visitingthecaribbean Book tours
Willemstad & the Handelskade

Willemstad & the Handelskade

UNESCO-listed pastel waterfront and the swinging Queen Emma Bridge.

Photo: Coolcaesar, CC BY 4.0
  • WhereCuraçao
  • TypeHistoric city
  • Time neededHalf day
  • Best timeLate afternoon light

Willemstad's historic centre, split by St Anna Bay into Punda and Otrobanda, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Handelskade, its row of colourful 18th-century merchant houses, is Curaçao's postcard image.

The Queen Emma pontoon bridge swings open to let ships pass; when it does, free ferries carry pedestrians across.

Tips

  • Visit the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue
  • Eat at the Plasa Bieuw (Old Market)
  • Explore the street art of Scharloo

Location

Open in Google Maps → · Coordinates 12.105, -68.933

Tours: Willemstad & the Handelskade

Compare guided trips, transfers and tickets.

GetYourGuideViator
Willemstad & the Handelskade
Willemstad & the Handelskade. Photo: Coolcaesar, CC BY 4.0

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.