For most travelers, Curacao is the perfect beach getaway filled with sparkling blue waters and white sand beaches. However, Curacao also has an incredible capital city that is not only beautiful but makes a great base to explore all of the fabulous beaches on both the west and the east side of the island.
Filled with colorful architecture, delicious food, and lively nightlife, Willemstad is sure to wow you. So, in this article, we’ll share 25 incredible things to do in Willemstad Curacao. The best part is that all of these attractions are within walking distance of the cruise port. So, even if you are short on time or don’t want to rent a car, you can still see the best of Willemstad.
Interesting Facts about Willemstad
Willemstad is the capital of Curaçao, a Caribbean island located just 37 miles north of Venezuela. Its historic city center is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its traditional Dutch colonial buildings and famous floating bridge. So, when you walk toward city center, you will be blown away by the postcard-perfect sight.
Willemstad is divided by Sint Anna Bay with two distinct neighborhoods called Otrobanda and Punda. Incredibly, there is no shortage of things to do in these vibrant neighborhoods.
The 25 Best Things to Do in Willemstad Curacao
1. Handelskade
First up, let’s head to Sint Anna Bay to see the best sight in Willemstad, Handelskade. Now Handelskade is the picture-perfect row of Dutch colonial buildings whose colorful facades make for the perfect photo opp for any traveler. Snap your pics here because you haven’t really been to Curacao until you’ve had your photo taken in front of Handelskade.
2. Queen Emma Swinging Bridge
Another must is walking across the Queen Emma Floating Bridge. This pontoon bridge is special because it was built in 1888 and is one of the oldest floating bridges still in use to date.
Walking across the bridge is really fascinating because you can feel the waves gently rocking the floating bridge back and forth as you walk. However, the main allure of this bridge is the lovely view of the historic buildings of Handelskade.
I honestly have no idea why watching this bridge swing open and close is so entertaining, but it really is! So, find a bench and enjoy the show as this bridge opens for passing boats around 30 times daily.
See this floating bridge in action in our full Willemstad video guide below!
3. Iguana Cafe
Another great place to view the floating bridge is the Iguana Cafe. Here, you can get a drink or an entire meal while enjoying one of the best views of the Queen Emma Bridge and the Otrobanda neighborhood across the bay.
4. Djosa Mural
Now on the other side of Handelskade is the Otrobanda neighborhood. Otrobanda is known for its colorful murals. One of the best murals to see is Djosa which is a vibrant piece of art done by the incredible local artist Francis Sling. Admire the lady in red to see how it inspires you before continuing up the hill to Kura Hulanda Village.
5. Kura Hulanda Village
Kura Hulanda Village is a colorful complex filled with great restaurants, shopping, and murals. Here, we especially loved exploring the slavery museum and the Lionfish Restaurant which are both located inside of the village.
6. Kura Hulanda Museum
The Kura Hulanda Museum is a slavery museum where we learned more about the hardships of slavery on the island and the spread of slavery all around the world. It’s unfortunate, but Curacao was the center of the Atlantic Slave Trade in the 1600’s.
This museum shows the African countries affected the most by the slave trade and some of the beautiful artwork that comes from these countries as well. It was an informative and impactful visit.
7. Take a Free Walking Tour
Another great way to learn about the history of Willemstad is to take a free walking tour. This tip-based experience helped us to see the most beautiful murals in the city as well as learn more about the Dutch influence on the island.
You can find out where and when to meet for this free walking tour here.
8. The Lionfish Restaurant
Our free walking tour even took us by Lionfish Restaurant, a place that was originally off our radar. Now, lionfish are an invasive species in the Caribbean that threaten the ecological balance of the fish species in the sea. Because lionfish don’t have any natural predators in the Caribbean, they are currently overconsuming local fish and dramatically decreasing their numbers in the sea.
That’s why Lionfish Restaurant specializes in spear-catching lionfish to serve them in their restaurant. It was quite the experience to have fish and chips with the venomous spines of the lionfish still poking out. Don’t worry though because once you cook the spines they are food-safe.
Eating at Lionfish Restaurant is not an experience you would soon forget, because you are eating with a purpose much bigger than basic sustenance. You are eating to improve the ecological balance of the seas.
9. Kaya Kaya Street Art
Behind the Kura Hulanda Village, you will see even more lovely murals done by Kaya Kaya Street Art. Kaya Kaya Street Art is a community-building organization that gets together every year to paint murals in Otrobanda. The organization makes a big event out of it, filling the neighborhoods with art, music, and fun.
Walking through one of the revitalized neighborhoods is so lovely and inspiring. It’s one of our favorite things to do in Willemstad.
10. Take a Photo with the Colorful Steps
Not far away from the Kaya Kaya project are the Colorful Steps which are great for your Instragram photos.
In addition, if you climb to the top of these stairs, you will get another unique view of Handelskade.
11. Get a Free Rum Sample at Annabay
Crossing over the Queen Emma Bridge to the Punda neighborhood, you can visit Annabay to try one of their delicious flavored rums. The AnnaBay rum recipe has been perfected since the 17th century, serving sailors who would arrive in the port.
Over time they have developed lovely flavored rums that are sweet and delicious, but they also have their signature white rum, amber rum, and 5-year-old rum. Try a free sample to taste the quality and pick up a bottle for yourself!
12. Shop at the Floating Market
Just a short walk away from Annabay is the Floating Market which has outdoor stalls filled with fresh fish, fresh fruits, vegetables, and souvenirs.
In the past, this market was floating on boats. Vendors would sail from Venezuela with fresh produce to sell at the floating market. However, this type of daily border crossing is no longer allowed due to recent border restrictions.
Today, the floating market is just a row of outdoor vendor stands, but it’s still nice to walk through and get a feel for what the floating market used to be like.
13. The Indoor Market
If you want to do even more shopping, there is a circular Indoor Market as well that is filled with food stalls and loads of gift shops. Make a full loop around the market to see all the colorful clothing available and brings something special home.
14. Admire Local Art at Street Art Skalo
Just across the channel from the Indoor Market is Street Art Skalo, which has an impressive mural outside and an intriguing art gallery inside filled with work by Francis Sling. Shop for a piece that moves you and go home with a unique piece of Curacao.
15. Plasa Bieu (The Old Market)
If you want to try delicious local food go to Plasa Bieu where they have several food vendors to choose from, serving fish, shrimp, chicken, and even the iguana stew.
If you can believe it, I was brave and tried eating the iguana stew here. To my surprise, it tasted really good! Iguana tastes a lot like chicken.
My only critique of this exotic dish is that iguanas are quite bony, making them difficult to eat. There are so many small bones to avoid. Nonetheless, having iguana stew is a unique once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience. If you have an adventurous palate, why not give it a try?
16. See the Colorful Buildings in the Pietermaai District
Next, take a scroll to see the colorful buildings on Pietermaai Street and Nieuwestraat Street. Some of the most beautifully restored buildings are by Mundo Bizarro, Ginger Restaurant, and Scuba Lodge. These buildings are gorgeously restored and make great photo opportunities.
17. Take a Coffee Break at Van Gogh Cafe
For delicious specialty coffee, check out Van Gogh Cafe which has delicious drinks, desserts, and food. While there, I got an incredible Oreo frappe for dessert, and it was well worth all of the calories!
I wish I had room to try even more of their high-quality desserts as well.
18. Soak Up the Sun at Punda Beach
The only beach inside of the historic center of Willemstad is Punda Beach, which I admit is not the most gorgeous beach in the world. Punda Beach currently has quite a bit of construction going on around it, but it’s still a good place to swim and enjoy the sunset within walking distance of city center.
19. Enjoy Happy Hour at Cascada
Cascada is an elegant rooftop bar with an excellent view of the city. If you go during happy hour between 5-6 p.m., you can enjoy half-priced drinks with a great atmosphere.
Cascada is also a great place to watch the Thursday night fireworks from their rooftop. However space fills up quickly on Thursday evenings, so definitely book reservations if you want a table with a view at Cascada.
20. Thursday Night Fireworks & Nightlife
Thursday nights are definitely the most lively night in Willemstad because every Thursday night a 8:15 p.m., the city has a small fireworks display by this former synagogue that’s been converted into a prosecutor’s office. This spot is located in front of Cascada and next to Wilhemina Park.
The fireworks show only lasts five minutes, but it’s an exciting way to start your evening in Willemstad. Because of the fireworks, the streets are filled with many more people and many restaurants will have live music on Thursday nights due to the crowds that come out for the fireworks.
For live music, we especially loved going to Mundo Bizarro to hear their live salsa band every Thursday night. The band was excellent and it drew quite the crowd.
21. Wilhelmina Park & the Curacao Sign
Wilhelmina Park is also a must because this is where you will find the Curacao Sign and the Dushi Sign. Dushi means sweet in the local language of Papimento and you will hear often to describe people and food. So get a picture by the Dushi sign to show everyone how sweet your trip to Curacao has been.
On select Thursdays, the city also hosts live music in the Wilhemina Park. It really is very fun and lively if you are lucky enough to catch a show there.
22. Rif Fort
Rif Fort is an impressive structure that was built in 1828 to protect Sint Anna Bay. It is one of the best-preserved fortresses in Curacao because it was built out of coral, which is very durable against the harsh salt water from the ocean.
Now, the fort is a shopping center filled with restaurants and souvenirs. Due to its close proximity to the cruise port, you will see hundreds of cruisers here on their way to and from their cruise ships.
In addition, if you climb to the top level of the fortress you will have another nice view of Handelskade. The best part is that Rif Fort is free to enter so why not take in the views in this nearly 200-year-old structure?
23. Rif Mangrove Park
Take a walk through the mangroves at Rif Mangrove Park. Here, you can spend an hour walking broadwalks right over the water and surrounded by mangroves and wildlife. During our walk through the park, we saw several birds, butterflies, and marine life like barracudas, moray eels, and jellyfish. It was really interesting and absolutely beautiful!f
The Rif Mangrove Park does cost around $15 USD but this park does a great job teaching how mangroves support the ecosystem of Curacao.
This nature reserve is also very close to the cruise port so it’s a good final activity before heading back to your cruise ship.
24. Curacao Liqueur Distillery (Landhuis Chobolobo)
Although the Curacao Liqueur Distillery is not technically within walking distance of city center, it would be a crime not to mention it. It’s one of the top attractions on the island because its blue Curacao liqueur is the island’s most famous export.
This distillery offers a free self-guided tour and tastings. They also have a paid guided tour if you would like to get even more information about the history of this distillery.
We enjoyed getting cocktails at the end with the blue Curacao liqueur which was a fun and refreshing way to end our day.
25. Come for Carnival
The best time to visit Willemstad is during the week of carnival because this is when the city comes to life with 3-4 parades filled with music, local culture, and colorful costumes. Carnival will have you dancing in the streets. So come the 4-7 days before Mardi Gras to see the best parades.
Things to Do Outside of Willemstad
But Curacao has so much more to offer than just city life. Curacao has some of the best beaches in the Caribbean with stunning coral reefs and crystal-clear waters. Many of the attractions can be accessed with public transport. However, for the most flexibility, a rental car is the best way to explore the rest of the island.
Some of the best attractions to explore outside of Willemstad include:
- Shete Boka National Park
- Tugboat Beach
- Hato Caves
- The Flamingo Habitant
- Mambo Beach
- Grote Knip Beach
- Jan Thiel Beach
- Kleine Knip Beach
- The Dolphin Academy
- Playa Porto Marie
Is Willemstad Worth Visiting?
Absolutely! Willemstad really is an eclectic mix of art, history, nature, and nightlife and it is definitely one of the most interesting cities that we’ve visited in the Caribbean. It’s not just a city, it’s an experience filled with culture and charm that resonates long after you’ve left its shores. So, we hope this little travel guide inspires you to dive deeper into the treasures of Willemstad because this city has so many hidden gems that bring the soul of the Caribbean to life.
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