Willemstad

Willemstad, the capital of Curaçao, is one of the most colourful and distinctive cities in the Caribbean, its historic centre a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its signature image is the Handelskade, a picture-perfect row of tall, narrow, gabled Dutch colonial houses painted in vivid pastels, lining the waterfront of the harbour channel that divides the old town into the Punda and Otrobanda districts. These are linked by the famous Queen Emma pontoon bridge, which swings open for ships. The city also holds the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas, a lively floating market, forts and museums, a captivating blend of European elegance and Caribbean spirit.

History

Punda, first called de punt, the point, was founded as a walled town in 1634, when the Dutch West India Company took the island from Spain, and it soon became one of the major centres of the Atlantic slave trade; in 1674 Sephardic Jews from Amsterdam and Recife built the synagogue. The name Willemstad, after a Prince of Orange, is first recorded in 1680, Pietermaai was laid out outside the walls from 1675, and Otrobanda, the opposite side, was founded across the bay in 1707. The city walls were pulled down after a decision of 13 May 1861, and the oil and phosphate boom from about 1925 brought new neighbourhoods; on 30 May 1969 a strike at the refinery turned into a riot that burned part of the historic centre, and in 1997 the old centre and its former suburbs became a World Heritage Site (Wikipedia, Willemstad).

What you'll find

• The Handelskade - the iconic row of pastel Dutch waterfront houses.
• The Queen Emma Bridge - the swinging pontoon bridge.
• The Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue - the oldest in the Americas.
• The floating market - the boats selling produce from Venezuela.

When to go

Year-round; Curaçao lies outside the main hurricane belt with a dry, sunny climate, so it is a reliable all-year destination. The pastel waterfront is especially beautiful in the golden light of morning and evening and when lit up after dark; the pontoon bridge swings open regularly for passing ships, a fun spectacle.

Things to know

Willemstad's historic core is compact and, being a cruise port, its main waterfront can get crowded when ships are in, while some outer areas beyond the postcard streets are more workaday; a day or two covers the highlights. As a genuinely unique and beautiful UNESCO city, though, with its iconic pastel Dutch architecture, swinging bridge, historic synagogue and lively blend of cultures, Willemstad is a captivating and colourful Caribbean capital.

Nearby

The beaches, the Christoffel park and the Hato Caves are elsewhere on the island.

Key facts