Why go
- Capital and the largest city of Curaçao.
- Served by Cumarebo Airport.
History
Willemstad is the capital and largest city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It was the capital of the Netherlands Antilles prior to that entity's dissolution in 2010. The city accounts for around 90% of Curaçao's population, with 136,660 inhabitants as of 2011. The historic centre of the city consists of four quarters: the Punda and Otrobanda, which are separated by the Sint Anna Bay, an inlet that leads into the large natural harbour called the Schottegat, as well as the Scharloo and Pietermaai Smal quarters, which are across from each other on the smaller Waaigat harbour. Willemstad is home to the Curaçao synagogue, the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas. The city centre, with its unique architecture and harbour entry, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Restaurants & places to go
292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 15 airlines, 19 direct destinations
- Insel Air (7I/INC) (Priv) 7I (M83, F50, 737-300) · 15 routes: Barquisimeto, Caracas, Charlotte, Kingston, Kralendijk, Maracaibo, Miami, Oranjestad, Paraguana, Philipsburg, Port-of-spain, Rio Negro, Santo Domingo, Valencia, Zandery
- Arkefly OR (767-300) · 3 routes: Amsterdam, Kralendijk, Oranjestad
- Air Antilles Express 3S (ATR 42) · 1 route: Santo Domingo
- Air Berlin AB (A330-200) · 1 route: Duesseldorf
- American Airlines AA (737-800) · 1 route: Miami
- Avianca - Aerovias Nacionales de Colombia AV (318, A319, A320) · 1 route: Bogota
- Copa Airlines CM (Embraer 190) · 1 route: Panama City
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (747) · 1 route: Amsterdam
- Leeward Islands Air Transport LI (ATR 72) · 1 route: Port-of-spain
- Scat Air DV (BNI) · 1 route: Kralendijk
- Surinam Airways PY (737-300) · 1 route: Port-of-spain
- Tiara Air 3P (SH6) · 1 route: Oranjestad
- US Airways US (737-800) · 1 route: Miami
- Volotea Costa Rica 9V (732) · 1 route: Caracas
- Windward Islands Airways WM (AT4) · 1 route: Santo Domingo
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Cumarebo Airport. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 4 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Punda Ferry Dock, 0.1 km); routes include Otrobanda - Punda, Bounty to Klein Curacao and boat dives, Veerpont Isla Kiniw.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Willemstad. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.