1. Visiting Willemstad
Our first steps will take us to Willemstad, as there is a lot to discover there:
A must (and also unavoidable) is the Queen-Emma-Bridge. If you are coming from the west, we recommend that you take the Baden Powell-Weg and turn right into the free parking lot (see map).
Then we walk through the small, beautiful shopping mall for “cruisers” through the Fort towards the bridge. The Queen-Emma-Bridge was built in 1888 and is the largest pontoon bridge in the world. It is also known as the “swinging old lady”.
In the old days, horse-drawn vehicles and pedestrians had to pay a toll to cross the bridge. Poorer people who did not wear shoes were allowed to use the bridge for free. However, it was noticed that the wealthy took off their shoes and hid them under their clothes to save money. The poor, on the other hand, borrowed shoes to cross the bridge to hide their poverty. The toll was abolished in 1943. So you can cross this bridge, which is now pedestrian only, for free and even stay on it while it is open to watch huge ships from up close.
The Queen-Emma-Bridge connects the districts of Otrabanda (which means “on the other side”) and Punda (the actual city center).
If the pontoon bridge is closed for a longer period of time, If the pontoon bridge remains closed for longer, there is a ferry a little further north that runs every 10 minutes free of charge.
We cross the bridge and head to the Scharloo district, where wealthy Jewish merchants built their opulent mansions in the 19th century. Today these are among Curacao’s architectural gems and are well worth a visit (e.g. the “Wedding Cake House” at number 77).
Then we stroll along the waterfront (Waaigat) past the floating markets. Traders from Venezuela offer their goods at this market. At noon we try a cactus or iguana soup in the old market hall (“Plasa Bieu”) (these are viscous and are not wrongly called “slime soup”, as we wanted to get to know the authentic cuisine of Curacao, we ventured a tasting).
At the harbor entrance, we have a coffee in one of the many restaurants/cafés and then cross the Queen-Emma-Bridge back to Otrabanda.
On this side of Saint Anna Baai, we walk north along the water, turn into Breedestraat, admire the decorations under the expressway bridge and walk up the colorful tiled stairs on the right. Then it gets dangerous: we have to cross the four-lane road.
On the other side, the beautifully restored Kura Hulanda quarter beckons with an impressive museum that sheds light on Curacao’s history and therefore also its dark past during the transatlantic slave trade (17th – 18th century).
From there we stroll through the small streets and admire the many beautifully painted houses (murals). You then return to the parking lot via the “de Rouvilleweg”.
Café in front of the museum
