Leiden is now a medium size town with about 100.000 inhabitants in the west of the Netherlands. New office buildings near the railway station are signs of Leiden's participation in economic growth and activity. In the immediate neighbourhood there are great opportunities for recreation: the wide sandy beaches and the dunes along the North Sea (during the summer months, the fashionable seaside resorts of Noordwijk and Katwijk aan Zee sparkle with life), lakes for sailing, rowing and windsurfing, and in spring the richly coloured tulip fields. 

Leiden University is the oldest university in The Netherlands. In 1574, Prince William of Orange took the first step towards establishing the university, as a reward for the city's brave resistance to the Spanish besiegers. The university was founded on February 8, 1575. Throughout the centuries many great scholars and scientists have brought fame and respect to Leiden University. Ever since 1575 life in Leiden has been influenced to a great extent by the relatively large number of students who live and study in this historic town.

Leiden is famous for its history. Most notable is the brave defence by its inhabitants during a siege by the Spanish army  When all their frontal attacks failed to take the town, the Spaniards decided to starve it into submission. The decimated citizens of Leiden, however, refused to surrender. On the third of October 1574, after months of hunger, illness and starvation, Leiden was finally released by the Dutch rebel army, bringing food supplies over the flooded polders. The third of October ( Leidens Ontzet ) is still a day that is celebrated by the inhabitants of Leiden by eating the same food that was supplied on the third of October 1574: herring, white bread, and hutspot.

...read more.

• Leiden : the official web site of the community of Leiden.
• Leiden promotie VVV : the official tourist web site of Leiden (with city walk Rembrandt and Traces of the Pilgrim Fathers).
• Biography of Rembrandt : one of the many web sites about Leiden's most famous son (with pictures)
• Leiden University : the oldest university in The Netherlands.