Holiday in Willemstad

About Willemstad

Willemstad, the capital of Curaçao, is the most colorful city in the Caribbean — and this is meant literally. The rows of houses along the Sint Annabaai shine in candy colors: lime green next to coral pink, sunny yellow next to ocean blue, tangerine next to lavender violet. This iconic backdrop, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage, is the result of a legend: In the 19th century, a governor reportedly complained of migraines caused by the white color of the buildings — since then, the city has shone in a rainbow. The historic old town is divided into two halves: Punda on the east side and Otrobanda on the west side, connected by the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge — a floating pedestrian bridge that swings aside with each passing ship. Punda is home to the Floating Market, where Venezuelan vendors dock their boats at the quay and sell tropical fruits, fish, and vegetables directly from the deck. Behind the colorful facades lies a fascinatingly complex cultural history: Curaçao was a Dutch colony, a slave trading post, a Jewish refuge, and a Caribbean melting pot. The Mikvé Israel-Emanül Synagogue, built in 1732, is the oldest active synagogue in the Western Hemisphere, with a sand floor that recalls the desert wanderings. The Kura Hulanda Museum documents the transatlantic slave trade with shocking poignancy. Away from the old town, over 35 beaches and coves await explorers: from the turquoise bays of Playa Kenepa and Cas Abao to the lively Jan Thiel Beach for partygoers. The underwater world of Curaçao is among the best in the Caribbean — shore diving directly from the beaches makes the island a paradise for divers and snorkelers.