🇳🇱 Leiden Day Trip Guide | Hidden Gems + Instagram-Worthy Spots

Been a while since I shared a weekend adventure—time to fix that! 🐝 I never properly explored Leiden until recently. With such gorgeous weather, staying indoors felt like a crime! ☀️ (Plus, sunshine is the best mood booster, right?) Enough chit-chat—here’s the perfect 1-day itinerary! 🚂 Start at Leiden Centraal Station (~11 AM) First stop: Paco Ciao for their famous Bao Buns! 🥢 (Check my past post "The Restaurant With No Visible Door | Paco Ciao"—trust me, only order the bao!) 📸 SCENIC SPOTS ROUTE 1️⃣ Molen de Valk (Leiden Windmill) Chill on the grass, snap pics, and soak in the Dutch vibes. 🌾 📍 2e Binnenvestgracht 1 2️⃣ Burcht van Leiden (The Leiden Fort) Climb this medieval fortress for panoramic city views! 🏰 (Joke’s on us—it’s "the highest point in the Netherlands." 😆) 📍 Burgsteeg 13 3️⃣ Hooglandse Kerk Quintessential Dutch postcard scene: church + canal bridge. ⛪️ 📍 Hooglandse Kerkgracht 4️⃣ Het Plantsoen Park A spring/summer paradise with blooming flowers! 🌸 📍 Plantsoen 5️⃣ Pieterskerk Square Gothic church + charming alleyways (extra magical in autumn!). 🍂 📍 Kloksteeg 16 6️⃣ Rapenburg Canal Called "the most beautiful canal street in the Netherlands"—and for good reason! 🌊 (My pic here last year of a Leiden Uni PhD grad went viral!) 📍 Rapenburg 7️⃣ Catharinabrug & Aalmarkt Canalside charm meets historic vibes. (Ran out of space—just go!) 😅 📍 Aalmarkt 8️⃣ Molen De Put Iconic wooden bridge + windmill combo. Must-see! 🌉 🔍 Bonus: Wander off-path—you’ll find endless hidden photo ops! #LifeInTheNetherlands #NetherlandsTravel #Leiden #WeekendVibes #HiddenGems #DutchCanals #EuropeTravel #InstaWorthy #TravelGuide