its only below-sea-level, manmade wonder: there are countless smaller cities exactly like Amsterdam that are yet to become full-fledged tourist playgrounds.
Take a quaint, laid-back Leiden for instance: when placed alongside Amsterdam, you could barely tell a difference between them two…
Were it not for the former’s near-complete absence of crowds and consumer prices 20% cheaper.
Discover Leiden, One Of The Hidden Cultural Hotspots Of The Netherlands
A short 24-minute train ride from Amsterdam, Leiden is an unsung cultural capital home to one of the largest historic centers in the Netherlands, a huge concentration of heritage buildings, and the country’s oldest university, founded in 1575.
Anonymous as it may be among tourists flocking to Amsterdam merely for its aesthetics, Leiden was once one of the most important and wealthiest cities in the Netherlands.
With its thriving academia and avant-gardism, it led the nation into its 17th-century Golden Age.
It is the birthplace of none other than Rembrandt, the iconic Dutch painter and printmaker––his memory is brilliantly kept alive at the Young Rembrandt Studio––and Leiden’s Hortus Botanicus is recognized as being one of the first botanical gardens ever designed in the world.
Just Like Amsterdam, Except Smaller And Less Chaotic
Similarly to Amsterdam, the medieval core is cut through with navigable waterways, which run alongside picture-perfect Northern Mannerist houses and the occasional historic windmill, including Molen De Vale, now housing a history museum.
Come rain or come shine, you’ll find locals picnicking in Burcht van Leiden, an urban park including the remains of an old castle––on a rainy day, however, you’re better off browsing through the vast collection of artifacts at Rijksmuseum Boerhaave, some dating back to the 16th century.
For the History buffs like us, the museum haul continues in the National Museum of Antiquities, with Egyptian, Greek and Roman collections, though if you’re here for the kind of culture that makes a happy tummy, Bistro Noroc is all the Dutch food fest you need.
Incredible Food At Affordable Prices
A laid-back bistro in the heart of town with tables spilling out onto a narrow medieval passageway, it is widely known for its delicious seafood and coffee, and affordable prices––if you’re on a budget, you can eat here for under $25.
Other must-tries include Paco Ciao, especially their Eggs Benedict salmon and fluffy Dutch pancakes, with final bills under $28, veggie-friendly The Bishop––definitely go for the surprise 5-course menu!––and a beautiful Café Visscher.
An attraction of Leiden in its own right, this cozy eatery only a few steps from the main train station is a vintage fever dream that’s made a name for itself as the trendiest no-frills brunch spot in town (if we may add, their shrimps on toast tastes heavenly).
How Much Cheaper Is Leiden?
When it comes to prices, Leiden can be up to 20.6% cheaper to visit than Amsterdam, according to Numbeo, with lower prices observed for food, accommodation and tourist attractions.
On average, a meal in an inexpensive restaurant will set you back by $17.94, versus the capital’s $21.75, while an overnight in a hotel costs on average $169––meanwhile, in Amsterdam, you should set aside $223 per night.
That’s only an estimate: IntercityHotel Leiden has rooms for only $106 a night this season, and the centrally-located Ibis Leiden is an even cheaper $100.
Guided canal cruises cost only $13.58 to book, and the price for museum tickets ranges between $5.44 and $13.
Leiden is incredibly cultural, cheaper than your average Dutch destination, and most importantly, it has far smaller, if any crowds at all!
Flying to the Netherlands soon? Don’t forget to read further on the country to discover more hidden gems that never make it to the mainstream travel brochures here.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
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