Visiting Leiden, Canals and Charm Without the Crowds of Amsterdam NYT: Science By:Lisa Lucas and DesirΓ© Van Den Berg 12 November 2025 at 05:02 Leiden, a city whose university is often called the Oxford of the Netherlands, features museums, gardens, murals and plenty of ways to stretch your mind. The De Valk Windmill Museum, along the Rijnsburgersingel canal, in Leiden.