Surroundings

More to see and to do

Leiden
Leiden, Key to Discovery, is only a ten-minute drive from Katwijk. The city is widely known for its ‘hofjes’ - almshouses around a court - its university, museums, and glorious history. The city where Rembrandt was born and many other important painters were inspired, breathes the atmosphere of the Golden Age.

Museums in Leiden

No other city in The Netherlands has so many fantastic museums within walking distance. All the collections and exhibitions are definitely worth visiting. Walk into Museum De Lakenhal and experience the history of Leiden from the 16th century up to now. Admire paintings by Lucas van Leyden, Rembrandt, Jan Steen and many others. The botanical gardens of Leiden University, the Hortus botanicus, has a collection of plants from all over the world. Naturalis has an exceptional natural history collection. Admire the dinosaurs, a primitive horse, and the mammoth. In Corpus Experience you will get to know everything about the human body. During the 5D-tour you will discover how the body works. The Japan Museum SieboldHuis shows you the beauty of old and new Japan. Seven rooms, each with an atmosphere of its own, lead you past thousands of treasures from nature, culture and art. Discover five centuries of natural and medical science in Museum Boerhaave. Highlights are the microscopes of Antoni van Leeuwenhoek and the oldest pendulum clock of Christiaan Huygens. In het Dutch National Museum of Antiquities, you’ll find treasures of rich old cultures and meet the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. Walk around in one of the showpieces: a real Egyptian temple. Make a world tour in Leiden and visit the ethnology museum called Museum Volkenkunde. Watch centuries-old artefacts, statues of Incas and Aztecs, Chinese paintings and African bronzes.

Restaurants in Leiden

Many restaurants and cafés in Leiden are situated in beautiful, monumental buildings. They have an interesting history that may well give the catering a special ambiance. All kitchens you can think of are represented in the hundreds of restaurants, eateries and food serving pubs. There’s a place to meet every budget. And of course there are many options for a nice lunch or a drink. During the summer many restaurants and pubs along the canals offer the bonus of sprawling terraces.

Heritage sites in Leiden

In many ways, the inner city of Leiden is one big monument. The many churches, gates, drawbridges and beautiful buildings with picturesque façades make Leiden into an historical city. Within the canals, distances are short, so a walk along the most eye-catching monuments is no trouble at all and worth every step!

Shopping

Leiden has a generous supply of specialist shops in an attractive setting, a perfect background for a shopping spree. Of course, almost all the big store chains are represented, but it’s the little specialty shops in the small streets and alleys that make shopping in Leiden such fun. Look, choose and buy at the many characteristic antique and bookshops, boutiques, delicatessen shops, gift shops and galleries. You can shop in Leiden on every last Sunday of the month as well, and on Thursday there’s late night shopping. On Wednesdays and Saturdays there is a market in the centre of Leiden.

You can have a look on the website of Leiden for more information.

Bulb fields
Katwijk lies at the edge of bulb field area "De Bollenstreek". That makes it the perfect base for a visit to this exciting part of the Netherlands. It’s the home of the famous bulb fields, and a magnet for millions of visitors a year. In the spring, you can enjoy an explosion of colour that is caused by the countless bulbs in bloom. Climax of the year is the Bloemencorso, the flower parade of De Bollenstreek. So if you’re in the area, it’s a spectacle you cannot afford to miss!

Noordwijk
The appearance of Noordwijk is mundane. Luxury hotels on a broad promenade, exquisite restaurants, a dazzling entertainment district and a shopping promenade that is even open on Sundays. Throughout the year, Noordwijk hosts many activities and events that you can easily visit from Katwijk, such as the Painting Festival, Opera at Sea, the Bloemencorso (flower parade) of De Bollenstreek and the Christmas village by the Sea. For more information about Noordwijk, you can have a look at the website of Noordwijk.

Lake district
From the Katwijk coast it’s only a small trip to the South Holland ‘lake district’. As close as Warmond the typically Dutch landscape begins to unfold itself. Here, you’ll find lakes, pools, canals, windmills, old farm and parishes. The Kagerplassen is an area with eight interlinked lakes, surrounded by a network of small canals and reedy fringes. From Katwijk, it takes you less than an hour by boat. The Kagerplassen is a beautiful natural landscape, a unique experience when you see them on a boat.

Den Haag
Den Haag is a twenty-minute drive from Katwijk. It’s the seat of government, and of course it boasts the well-known Binnenhof. Den Haag is home to the Peace Palace and the Noordeinde palace. Moreover, there’s art and culture in abundance, with many museums and galleries. And naturally, there’s Madurodam, the Louwmanmuseum, the Omniversum and the Circustheater. In neighbouring Scheveningen you can walk along the promenade or visit the Pier. Have a look at the website of Den Haag for more information.