Leiden Things to Do Tips by ATLC

Let me relive childhood memories!

In Leiden, you can go to Pannenkoekhuis Schaapsbel for poffertjes (tiny pancakes eaten traditionally with butter and icing sugar).
When I was a little girl, my mum would take me after visiting the windmill De Valk which is 200 metres from the restaurant:

The windmill is great fun to visit and when you climb up, you can get lovely views over Leiden.

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Address: Beestenmarkt, Leiden
Directions: From Central station, walk down Stationsweg, turn left after crossing the Morssingel, onto the 2e Binnenvestgracht (you can't really miss the windmill). After that, cross over to Beestenmarkt for poffertjes.
Website: http://schaapsbel.com/
Other Contact: http://www.molenmuseumdevalk.nl/

There we go again: I'm taking you on another city walk together with VT member RubenE. We parked the car behind the Morspoort (24 hr parking is € 10 (euro) and started off from there.
The Morspoort got its name in the 17th century. Before that it was known as Gallows Gate (Galgenpoort) because it led to the gallows field. This is one of two city gates remaining (the other is Zijlpoort which we'll encounter later). Leiden used to have 10 city gates.

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Address: Morspoort, Leiden
Website: www.leidenpromotie.nl

This is a quaint little street with restaurants and shops that seem to have a theme: handicraft, a paint shop, shop for needlework, an art gallery and antique shop...
When I was little I'd sit on the back of my mum's bicycle and watch this street pass me by as we always entered the city center by way of the Morspoort.
I distinctly remember my mother helping me buy a tie for my dad as a present in this street. I was 6 years old then.

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Until well into the 20th century, Dutch society was split up according to religion. 'Compartementalised along socio-political lines', so my dictionary tells me. The Dutch term was 'verzuiling'.
This Roman Catholic district nursing service is an example. Later on we'll also find a reformed church primary school.

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Address: 2e Binnenvest, Leiden
Directions: Just round the corner from Morsstraat.
Website: www.leidenpromotie.nl

The 4th regiment infantry was stationed here at the Morspoortkazerne between 1860 and 1940.
The wars in which they fought are named here on this plaque on the barrack next to the Morspoort.

Grave 1814
Waterloo 1815
Valenciennes 1815
Brussel 1830
Tiendaagse Veldtocht 1831
Valkenburg 1940
Ypenburg 1940
Island of Dordrecht 1940
Moerdijk 1940
Weert 1940
West-Java (Indonesia) 1946-1948

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Address: 2e Binnenvest, Leiden
Directions: Corner Morsstraat and 2e Binnenvest, in front of the Morspoort.
Website: www.leidenpromotie.nl

This is a replica of the windmill that stood here in Rembrandt days in the 17th century. Rembrandt was born in the street just across the bridge which is also a reconstruction.
It has a little playground in front of it and a war memorial to WWII.
Isn't it just postcard-pretty?

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Address: 2e Binnenvest, Leiden
Website: www.leidenpromotie.nl

At the end of the 2e Binnenvest we turned left long the water at windmill De Put (not crossing the bridge to the house where Rembrandt was born in the Weddesteeg).
This is called Galgewater (Gallow Water), reminiscent of the gallows here as mentioned in my Morspoort tip.

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Address: Galgewater, Leiden
Website: www.leidenpromotie.nl

Along Galgewater lie many ships and of course I couldn't neglect the fact that this ship was from Rotterdam.
It's called Hoop op Behoud (Hope for safety).

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Address: Galgewater, Leiden
Website: www.leidenpromotie.nl

This looks like an open almshouse, restored for modern living with a nice garden too.
I forgot to make a photo of the plaque so I have little information.

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Address: Kort Galgewater, Leiden
Website: www.leidenpromotie.nl

This house is also on Kort Galgewater and I can't find any mention of it but it looks just grand. The door was open and I peeped inside: people live there and it looked oldfashionedly Dutch. I didn't dare make a photo through the door though.

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Address: Kort Galgewater, Leiden
Website: www.leidenpromotie.nl