About Curacao
The largest island in the Dutch Antilles, Curacao is home to more than 50 nationalities so has a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Its lovely capital and cruise port, Willemstad, is full of 17th, 18th and 19th century Dutch and Spanish Colonial architecture.
The two sides of the city are divided by Santa Anna Bay, a narrow channel flanked by pastel-tinted, gabled houses and spanned by the spectacular swing-aside Queen Emma pontoon bridge.
On one side you will find the 18th century Fort Amsterdam and Breederstraat, gateway to Willemstad’s main shopping and restaurant district where you can buy everything from Delft pottery to Italian silk ties, Japanese electrical goods, Indonesian batik clothing, locally-made black coral jewellery and, of course, the sapphire-blue liqueur to which Curacao has given its name.
Also worth a visit is the Floating Market, lined with boats from Colombia, Venezuela and other Caribbean islands selling colourful local produce and handicrafts.