The many faces of the Dune and Flowerbulb Region

Leiden is also called Key City, which refers to the city's coat of arms. A silver shield, held by a lion, shows two crossed red keys. During the 80-year war, Leiden was besieged by the Spaniards. Leids Ontzet or Leiden Liberation is still celebrated on October 3. You will cycle past Molen de Valk, a tower mill dating from 1743. The mill had to be big enough for 2 families and high enough to rise above the urban buildings to catch enough wind. Up to the cap, it is 29 meters high! Leiden has the oldest university in the Netherlands. King Willem Alexander also studied here. The city originated as a dike village where the Old and New Rhine rivers meet. The canals and terraces give a relaxed atmosphere. The city atmosphere is slowly exchanged for bulb fields and sand. A stately figure of museum Corpus rises along the route. The dunes of Katwijk come into view and the beach and sea on the promenade call for paddling. In spring, the bulb fields are in bloom in all colors of the rainbow. They reach as far as Warmond where the Joppe with its many boats is a picture.