If you’re planning your time in Curaçao, this Willemstad walking guide is the easiest way to see the city without wasting time or zig-zagging all over in the heat.
This guide walks you through exactly how to explore Willemstad on foot, what to prioritize, and where to eat along the way.
If you’re still planning your overall trip, check out my guide on how to spend a week in Curaçao—it helps you map out where this fits into your itinerary.
Willemstad is split into three main areas:
You can walk all of this—but the key is doing it in the right order so you’re not doubling back in the heat halfway through the day.
This is where most of the iconic spots are, and it’s the best place to start before it gets too hot.
This is the row of colorful buildings you always see in photos.
It’s right along the water and easy to find. Walk the full stretch, take your photos, and give yourself a few minutes here—it’s one of those spots that looks just as good in person as it does online.
This floating bridge connects Punda and Otrobanda.
Walk across it at least once—it’s part of the experience. If you time it right, you might catch it opening for boats, which is worth watching the first time.
Right near the bridge, this is a small open area that’s easy to pass through.
You don’t need to go out of your way for it, but since it’s already on your route, it’s a quick, natural stop.
Once you cross the bridge, you’re in Otrobanda—and this is where a lot of people rush through without realizing what they’re missing.
Turn around and look back toward Punda.
This is one of the best views of the colorful buildings, and it’s usually less crowded than the other side—which makes it easier to slow down for a minute without feeling like you’re in the middle of a photo line.
You don’t need a ton of time here, but walking a few streets gives you a feel for a quieter side of the city.
It’s a noticeable shift from the busier areas, and it breaks up the walk in a good way.
Cross back over the bridge and start heading toward Pietermaai. This is where the day shifts from sightseeing into food and slower exploring.
You’ll see the “Dushi Curaçao” sign here.
It’s a quick photo stop and right along your route, so it’s easy to add in without going out of your way.
Local vendors sell produce and goods directly off boats along the water.
It’s quick to walk through and different from anything else in Willemstad—but timing matters. Go earlier in the day. If you show up later, a lot of vendors may already be gone and it won’t feel like much.
This is where I’d hang out for a bit.
You’ll find restaurants, bars, and smaller streets to wander. It’s one of the best areas to eat in Willemstad, and it naturally fits at the end of this route when you’re ready to sit down.
Save this for later on Pinterest so you have it when you’re planning.
You have a lot of options, but these stood out the most.
This was my favorite dinner.
Everything we had was good, and this is the one I would go back to first without question.
If you want more details on what to order, see my full review of the best restaurants in Curaçao—it’ll help you narrow things down faster.
A close second.
This is a fine dining spot with a well-designed interior, and the menu changes, which keeps it interesting. Everything we had was full of flavor, and it felt a little more elevated without being over the top.
This is an easy first-night option.
It’s right in the middle of everything, simple to get to, and a good introduction to the area if you don’t want to think too hard about where to go after a travel day.
If you want to break up the walking, grab a quick taxi and head to Fort Nassau.
It’s a short drive and gives you a completely different perspective overlooking the city.
This is an easy way to add something extra to your day without turning it into a whole separate plan—and it’s a good reset if you’ve been walking for a few hours.
You can book a personalized guided city tour that includes stops like this here if you don’t want to deal with taxis.
This is one of the most popular beaches—but it felt more built up and crowded than anywhere else we went.
If you want something more local or scenic, there are much better options on the island.
We went here for breakfast, and it didn’t stand out.
The menu felt limited, and there are better spots nearby (I mostly ended up just eating bread).
You can do this walk during the day—but if you can, come back at night too.
At night:
One of my favorite moments in Curaçao was walking around Willemstad at night under the bridge while everything was lit up. It felt completely different than during the day.
If you’re planning to explore beyond Willemstad, renting a car makes a big difference.
You can check rental options here—it gives you flexibility to visit beaches and snorkeling spots without relying on taxis.
For flights, I usually compare routes using this flight search tool since options into Curaçao can vary depending on where you’re coming from.
For where to stay, it helps to be close to Willemstad if you plan to do this walk—here are hotels in the area so you can see what fits your trip.
Willemstad is easy to explore—but having a simple plan makes it so much better.
If you follow this route, you’ll:
If you’re building out the rest of your trip, learn more in my Curaçao travel guide for first-time visitors—it pulls everything together so your days flow a lot easier.
Let’s talk about when to actually book that Dubai trip you’ve been pinning for two years. I get asked this constantly, so here’s the honest breakdown: October through April is your window. Anything outside that and you’re basically touring in a sauna!
October and November give you warm days and cooler nights, which is basically the sweet spot for wandering around without melting. December through February is peak season: gorgeous weather. March and April are the quiet insider pick, right before summer heat shows up and ruins everyone’s plans.
Saving this for later? That’s what it’s here for. Full breakdown linked in bio.
If you’re chasing energy, beaches, nightlife, and nonstop luxury, Dubai takes the crown. If you’re craving culture, iconic architecture, and meaningful landmarks at a slower pace, Abu Dhabi shines.🤍
My advice? Base yourself in Dubai and do Abu Dhabi as a day trip! The perfect balance of excitement and culture in the UAE.
Want the full breakdown? Check out my Dubai and Abu Dhabi guide for tips, itineraries, and must-sees!
I do not like seafood. 🐟 So when I booked a tasting menu at a restaurant built around aquarium walls at Atlantis The Palm, I was nervous.
Ossiano sits underwater fish gliding past the whole meal, moody lighting, the kind of room that makes you lower your voice without meaning to. It’s not cheap, and it’s not trying to be. You’re paying for the entire experience.
Here’s the honest part: they have a vegetarian tasting menu, and I assumed it would be an afterthought. It ended up in my top five meals of all time. Course after course, the same care and precision as the seafood-forward menu everyone comes for. They even swapped in a steak for the main and it still felt cohesive with everything around it.
By course four you’re full. They bring out three more breads anyway. I ate all of it. No regrets.
Small detail that stuck with me my dress was black, so they swapped my napkin from white to black without me asking. That’s the kind of thing that tells you everything about a place.
Full breakdown of the menu, the vegetarian option, and what to expect linked in bio.
Dubai is all skyline until you drive an hour into the dunes and it goes completely silent. Bab Al Shams was that shift for us: slower, quieter, more intentional than anything we did in the city.
If you want nightlife or walkable everything, this isn’t your stop. But if you want a night that feels like a reset, it delivers, polished service, food I’m still thinking about, and a setting that never tries too hard.
Full review (and whether it’s worth adding to your Dubai itinerary) is linked in bio. 🏜️
I flew @emirates economy to Dubai fully expecting to just survive the flight. We booked seats by the exit row — @bradplummer1 got the legroom (he’s 6’7”), I got a normal seat right next to him, and it saved us money over booking two extra-legroom seats. Smart trick if you’re traveling with someone who needs the extra space and you don’t.
The food alone earned this post. Warm chicken, a Waldorf salad that actually tasted fresh, real butter on the roll, and a breakfast spread that put most airport brunches to shame. Add in the twinkling-star cabin lighting once dinner wrapped, and it felt less like a flight and more like the trip had already started.
Not everything was perfect — the wifi didn’t work for me at all, so if you’re planning to get work done in the air, download what you need beforehand. But that was the only miss in an otherwise excellent long haul.
If you’ve got Emirates lounge access in Dubai, use it. Showers, buffets, quiet corners to nap it makes the layover feel like a reset instead of a slog.
Full review seats, food, lounge, and the wifi situation is on the blog. Link in bio. ✈️
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
