Trifter

The island of Curacao is the largest island of the Dutch Antilles. Resorts are positioned around the islands capital: Willemstad. Therefore, you may traverse easily into town by foot or by way of shuttle.

Additionally many of the European visitors prefer a villa or bungalow.

The Caribbean Island is noted for its high-level of ethnic diversity: Here you will find the influences of Europe, Latin America, and Africa

The island’s capital of Willemstad has a historic downtown and is built around a natural harbor referred to as “Schottegat.” There are townhouses, painted in bright colors complete with gabled-style roofs that line the brilliant blue waters of the Santa Anna Bay.

Further should you venture out to Curacao’s countryside you will discover picturesque dollhouse-style plantation houses set amidst the cacti and other forms of non-ornamental plant life.

During the decades, fortresses were built in order to protect inhabitants against invasions by the British and French.

Nowadays hotels and restaurants are “housed” within the remnants of these fortresses.

Curacao offers a myriad of activities and site-seeing opportunities.

We will begin our island journey by providing you with a list of sites you may wish to visit within the historic city of Willemstad (also considered the capital of Curacao).

Probably, the first thing you will need to realize before you even embark on any site-seeing exploration is to determine the layout of the city of Willemstad.

The city is divided into two parts by the “sparkling” Santa Anna Bay.

One side of the bay is referred to as the Punda. This area is full of restaurants and shops.

The other side of the bay area is known as Otrobanda. (The word “Otrobanda” also means the other side.)

Here you will discover some wonderful examples of Dutch architecture. The Otrobanda is a residential section with a good many picturesque gabled houses located on rather windy and marginally thin streets.

Additionally, in recent years, new hotels, shops and eateries have “sprung up” within the area giving this side of the Santa Anna (Bay) new life!

You have three options as to how you may cross the bay: You may do so by car over the Juliana Bridge; by walking over the Queen Emma pontoon bridge or by taking a free ferry. The ferry is available when the pontoon bridge is open in order to allow for the passing of ships inside of the harbor.

Now that you have a very basic layout, in your mind of the city, it is time to get you started in compiling a list of significant sites you may likely want to visit during your holiday in Curacao.

The first site on the itinerary is the Curacao Museum. The museum is housed inside of a nineteenth century plantation house. The compact museum is comprised of interesting antiques, historical items and paintings that “tell” the story of the history of the island.

Additionally, there is an area set aside for traveling exhibitions relative to art. The museum is located at: V. Leeuwenhoekstraat z/n, Otrobanda, Willemstad. You may “ring” them up, if need be by dialing 5999/462-3873. The admission is free. They are open during the week from 9:00 a.m. to noon and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday hours are: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Another site that may be to your liking is the Floating Market. The active market is located on the Punda side of the city.

Early, each morning, merchant vessels from Venezuela arrive at the market filled with tropical produce; the market offers its visitors fruits such as papayas and mangos as well as vegetables of tropical import. There is a nice selection of fresh fish and you may readily purchase all kinds of wonderful herbs and spices.

You are best advised to make your purchases early, around 6:30 a.m. when there is a plentiful and fresh supply.

The market remains quite vital and active through the afternoon hours, so if you must sleep longer do not despair.

Further, since the market is quite crowded, and is open-air in nature, it is advisable you thoroughly wash and/or peel any of your purchases.

The true address of this colorful market is: Sha Caprileskade, Punda, Willemstad.

The third suggestion I have for your self-devised itinerary is the historic site of Ft. Amsterdam.

When you walk into Fort Amsterdam, it will be as if you, yourself, have been transported to another place and time. You virtually feel as if you have entered another century!

The entirety of this historical structure dates back to the eighteenth century.

Historically-speaking, Fort Amsterdam, at one time was the “hub” of the city and Curacao’s most significant fortification.

It is now home to the governor’s residence, government offices; as well as a small church that includes a small-size museum.

There is a masterful artistic achievement found just outside of the entry way of this highly important site: Carvings of human images have been made upon the Wayaka trees that grace the outside of the structure. The artistic accomplishment is the work of the artist: Mac Alberto.

The location of the site is: Foot of Queen Emma Bridge, Punda, Willemstad. The phone number is: 5999/461-1139. The admission is Free with the exception being the Church Museum: The admission charge for the Church Museum is $1.75. During the week, they are open, to my understanding from 9:00 a.m. to noon and from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is a Sunday Service at 10:00 a.m., inside of the church.

The fourth suggestion made herein, as to site-seeing opportunities on the lovely island of Curacao is the Maritime Museum.

This museum attains much of its uniqueness from the standpoint the museum’s interior is designed to mimic that of a ship.

The theme of the museum is nautical with the objective to provide its visitors with a “sea-faring” history of the island. In order to accomplish this goal, the museum provides its patronage with displays of model ships; navigational-style equipment; maps of a historic nature and charts respective of the nautical theme. Additionally, audio-visual equipment is supplied in order to provide visitors a detailed and informative explanation as to the island’s maritime history.

Displays “center” around such topics as: The developmental years of the city (of Willemstad) as a (merchant) trading hub; the remnants of the marine Dutch freighter named “de Alphen” that sank after it exploded inside of the Santa Anna Bay in the eighteenth century. (It was excavated during the early portion of the 1980s); the slave trade on the Island of Curacao; the evolution of steam navigation; the Island’s part as a central trade area as to contraband, and the significance of the Dutch Navy on the Island of Curacao.

The museum also offers its visitors a “guided tour” lasting for two hours worth of time, on the days of: Wednesday and, Saturday and beginning at 2:00 p.m. on what is termed as its water bus. The tour takes museum patrons through the Island’s harbor and gives a historic account of the route once traveled readily by sea traders, pirates, and smugglers.

Thus, a vast wealth of maritime historic knowledge may be attained as it pertains to Curacao in paying a visit to the island’s Maritime Museum.

The precise address of the museum is: Van der Brandhofstraat 7, Scharloo, Willemstad. You may phone them up at: 5999/465-2327. Their website address is as follows: www.curacaomaritime.com. Admission to the museum is ten U.S. dollars ($10.00)); if you wish to view the museum as well as take the guided harbor tour; the charge is $5.00 more, therefore $15.00 in total. The museum’s days and hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday; 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The fifth suggestion, should you be seeking a “stop off” from your planned site-seeing excursion is to “pop” into the Old Market, also know as Marche Bieuw for a delicious lunch.

The island’s local cooks are available to prepare wonderful and plentiful offerings associative with the Lesser Antilles. The lunches are prepared in large “coal” pots and there are specific dishes available such as polenta, also known as funchi, mouth-watering fried fish, okra, or delicious goat stew. The price range for an average lunch is $5.00 to $7.00 and the precise location is: De Ruyterkade, Punda, Willemstad. You will find the market behind the Post Office.

The sixth suggestion, as to your site-seeing excursion is a visit to the Plaza Piar.

The plaza is a historic commemoration to Manuel Piar. Piar was a native of Curacao who fought valiantly in regard to the liberation and subsequent independence of the South American country of Venezuela. He fought under the command and direction of Simon Bolivar (the liberator).

Upon observation, one portion of the “historic” plaza is a water fort. The structure was constructed within the early part of the nineteenth century in order to provide a defense for the “old” city.

It is interesting to note that the cannons of this time period are positioned as they were in the 1800s and appear to be ready for use in defense of the city.

Nowadays, however, you will also see the Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel within this area. The original foundation of the historical fort supports the more modernized hotel structure.

The sixth suggestion as to site-seeing opportunities within the city is Queen Emma Bridge.

You will most undoubtedly catch sight of it as you actively trek through Willemstad.

The Queen Emma Bridge opens at minimum thirty times daily and is referred to, by locals, as the: “Swinging Old Lady.” The bridge, as noted in a previous paragraph connects the Punda side and the Otrobanda across the Santa Anna Bay.

The original Queen Emma Bridge was built in the late nineteenth century. It was the creation of Leonard Burlington Smith, an American consul who made a fortune on the tolls he charged as to the bridge’s daily use.

However, today the tolls have been eliminated and it is free for anyone who chooses to use it.

The bridge was taken apart in its entirety and re-assembled after its restoration in (the year) 2005. The precise location, as so noted in prior text is the city of: Willemstad.

The seventh site-seeing opportunity is the Queen Juliana Bridge. The bridge is accurately one thousand six hundred and twenty-five feet in total length and is a respectable two hundred feet above the water.

Motor traffic uses the bridge to cross between Punda and Otrobanda.

If you choose to drive, while visiting Curacao, you most likely cannot avoid driving over it. As you drive over the Queen Juliana Bridge, the views are really quite extraordinary. It provides terrific observations of city sites both day and night.

The eighth site-seeing suggestion within the city of Willemstad is the historic area known as: Scharloo.

The interesting Wilhelmina drawbridge is the connecting bridge between the Punda area and the once prosperous area of Scharloo. It was here many wealthy merchants constructed lovely and stately residences.

The area provides the visitor an opportunity to view many fine examples of architecture, dating back to the 1600s. A good number of the colonial mansions that had fallen into disrepair have now been renovated to their original grandeur.

Just be advised, there is a rather “blighted” red light district in close proximity; however, the renovated historic area will be well worth the visit.

There are many other worthy site-seeing opportunities around the most interesting island of Curacao, therefore, read my other article entitled: Curacao: Site-Seeing Opportunities Abound throughout this Lovely Caribbean Setting.