Teylingen offers everything from protected village scenes and medieval buildings to walks and water sports on the Kagerplassen. When planning your stay, you can focus on your own interests: would you like to make architecture the main focus, explore different routes, or head out onto the water?
Discover village history and buildings
In the centre of Warmond, the village scene is designated a “Rijks beschermd dorpsgezicht” (nationally protected village scene). The Sint Pancratiuskerk in Sassenheim offers a very different historical perspective: the neo-Gothic cruciform church was designed by Jos Tonnaer of Delft and built in two phases between 1912 and 1929. Huis ter Leede, meanwhile, is a country house dating from the 17th century. After a fire in 1861, it was rebuilt in the eclectic style, retaining the old cellars and parts of the original masonry.
The RuĂŻne van Teylingen tells a story of the Middle Ages. It consists of the remains of a 13th-century moated castle. The circular curtain wall and wide moat show how the castle was laid out. During the season, the ruins open to the public, where you can stroll, enjoy the views and experience the history of the place. Seasonal opening times may change, so it is advisable to check the latest information before your visit.
Huys te Warmont also has a long history: it was founded around 1303 as a medieval fortified manor complex. The Bos van Krantz around Huys te Warmont was landscaped in the English style in the early 19th century. Oak avenues, centuries-old yew trees and bodies of water are among the features of this estate. Warmond is also home to the Oude Toren, the oldest building in the village. The former church was first mentioned in a book shortly before 1049.
More recent landscape design can be seen in Park Rusthoff in Sassenheim. The park was created from a late-18th-century country estate and features a circular walking path and a pond. Between 1830 and 1850, landscape architect J. D. Zocher Jr. laid it out in the landscape style. Another historic landmark is Molen Hoop Doet Leven: the 1783 mill is a Rijksmonument in the Elsgeesterpolder and a prominent feature of the landscape around Voorhout.
Walking routes and landscapes
The Rondje Teylingen, which is still under development, comprises nine walking routes: three each in the village centres of Sassenheim, Voorhout and Warmond. For visitors interested in local stories, Warmond has a historical discovery tour of places of interest in the village centre. You can also learn about the life and work of painter Jan Steen there. In Sassenheim, walks start at the Dorpskerk and can be done independently. They include routes exploring religious heritage, following the former Rusthoff estate, along the Heerweg, to notable trees in Park Rusthoff, as well as a family walk. The 2025 walking programme listed each of these tours as taking about an hour; check in advance whether they are currently available.
Koudenhoorn combines a focus on nature with a clearly defined route: there is a quiet area for nature lovers and a two-kilometre outer walking path. The Kagerplassen, by contrast, offer a view of a centuries-old peat meadow landscape in the heart of the Randstad. These are different ways to discover the landscape: on foot along a designated route or by exploring the lakes’ water activities.
On the water and on the move
Activities on the Kagerplassen include sailing, trips by sloop, canoeing and stand-up paddleboarding. Boat trips and day tours are also available; activities may vary by provider. The Natte Kaagweek takes place in July, combining sailing competitions in various classes with events on land. The Turfrace also starts in Warmond. As dates and opportunities to take part may change, it is worth checking event details before your trip.
If you prefer to get around by bicycle, you will find several routes with different landscape and thematic focuses. One route passes several cheese farms and offers the opportunity to shop locally; the route and participating producers may change. Another cycling tour takes you through polder landscapes with mills and wide-open views. A route through the polders around the Kagerplassen also passes through Leiden. The Zijlpont ferry carries pedestrians and cyclists between the Kagerzoom on the northern edge of Leiden’s Merenwijk district and the Zijldijk along the centuries-old Boterhuispolder. The ferry service and its on-call arrangements may change; check the latest information before crossing.
Cultural events also add to the discoveries: in Teylingen, the Bloemencorso is among the events recognised as intangible cultural heritage. At the listed Pastorie De Roekenhof, Warmelda organises exhibitions and talks; the programme may change. You can tailor your stay to what interests you most: architectural history, routes through the landscape, water activities or a cultural programme.
Discover more destinations: Pijnacker-Nootdorp, Capelle Aan Den Ijssel, Goedereede, Alblasserdam.
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