Cycling day trip from Leiden to The Hague

Roll out from historic Leiden—home to the Netherlands’ oldest university and Rembrandt’s birthplace—and point your wheels southwest toward The Hague. It’s about 21 km and pretty much flat as a pancake, perfect for a relaxed spin.

Follow the Vliet/Rijn–Schie canal towpath for long stretches of car‑free riding. You’ll pass Voorschoten and the locks at Leidschendam, a great spot for a coffee by the water, then glide through Voorburg’s old center before the skyline of The Hague appears. Surfaces are mostly smooth asphalt with some paving stones and a tiny bit of gravel, and the route is largely on dedicated cycleways, so it feels calm and safe.

Finish in The Hague, seat of the Dutch government—think Binnenhof, the Peace Palace, and leafy parks. If you’ve got extra legs, it’s a short extension to Scheveningen beach.

Highlights:

• Waterside riding along the Vliet
• Historic stops in Voorburg and Leidschendam
• Virtually no climbing (only ~25 m total) and mostly paved paths

Bring a windbreaker—open canal sections can be breezy!