Initially a part of the Leiden University, and now a registered museum, the Hortus Botanicus is the oldest botanical garden in Netherlands. It was founded in 1950, with pioneer botanist and Flemish doctor Carolus Clusius at the helm. The purpose was to research and educate. From the initial 1000 plant species at the time, the garden now hosts more than 10,000 flora and fauna from all four corners of the world.

These mesmerizing plants can be found in the various beds and greenhouses in the Hortus Botanicus, including an impressive number of carnivorous plants and cycads, a group of seed plants. You can discover the Orangery, a quaint café with a large terrace that was built in 1744, and even a winter garden. If horticulture is your calling, then the garden will be your haven, with its rare flora hidden away in this historical center.