CURACAO (Willemstad)

Ships dock in the main downtown area, and capital of Curacao- Willemstad. There are multiple docking berths, all within walking distance of the downtown area.

Willemstad is filled with incredible colorful colonial architecture from its Dutch history, much of it set on the picturesque St Anna Bay. The city is split into two sides, Punda and Otrabanda. Both sides can be accessed via the walkable pontoon Queen Emma Bridge. The larger vehicle utilized bridge in the backdrop of the city is the Queen Julianna Bridge, another nod to the Dutch heritage here.

Ships dock on the Otrabanda side of Willemstad, which is where you’ll find the RIF Fort and the Kura Hulanda Museum. On the Punda side, you’ll find a whole host of points of interest, including the floating market, Fort Amsterdam, The Maritime Museum, and the Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue- the Western Hemisphere’s oldest continuously active synagogue.

Additionally, one of the highlights of a wander through the streets of Punda is the incredible collection of street art painted on the sides of buildings down the side streets a few blocks back inland from the waterfront.

If you’re looking for more of a natural day, Curacao also has so much more on offer. Be it a beach day, visiting an ostrich farm, exploring the Hato Caves, or experiencing some of the world famous diving this part of the world has to offer, there really is something for everyone here.