Photos: Erik Zachte, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Aelbert Cuyp, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain Riad Salih, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Erik Zachte, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Aelbert Cuyp, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain Riad Salih, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
The oldest university building in the country, live
Your local guide
Bente van Leeuwen
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Highlights
- The oldest university in the Netherlands
- Founded inside a former convent building
- University buildings woven into ordinary streets
- No separate campus, just the city itself
- A fuller sense of the historic centre
About this tour
This session covers the oldest university in the Netherlands, starting at its main building and then walking the streets immediately around it. You see the building's origins inside a former convent and then how thoroughly the university's other buildings are woven into ordinary residential streets rather than kept apart. It is a session about how a very old institution actually sits inside a city.
We spend time on the main building's facade and history, then walk a short loop through the surrounding streets. I point out specific university buildings as we pass them rather than describing the university in the abstract.
It suits anyone interested in how universities and cities grow together over centuries. It pairs well with the canal walk for a fuller sense of this part of the centre.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 5 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Leiden before heading out.
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Academiegebouw 15 min
You see the main building of the oldest university in the Netherlands, founded in 1575, and I explain why it was set up inside a former convent rather than a purpose-built hall.
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Academic Quarter Streets 15 min
The camera moves through the streets around it, and I point out how the university's buildings sit mixed in among ordinary houses rather than set apart on a separate campus.
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Your questions 7 min
Time to ask anything about Leiden: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 3 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Stroopwafel and Zeeheldenbuurt, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Amsterdam time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 9 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Leiden, showing you Academiegebouw and Academic Quarter Streets live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I film the building and walk the surrounding streets.
Times shown in Amsterdam time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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From 20,00 €
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