The colourful Dutch houses at the Sint Annabaai in Willemstad, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Curacao, ABC Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Caribbean, Central America

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.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Museum Kura Hulanda

    Museum Kura Hulanda

    Willemstad

    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…

  • Landhuis Bloemhof

    Landhuis Bloemhof

    Willemstad

    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…

  • UNSPECIFIED - JANUARY 20: Queen Emma pontoon bridge in St Anne bay at Willemstad (UNESCO World Heritage List, 1997), Curacao Island, Netherlands Antilles. (Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images)

    Queen Emma Bridge

    Willemstad

    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…

  • Fort Amsterdam

    Fort Amsterdam

    Willemstad

    Dating from the 17th century, this much-modified fort is now home to government offices. Inside the large courtyard (enter through the gate on the western…

  • Jewish Cultural-Historical Museum

    Jewish Cultural-Historical Museum

    Willemstad

    The 1651 Mikvé Israel Emanuel Synagogue has the oldest continuously operating Jewish congregation in the western hemisphere. Its small but fascinating…

  • Octagon Museum

    Octagon Museum

    Willemstad

    After a failed revolt in Venezuela in 1812, Simón Bolívar fled to Curaçao with his two sisters, who were accommodated in this oddly shaped beach house…

  • Curaçao Maritime Museum

    Curaçao Maritime Museum

    Willemstad

    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…

  • Curaçao Museum

    Curaçao Museum

    Willemstad

    Small but worthwhile, this museum touches on art, history and society in its eclectic collections. In an unlikely residential location 1.6km west of…

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