No visit to Curacao is complete without a stop in Willemstad, its colorful capital city. There’s a lot to be seen on the island but Willemstad is just too darn pretty to miss, and it’s a great place to walk around and see the UNESCO-protected colonial architecture. I stayed in Willemstad for a week while I explored the island and got to know it fairly well. Here’s my overview of things to do & see.

Some of Willemstad’s History

Curacao was initially inhabited by the Arawaks, a tribe from modern-day Venezuela. The Spanish first colonised Curacao in 1498 but neglected the island because they didn’t see any value in it. After gaining independence from Spain, the Dutch captured Curacao in 1634 and established the city Punda (Punda is still the name of that specific area of Willemstad). It quickly became a port for the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

The city was expanded later in the 17th century and then named Willemstad after William of Orange. The slave trade slowed around the end of the 18th century, as did the city’s economy (though slavery would continue on the island for another 60+ years). In the early 20th century, Willemstad saw another economic boom with the creation of an oil refinery right outside the old city. Oil came from Venezuela and was refined in Curacao, which became a huge employer for the country. The refinery was virtually given to the country of Curacao in 1985 but it closed in 2019. Today, Willemstad is turning to tourism for economic opportunity lost from the refinery’s closure.

Today, the inner city and harbour of Willemstad are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Things to Do & See in Willemstad

Willemstad is quite a large city that encompasses a lot of land and a lot of neighborhoods. Tourism is focused around its colonial town center. On the east side is Punda which is the area with Fort Amsterdam and the Annabay Rum Locker. It’s the most touristy of the areas. Next to it is Pietermaai which has its fair share of tourists but is mainly restaurants. On the other side of the bay its Otrobanda which translates to “other bank.” There are a lot more local businesses in this area and of course a lot more locals.

It’s these three areas that you’ll likely see the names of, and that you’ll probably spend the most time in. Of course there’s a lot more to the city but this is where tourism is centered.

Connecting the two sides is one of the city’s most iconic structures: the Queen Emma Bridge, lovingly nicknamed the “Swinging Old Lady.” It’s a pontoon bridge that was initially built in 1888 though the current structure is from 1939. I’ve heard it referred to as the world’s only pontoon bridge but that’s not true. It is true that it is one of the few and I hadn’t seen one before visiting Willemstad and it’s actually pretty cool.

What happens is one side of the bridge has a little motorised “house,” if you will, that pulls the bridge open when boats and ships need to pass. And Annabay is a busy port so it actually happens a lot during the day, and it’s something you’ll probably get to experience for yourself! And if not, just sit around the bridge for a little bit and it’ll be sure to happen.

When the bridge is swung open, you can catch a free ferry to cross the bay.

At the opening of the bay are two forts: Fort Amsterdam and Rif Fort. Fort Amsterdam is one of the oldest colonial structures in Curacao, dating all the way back to 1635 when the Dutch first took control of the island. Over the centuries, Willemstad extended from Punda to Otrabanda so Rif Fort was built on the other side of the opening in 1828 to defend that half of the city. Though they’ve seen a ton of the city’s history, today both are repurposed. Rif Fort is an outdoor mall with a variety of shops and restaurants, and Fort Amsterdam houses several waterfront restaurants.

Nearby you will probably notice Fort Church dominating the skyline. This protestant church was built in 1769 inside the walls of Fort Amsterdam.

Willemstad doesn’t have many museums, but one of the most important they have is called Kura Hulanda Museum (also the name of the village, which I discuss more below). As Curacao’s economy was centered around the slave trade, the museum is dedicated to educating about the trans-Atlantic slave trade from its origins to how people were kidnapped and then transferred and sold. Obviously the material is a bit heavy but it is balanced by a beautiful collection of ancient and west African art. There are lots of different things to see and learn at Kura Hulanda.

A bit of a walk away from Kura Hulanda is Desenkadená (“unchained”), along the water. This is representative of Tula and the slave revolt of 1795. Tula was a man integral to the revolt and thus to the human rights of Curacao, and I urge you at some point to learn his story. If you have more time on the island, there is a museum dedicated to him about an hour outside of Willemstad.

Kura Hulanda is also an area in Otrobanda that has been renovated with shopping and restaurants. It’s basically an outdoor shopping mall and it’s quite a colorful place to walk around. There are also several local galleries and businesses here to see.

It may come as a surprise that Curacao is home to the western hemisphere’s oldest synagogue still in use. The Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue is another icon of the city, consecrated in 1732 (the congregation dates back to 1651). You can learn about the island’s Jewish history here at the synagogue which includes a visit to the museum they have. I wanted to visit but I was on a budget and the $18 price tag was a bit too much for me for a museum.

For more Jewish history, there is the Mongui Maduro house museum that’s a bit outside the city center, close to Landhuis Chobolobo. It is an old plantation house called Landhuis Rooi Catootje that belonged to a Jewish family and you can see their heritage here, as well.

There is also a new Curacao Interactive Experience which I wanted to visit but time kept slipping from me. It has excellent reviews and looks like it’s a great way to learn about the island and its history. Willemstad also hosts the Curacao Maritime Museum but I didn’t visit.

You won’t have to spend much time in Willemstad before you realise that it is filled with street art. You will see dozens of murals decorating buildings in different styles, some by more prominent artists of the ABC islands and others by the less famous. If you enjoy art, you should definitely take the time to walk around and see what you can on the sides of buildings. I might be wrong but I felt that a lot of street art is in Otrobanda. There is also a bunch in Scharloo which is north of Pietermaai.

There are several art galleries owned by independent artists throughout Willemstad and Curacao island. If you’re looking to see a bigger collection, Landhuis Bloemhof is a cultural center you can visit to see art made by locals. It’s also a bit outside the city center, near Chobolobo.

Curacao has lots of amazing beaches but if you’re looking for something close and convenient, Punda Beach is only a few steps away from Fort Amsterdam. It’s a small one but a great option for cooling down after spending the day walking around the city.

You’ll notice a ton of touristy souvenir shops around town, but you don’t have to go far to shop more locally. There’s Marshe Nobo which has a variety of goods from souvenirs to aloe to snacks. It’s worth stopping by to see what the vendors are selling.

On one side of Marshe Nobo is the Floating Market which sells fresh produce. And on the other side of Marshe Nobo is Plasa Bieu which is a very local place to eat. This is where you can get some iguana stew amongst other local specialties. The vegetarian options are pretty much limited to okra soup but it is someplace to keep in mind if you want something low-key and local to eat at.

Lots of people who’ve heard of Curacao have only heard it through its namesake liqueur, Blue Curacao. So of course it’s something you can find a lot of in Willemstad. You can go to Landhuis Chobolobo to visit their factory. It’sabout a 10 minute taxi ride away from Willemstad’s center. This is where the original Blue Curacao liqueur is brewed plus some rums. Tours are available but the store and tastings are free. There is also a small cafe where you can get a coffee or alcoholic drink.

For more rum, you can also go to Annabay Rum Locker. Annabay is a rum brand and I was shocked to hear they’re sold only in Curacao (so their products would make great souvenirs). They have a tour of their rum locker but it’s currently only once a day. However they do have free tastings. This is in the heart of Willemstad.

Something I did in Willemstad is the Free Walking Tour. This actually included a free rum tasting in a liquor store of whatever we asked for. It wasn’t really a history-based tour like I expected but they did cover a lot of more modern Curacaoan culture and art. I don’t like to call free walking tours “free” since you should definitely tip your tour guide, but it’s something low-cost that you can keep on your list.

Rare photo of Steve and his friends.

Willemstad city center is pretty small and you can definitely wander around and “see” it in a few hours. I liked spending the extra time to venture a bit to Otrabanda and Pietermaai since they were more interesting to me than Punda. On one guided tour, we got back to our hotels around 4:00pm and the day’s cruise ship didn’t leave till 9:00pm. I’d say that’s definitely enough time to wander around the old town and get a taste for the city.

I spent a full week using Willemstad as a base to explore Curacao. Even though I had a lot of time there, I severely overestimated how much energy I’d have to walk around in the humid heat, particularly during days with an early start. If you do the same as me, I’d definitely recommend at least 1 full day dedicated to Willemstad to focus on the city.

I really enjoyed my time in Curacao and Willemstad is one of the most charming, colorful cities I’ve been to. Painted houses, lots of history, a unique blended culture – not sure what else you need! I’d definitely recommend a visit to Curacao and exploring its charming capital city.

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