Leiden

Netherlands

Leiden is the Netherlands' oldest university city (founded 1575) and Rembrandt's birthplace, a compact canal town of 125,000 inside a ring of 17th-century singel canals where the 12th-century Burcht van Leiden circular castle on its artificial hill, the Hooglandse Kerk, the Pieterskerk with the Mayflower Pilgrim Fathers' memorial (the congregation worshipped here 1609-1620 before sailing for the New World), the Rapenburg canal, the 1575 Universiteit Academiegebouw, the Hortus Botanicus (oldest botanical garden in NL, 1590) and the Molen De Valk windmill all sit inside the new 6 km Singelpark green ring, 35 minutes by NS train from Amsterdam Centraal and 12 minutes from Den Haag Centraal. Top spots for pets include the Burcht van Leiden ramparts (free, panoramic, leashed dogs welcome 24/7), the Rapenburg-Pieterskerk Pilgrim Fathers walk, and the Katwijk / Noordwijk North Sea dog beaches reached in 25-30 minutes by Connexxion bus 30/31, especially around the Centrum inside the singels around the Burcht and the Rapenburg, the Leidse Hout city forest north of the station, and the Polderpark Cronesteyn south of the centre.