Willemstad Curacao

Willemstad is the capital of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The island sits about 37 miles (60 km) off the north coast of Venezuela. The port is mainly a port of call rather than a turnaround destination, where ships spend a day or two.

The cruise port has two main piers, the Mega Pier and the Curaçao Cruise Ship Terminal, both located in the Otrobanda quarter. Sint Anna Bay, a deep inlet, separates the city into two historic quarters, Punda and Otrobanda. Both piers are within walking distance of the city's main attractions. A quick walk from Otrobanda takes you across the distinctive Queen Emma Bridge to Punda, where the original settlement spreads out in a tight grid of pastel-coloured colonial buildings and lively markets.

In 1997, Willemstad's historic centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city centre displays colonial architecture influenced by Dutch styles. The Dutch West India Company founded Willemstad in 1634 on the banks of an inlet; the natural harbour proved an ideal place for trade. After Spanish colonisation in the 16th century, the Dutch took over in 1634, and in 1635 began construction of Fort Amsterdam in Punda, which went on to become a military fort and headquarters of the Dutch West India Company before later serving as the seat of government.

In 1674, the Curaçao synagogue was built by Sephardic Portuguese Jews from Amsterdam and Recife, Brazil who had settled in the city as traders. First consecrated in 1732, the Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue is the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas. The city's blend of Dutch heritage and diverse cultural influences runs through its streets and buildings.

The landscape beyond the port shifts quickly from city to dry, limestone terrain dotted with coves and beaches. The island, only 40 miles (64 km) long, offers attractions ranging from the wave-carved inlets of Shete Boka Park and the trails of Christoffel National Park to the ancient cave paintings of the Hato Caves. Curaçao is known for its indigenous bitter orange-based liqueur, made from the dried peel of the laraha, a citrus fruit grown on the island. Willemstad suits those who want to explore colonial history and Dutch architecture paired with Caribbean beaches and natural caves.