What to do in Willemstad, Curaçao – the best tips!

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Latest update: 20 November 2024

Willemstad is the capital of Curaçao. It is a colorful city with a colorful past. You can go there for entertainment only: you can shop, eat, and take beautiful pictures. But you can also learn much about Curacao’s past and culture in the museums and through walking tours. Enough to do. Check out the best tips for a visit to Willemstad.

Endless Willemstad

140,000 people live in Willemstad, while just under 160,000 people live in Curaçao. Those numbers confuse me. How on earth can 140,000 people live on that tiny piece of Curaçao? Well, Willemstad is not limited to the historic center with Otrobanda and Punda. It extends much further. Just check out Google Maps. Willemstad borders the Spanish Water all the way up to the airport and from the Aloe Vera plantation to Piscadera. Okay, that explains the numbers. In this blog article, I will limit myself to the old center!

The center of Willemstad is split in two by the harbor and connected by the pontjesbrug (a pontoon bridge). Otrobanda is on one side, along the Renaissance Mall & Rif Fort side. Punda is on the other side, with the famous colored merchant houses on the Handelskade. Directly behind Punda are the Pietermaai and Scharloo districts. Since 1997, the neighborhoods have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

And there is plenty to do in Willemstad. Fast forward to the tips!

Tip 1 – Photograph the Handelskade

This is probably the obligatory photo you MUST take in Curaçao: the Handelskade in the St. Annabaai. Try from the pontoon bridge, or cross the bridge and take your picture from the other side of the water. Both in the evening and during the day, of course. If you reserve a spot on the balcony at restaurant de Gouverneur in the evening, you have a beautiful view of the Handelskade.

In the time of the West India Company (WIC), de Handelskade was the epicenter of the slave trade. It was big business at the time. Now the buildings serve as offices, shops, and restaurants. The colorful, historic merchant and warehouse houses are pretty photogenic and are just about the most famous part of Curaçao.

Tip 2 – See the Pontjesbrug in use

The Pontjesbrug is officially called the Queen Emma Bridge, but most people refer to this pontoon bridge as pontjesbrug. The floating parts on the water are called pontoons (pontjes). The bridge connects Punda with Otrabanda and sometimes opens to clear the way to and from the harbor for ships. It is even the only floating wooden swing bridge in the world.

On the Punda side of the bridge is a huge heart full of locks. This is a work of art by Carlos Blaaker, a Surinamese artist who lives in Curaçao. The artwork is called Punda Love Heart. Couples in love can attach a padlock to it.

If you visit Willemstad, there is a good chance that you will use the Pontjesbrug itself a few times, but it is also worth seeing it in use. When a ship arrives, the bridge opens all the way to the quay. Pedestrians can no longer cross on foot, and you have to rely on the free ferry near the bridge to cross the water.

Tip 3 – Admire street art

The Caribbean houses of Curaçao are already wonderfully colorful, and street art brightens up Willemstad even further. There are a few nice streets in the center to check out some of the best work. For example, go to the Windstraat. This part is also known as Art Alley. Every bit of the wall is painted, and there are many small art shops to visit.

Or go to the Nieuwestraat in Pietermaai or the Bitterstraat and Parke Leyba to admire street art. Pietermaai is an upcoming neighborhood in Willemstad. When I had a holiday job in Curaçao around 2006, I didn’t dare go there. This is where I got to know the Papiamento word choller (bum), as there were quite a few in this part of town. Now it is a much safer area of Curaçao, and you can admire street art and visit excellent restaurants.

In Otrobanda, which also used to have a bad reputation, there is plenty of street art and graffiti art to see too. As I want to discover the secret spots, I’m going on a tour of artist Avantia Damberg. She hosts a wonderfully relaxed walking tour with a lot of street art and background information. I can highly recommend it. Check Facebook for availability. Dushi Walks also organizes walking tours with a street art theme.

Tip 4 – Shop at the Renaissance Mall & Rif Fort

The Rif Fort has seen a lot of action over the centuries. First as a defense structure with 56 guns, then as a government building and police station, and now it is a shopping Valhalla. When I was in Curaçao in 2006, it was still a bit of a dodgy area. But it has been completely upgraded, especially now that cruise ships also dock here. I have not experienced it, but I can imagine that on the day of arrival of such a boat, it is jam-packed here.

In the Rif Fort, you will find the Renaissance hotel, many shops, and a few cafés and restaurants. Even a Douwe Egberts cafe, if you’re in need of Dutch coffee, and a Starbucks. You can even go to the casino or the cinema.

Tip 5 – Get some unique souvenirs

You will obviously find many souvenir shops in Willemstad. Magnets, bath towels, t-shirts, ashtrays: all the standard souvenirs are up for grabs. But, if you want something more fun and unique, you can buy that too. Head to the Art Alley to purchase a memento from local artists. You will find the Chichis, the figurines of the fat ladies. At the Chichi Shop, you can choose your favorite Chichi.

At Enjoy by Carolina by artist Carolina, you will find nice accessories such as jewelry, bags, and things for your home. And then there is the Local Concept Store in the Breedestraat, to get some gifts to take home. Several Curaçaoans sell their stuff in this store. For example, I bought earrings made from lionfish fins. Unfortunately, the lionfish threaten the coral of Curaçao, which is why they are caught as much as possible.

By the way, did you know that many of the standard souvenirs are imported? Disappointing right? Check out this video about souvenirs in Curaçao; turn on the subtitles and use auto-translate.

Tip 6 – Visit local markets

With the name Floating Market, I immediately have an image in mind of market people on boats, like in Thailand. That is not quite the case in Curaçao. The Venezuelan sellers certainly use boats, but there are simply stalls full of fruit and vegetables on the quay. Today, it’s not just Venezuelans who sell their wares because of the unrest in their country. For some visitors, a visit to the Floating Market is a bit disappointing because the boats are missing and quite small. I would not go to Willemstad just for this market: combine it with the other sights, and then it is quite nice to take a quick look.

Be sure to visit the Plasa Bieu, preferably with an empty stomach. Because you can eat a lot of local food for very little money. The locals also like to come here. So let the ladies and gentlemen who work here advise you and try something new. Maybe goat stew? Or a chicken dish with banana?

And then you have the Marshe Nobo market, also called the round market, because of its shape. You can buy fruit and vegetables and souvenirs – partly original souvenirs, partially imported souvenirs. See also the video above.

Tip 7 – Visit the Jewish synagogue

There is actually a Jewish synagogue in Curaçao. About 300 Jews live on the island. The Mikvé Israel Emanuel Synagogue was built in 1732 and has been in continuous use ever since. You can only visit the synagogue outside of services: you are fine during the day on weekdays. What immediately strikes me is the sand on the floor of the synagogue. It’s like a sandbox. Why? Because it pays tribute to the ancestors who built their synagogues in the desert, and the sand also dampens sound. During the Spanish Inquisition, the Jews scattered sand in rooms to practice their faith as quietly as possible without being discovered. And finally, the sand is a reference to a section of the Hebrew Bible.

The Jewish Cultural-Historical Museum is on the same site. Here you will find all kinds of objects that are important in Judaism and stories of the Jewish inhabitants of Curaçao.

Tip 8 – Eating out in Willemstad

In Willemstad, you can enjoy lunch outside during the day, and there are plenty of options for eating out in the evening. De Gouverneur is a well-known and popular restaurant. Mundo Bizarro is also a popular choice. Or go to Pietermaai, where you will find Nultwintig, Bij Blauw, and Mosa, among others. Check out my blog article for more recommendations for restaurants in Curacao.

Tip 9 – Fort Amsterdam

Fort Amsterdam was once the headquarters of the West India Company. Now the government meets there, and you can visit the oldest church in Curaçao. You may walk into the courtyard to take a look.

If you walk around the fort, you will find the abandoned buildings of the Van der Valk Hotel at the back. Years ago, this was a very popular hotel: many guests and fun movie nights. Unfortunately, now it’s far beyond its expiration date. Hopefully, it will find a new destination soon.

Tip 10 – Visit the Kura Hulanda museum

The Kura Hulanda museum is a slavery museum. You learn how enslaved people were transported and treated and what objects they used, and you gain insight into the culture. The museum shows not only the slave trade but also its consequences and recent developments. For example, Martin Luther King and Barack Obama also have a spot in the museum. I absolutely recommend that you visit the museum with a guide. This service is offered to you immediately upon arrival and has real added value. I was deeply impressed. You can buy a ticket online in advance.

Tip 11 – Reflect on the slavery past

In Otrobanda, even beyond the cruise ships, there are a few monuments on the water in memory of Curaçao’s slavery past. This area is called Parke Lucha pa Libertat. You can theoretically walk there, but if you have a rental car, I would definitely use that. (compare prices at Rentalcars.com and Discover Cars)

You can find the white statue of a fist with an iron handcuff broken open in several places on the island, for example, in Sint Willibrordus. It symbolizes the slave revolt of 1795, in which enslaved people led by Tula fought against the plantation lords.

Tip 12 – Visit the Curaçao Museum

The Curaçaosch Museum is a bit out of the center, so I advise you to go there by car. You can park for free in front. The permanent collection consists of several rooms furnished with furniture from the 19th century, a kitchen from that time, and various paintings and prints. There is also a museum garden with statues, kunuku houses, and other objects.

I am particularly impressed by the temporary exhibition with portraits of Venezuelans illegally staying on the island: Hidden Voices. Harrowing stories about hope, disappointment, and the fear of being sent back to Venezuela.

Tip 13 – Feel Fort Waakbaarheid’s emptiness

Fort Waakbaarheid is a remote location. The name means vigilance. It is almost extinct: the geckos flee because of the sudden presence of people. Around 1800 the fort had to offer protection against the English and Spaniards. It wasn’t used for decades after, until the Americans used it during WWII. Many years later, a restaurant came to this place, but since it closed, there is only been decay. The buildings were demolished, but the walls remain.

Because Fort Waakbaarheid is on a hill, you can look out over Willemstad with the cruise terminal in the background. Next to the road, where you can park, are two rusty old-timers adding extra force to the extinct, uncanny atmosphere.

Fort Waakbaarheid is worth a short stop if you are on the Otrabanda side of the Queen Juliana Bridge. From the highway, it is easy to reach via the exit.

First published: June 2021. Updated since.