Getty Images/Robert Harding World Imagery

Willemstad

Gazing across Sint Annabaai at the colorful town houses lined up on the shore, you might think that you're in the Old Country. Until you remember that the sun is shining, it's 28°C (82°F), and you're on your way to the beach. Despite the flawless weather, Willemstad feels like a Dutch city, complete with waterways and street cafes.

Residents live in the hills surrounding Schottegat, the deep inland harbor. Much of the sprawling city is traffic clogged and rather mundane. But the crowded streets of Punda are packed with galleries and shops, while nearby Pietermaai is coming alive with restaurants, bars and clubs. Throughout the old town the architecture is rich, with stunning examples of 17th- and 18th-century fortifications, Dutch colonial planning and diverse building styles, all of which earned this city its Unesco-protected status.

Explore Willemstad

Museum Kura Hulanda
Located in a 19th-century merchant's house and slave quarters, this excellent museum documents the brutal history of slavery in the New World, including…
L
Landhuis Bloemhof
As visitors wander the leafy grounds of this 1735 plantation home they encounter a range of things. An old car covered in mosaic tiles depicting sea…
Queen Emma Bridge
Spanning Sint Annabaai, this local landmark is sometimes called Our Swinging Old Lady. It's a pontoon bridge that swings open to make way for oceangoing…
G
Gallery Alma Blou
Housed in the 17th-century Landhuis Habaai plantation house, this cooperative gallery has the city's largest collection of works by Caribbean artists. The…
J
Jewish Cultural-Historical Museum
The 1651 Mikvé Israel Emanuel Synagogue has the oldest continuously operating Jewish congregation in the western hemisphere. Its small but fascinating…
C
Curaçao Maritime Museum
Engaging displays trace the island’s history, including exhibits on the Dutch West India Co, the growth of Willemstad, the slave trade and more. A…
C
Curaçao Museum
Small but worthwhile, this museum touches on art, history and society in its eclectic collections. In an unlikely residential location 1.6km west of…
L
Landhuis Chobolobo
Did you ever wonder why blue curaçao is blue? Find out at Landhuis Chobolobo, where the liqueur is produced (in five colors, actually) from the peel of…
S
Steam for Oil
At the Curaçao Maritime Museum, this exhibit includes a working model of the oil refinery that has been a centerpiece of the island's economy throughout…

Museum Kura Hulanda
Located in a 19th-century merchant's house and slave quarters, this excellent museum documents the brutal history of slavery in the New World, including…
L
Landhuis Bloemhof
As visitors wander the leafy grounds of this 1735 plantation home they encounter a range of things. An old car covered in mosaic tiles depicting sea…
Queen Emma Bridge
Spanning Sint Annabaai, this local landmark is sometimes called Our Swinging Old Lady. It's a pontoon bridge that swings open to make way for oceangoing…
G
Gallery Alma Blou
Housed in the 17th-century Landhuis Habaai plantation house, this cooperative gallery has the city's largest collection of works by Caribbean artists. The…
J
Jewish Cultural-Historical Museum
The 1651 Mikvé Israel Emanuel Synagogue has the oldest continuously operating Jewish congregation in the western hemisphere. Its small but fascinating…
C
Curaçao Maritime Museum
Engaging displays trace the island’s history, including exhibits on the Dutch West India Co, the growth of Willemstad, the slave trade and more. A…
C
Curaçao Museum
Small but worthwhile, this museum touches on art, history and society in its eclectic collections. In an unlikely residential location 1.6km west of…
L
Landhuis Chobolobo
Did you ever wonder why blue curaçao is blue? Find out at Landhuis Chobolobo, where the liqueur is produced (in five colors, actually) from the peel of…
S
Steam for Oil
At the Curaçao Maritime Museum, this exhibit includes a working model of the oil refinery that has been a centerpiece of the island's economy throughout…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Willemstad.

See
Museum Kura Hulanda
Located in a 19th-century merchant's house and slave quarters, this excellent museum documents the brutal history of slavery in the New World, including…
See
Landhuis Bloemhof
As visitors wander the leafy grounds of this 1735 plantation home they encounter a range of things. An old car covered in mosaic tiles depicting sea…
See
Queen Emma Bridge
Spanning Sint Annabaai, this local landmark is sometimes called Our Swinging Old Lady. It's a pontoon bridge that swings open to make way for oceangoing…
See
Gallery Alma Blou
Housed in the 17th-century Landhuis Habaai plantation house, this cooperative gallery has the city's largest collection of works by Caribbean artists. The…
See
Jewish Cultural-Historical Museum
The 1651 Mikvé Israel Emanuel Synagogue has the oldest continuously operating Jewish congregation in the western hemisphere. Its small but fascinating…
See
Curaçao Maritime Museum
Engaging displays trace the island’s history, including exhibits on the Dutch West India Co, the growth of Willemstad, the slave trade and more. A…
See
Curaçao Museum
Small but worthwhile, this museum touches on art, history and society in its eclectic collections. In an unlikely residential location 1.6km west of…
See
Landhuis Chobolobo
Did you ever wonder why blue curaçao is blue? Find out at Landhuis Chobolobo, where the liqueur is produced (in five colors, actually) from the peel of…
See
Steam for Oil
At the Curaçao Maritime Museum, this exhibit includes a working model of the oil refinery that has been a centerpiece of the island's economy throughout…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Willemstad

Uncover the heart of travel and be inspired to see new sights with one of Lonely Planet’s in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.