Places to Visit in Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles, America

Places to Visit in Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles, America

Willemstad is the capital city of Curacao, an island territory as well as constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a picturesque city comprising four quarters such as Punda, Otrobanda, Scharloo and Pietermaai Smal.

The major landmarks of Willemstad include:

Penha Building
Sebastopol House
Queen Emma Bridge
Avalon University School of Medicine

Geography of Willemstad:

Willemstad coordinates with 12°7′ N latitude and 68°56′ W longitude and enjoys a semi-arid climate.

History of Willemstad:

Willemstad was earlier known as de punt and was established in 1634. It served as the capital of the Netherlands Antilles until the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved on 10^th October 2010. Snoga Synagogue is the historical landmark of Willemstad constructed by Sephardic Portuguese Jews.

Connectivity to Willemstad:

Willemstad is situated about 13 km away from Hato International Airport which has regular flights from and to major international locations such as Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Panama City, Bonaire, Brasilia, Toronto, Port of Spain and Toronto, operated by Air Berlin, Air Canada, Copa Airlines, Surinam Airways, United Airlines and many other famed international airlines.

Bus service is available in the city, served by large metro-style Konvoi buses and BUS passenger vans. Taxi, scooters and cars are other choices for local travel.

Food and Shopping in Willemstad:

Duty free enclave is an ideal place to purchase European goods including watches and linens, souvenirs, crafts and jewelry and a waterfront market offers some fresh food and flowers. Dutch Antilles Guilder is the currency used in Willemstad although Euro and U.S. Dollar are widely accepted.

The famous food corners with traditional and international cuisine are listed here below:

Restaurant Fishalicious
L’Aldea Restaurant B.V.
Restaurant Seasons
The Wine Cellar

Things to do in Willemstad:

Diving
Golfing
Sahara Casino

Places of interest in Willemstad:

Queen Emma Bridge:

Queen Emma Bridge is one of the identities of Willemstad which was initially built in 1888 and renovated grandly in 1939. It measures a length of 167 meters and width of 9.80 meters. Queen Emma Bridge is the major link between Punda and Otrobanda quarters.

Snoga Synagogue:

The Snoga Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in the Western Hemisphere and was initially built by Sephardic Portuguese Jews and was reconstructed in 1732. Entrance fee is USD$10 per person.

Kontiki Beach:

The Kontiki Beach is located in the vicinity of downtown Willemstad offering different water sport activities and it boasts many shops, a beach bar and a restaurant. The ocean encounters dive center within the beach.

Other places of interest near Willemstad are:

Kenepa Beach
Kura Hulanda Museum
Shete Boka National Park
Curacao Underwater Marine Park
Queen Juliana Bridge
Handelskade
Riffort Village
Hato Caves
Fort Nassau
Jewish Cultural Historical Museum
Maritime Museum
Jan Thiel Beach
Fort Amsterdam
Beit Hayim Cemetery

Best time to visit Willemstad:

The best time to trip Willemstad is during the months between January and September (dry season).

Accommodation options in Willemstad:

Willemstad is one of the major cities of Caribbean housing a wide range of resorts and casinos. Other than luxury accommodation centres, Willemstad also hosts many guest houses for tourists who seek cheap and best options. A list of prominent hotels and resorts in Willemstad include: