Leiden in a day from Amsterdam, an Egyptian temple, a windmill and canals 35 minutes away.

Leiden is the oldest university city in the Netherlands and is 35 minutes from Amsterdam. This plan starts with a real Egyptian temple in the national museum of antiquities, has a sandwich opposite the university, strolls through the country's oldest botanical garden, sails the canals, climbs a windmill of 1743 and a medieval fortress, and has dinner on the water.

The day, hour by hour

9:00 · Train to Leiden. About 35 minutes. Fifteen minutes on foot past the windmill to the Rapenburg.

10:00 · Rijksmuseum van Oudheden. The Temple of Taffeh in the hall, Egypt, Greece and Rome. €14, open daily.

12:15 · Sandwich at Café Barrera. The Rapenburger, on the terrace opposite the Academiegebouw.

13:15 · Hortus botanicus. The university garden and greenhouses, across the canal. About two hours.

15:00 · Canal boat. Fifty minutes with Bootjes en Broodjes from the Blauwpoortsbrug; covered and heated if it is cold.

16:00 · De Valk windmill. Climb to the gallery, beside the sails. Last entry at 16:30.

17:00 · The Burcht. The castle on the mound, with views over the rooftops.

18:00 · Dinner at Annie's. On the floating terrace or, in winter, in a dome over the water.

20:00 · Return. On foot to the station and train to Amsterdam.

With children or in the rain

With children, swap the Hortus for Naturalis and its tyrannosaurus, next to the station (€18 from age 4). If it rains, the antiquities museum and the covered boat work just as well, and De Lakenhal is the alternative for the afternoon.