Willemstad

Travel Guide Caribbean Netherlands Antilles Willemstad

Introduction

Waterfront Willemstad

Willemstad is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands Antilles. It is located on the island of Curacao and has about 125,000 inhabitants. It is both the cultural and economic heart of the country and many tourists visit the city and the island, mostly on package holidays. The central part of the city with its typical Dutch colourful colonial building style is placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The city also boasts a wide range of accommodation, restaurants and several casinos.

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Neighbourhoods

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Sights and Activities

Inner city colonial buildings (UNESCO World Heritage Site).

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Events and Festivals

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Weather

Willemstad and Curacao have pleasantly warm and slightly humid weather year round, but with a constant breeze from the Caribbean sea it never feels too hot. Rainfall is modest compared to the islands more north in the Caribbean but some rain falls from November to February, with the driest period from March to June. Temperatures are around 28 °C to 30 °C during the day and 23 °C at night, with June to November being a bit warmer.

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Getting There

By Plane

Curaçao International Airport (IATA: CUR, ICAO: TNCC) has connections to neighbouring countries, nearby South American cities, North America and Europe. Airlines operating at this airport include American Airlines, Arkefly, Continental Airlines, Dutch Antilles Express, KLM, Lufthansa and Thomsonfly. Dutch Antilles Express connects all islands within the Netherlands Antilles.

By Train

By Car

By Bus

By Boat

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Getting Around

By Car

By Public Transport

By Foot

By Bike

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Eat

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Drink

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Sleep

Budget

The Scuba Lodge is a small scale family hotel, located just 5 minutes walking from the central part of Willemstad. It has a small pool and great snorkelling just in front of the hotel. Rooms are good value and breakfast (additional) is fantastic.