“Leiden turned out to be a great choice for our international conference.”
For the IIIF Annual Conference 2026 we welcomed around 230 participants from 20 countries to Leiden. We had considered several cities in the Netherlands, but Leiden really stood out to us. It is easy to reach from Schiphol Airport and has a good connection by train, while offering a more affordable alternative to larger cities such as Amsterdam.
What made Leiden especially valuable for us was its compact size. During the conference week, delegates would run into each other outside the official programme in museums, restaurants and around the city. Those spontaneous encounters added to the sense of community and contributed to the experience.
We also received wonderful feedback from our delegates about the venues, the organisation and their overall experience in Leiden. Leiden offered everything we needed within a small area: cultural venues, hotels across different price ranges, public transport and access to university facilities.
The support from Leiden Convention Bureau made a real difference. From helping us secure hotel blocks and advising on venues and social events to small touches such as walking maps for delegates. We felt that they were genuinely invested in making our conference a success and an overall great experience. The hotel booking service in particular took a huge amount of work off my shoulders, especially for an international audience with different accommodation budgets.
From start to finish, organising our conference in Leiden was a very pleasant experience. I have already recommended the city to others looking for an accessible, welcoming and well-connected destination for an international conference.
Caitlin Perry
Community Manager, IIIF Consortium