Our walking tour of Curacao

Having been to Curacao quite a few times and being as we there once again on a Sunday, we decided to do the walking tour. Hadn’t done it in years. So we went out to the information booth on the pier and picked up a map to follow.

The tour really starts at Mathey Werf where most of the cruise ships docks but being as we were on a HAL ship, we docked at the Mega Pier.

We walked by the Renaissance Hotel & Casino and an area that is their “mall” -- the shops there still aren’t opened.

We walked through Rif Fort which hasn’t changed much -- a couple of new shops -- the internet café is gone -- a couple of new small restaurants.

The walking tour map has 2 other stops on it if you start at Mathey Werf before you actually get to the Pontoon Bridge. One is the Kura Hulanda Museum which wasn’t opened and the Brionplein -- which contains the Belgian Flavour & Haagen Dazs Ice Cream shop -- both were open.

Then we crossed over the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge and crosed over Handelskade to walk by a couple of shops including Penha Building. We continued up Breedestraat Punda and turned left onto Keirkenstraat passing by the Postal Museum (not open) as we walked down to the Floating Market which was not busy. The Postal Museum is located in one of the oldest buildings in Willemstad -- built in 1693.

We turned right on Sha Caprileskade and continued walking until we came to Columbusstraat where we turned right.

If you want to see the Maritine Museum -- you need to turn left from Sha Caprileskeade onto the Wilhelmina Bridge -- after crossing over the bridge you turn left onto Van der Brandhofstraat where the museum is located. The Museum occupies one of the oldest houses in Scharloo. The exterior has been artfully restored while the interior has been completely redesigned in a maritime style to bring Curacao’s rich seafaring history to life. If you are not pressed for time, you can make your way around the corner to the D’Art Gallery on Werfstraat.

After visiting the museum you retrace your steps and return to Sha Caprileskade and walk to Columbusstraat.

About three blocks down Columbusstraat you will come to the Mikve’ Israel-Emanual Synagogue (The Snoa), the oldest synagouge in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere. Jewish families from Amsterdam founded the congregation in 1651 while the current building was consecrated in 1732. The hushed interior has a sand floor symbolizing the desert where the Israelites camped on their journey to freedom. The Jewish Cultural Historical Museum, also located here, displays traditional religious objects and is accessible from the synagogue’s courtyard. Everything was open.

From there we continued down to Wilhelmina Park - which really needs a lot of work done on it. Here you will see the statue of Queen Wilhelmina. This park is surrounded by a handful of attractive government and office buildings, including the Tele Museum (you guessed it -- closed) which traces the history of telecommunication on Curacao.

Immediately behind these is the Waterfort, built in the same time as the Rif Fort to defend the canal. At the eastern end of the fort, now known as Waterfort Arches, shops and restaurants occupy the arches that once held barracks and munitions. The seaside terrace is a pleasant place to stop for a drink or snack -- all closed.

Much larger Fort Amsterdam lies to the west. Construction on this fortification began in 1635, making it the oldest monument in Curacao. Inside its massive stone walls, you’ll find the Governor’s Palace -- closed. It is still the official residence of the Governor of the Netherlands Antilles, along with the Fort Church Museum - closed. There is a British cannonball from an 1804 attack that is still embedded in the façade above the left entrance.

After that we walked back over the Pontoon Bridge -- just as we got to the end the bells went off and the gates closed. There were so many of us that they had to reopen the gates for all of us to get off the bridge before it began its turn towards land. The opened it just wide enough for people to file through one by one.

Then we went back through Rif Fort and walked into the Renaissance Hotel. The Casino is quite large -- lots and lots of slots and several tables where we saw some of our crew playing Black Jack and Poker. The majority of the hotel is open. There is a restaurant there and a jewelry shop which was closed by the time we completed our walking tour.

Above the “mall” area they have built an artificial beach area -- you can get to it by going to the second floor of the hotel and crossing over a small bridge.

We will also be there on a Sunday and it looks like a calm day walking around and looking at things from the outside.:rolleyes::D:rolleyes:

Thanks for the interesting and detailed review of your walk. Willemstad is our favorite city in the Caribbean area. What a great place to walk!

About three blocks down Columbusstraat you will come to the Mikve’ Israel-Emanual Synagogue (The Snoa), the oldest synagouge in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere. Jewish families from Amsterdam founded the congregation in 1651 while the current building was consecrated in 1732. The hushed interior has a sand floor symbolizing the desert where the Israelites camped on their journey to freedom. The Jewish Cultural Historical Museum, also located here, displays traditional religious objects and is accessible from the synagogue’s courtyard. Everything was open.

I read with interest that you visited the Mikve Israel Emanual Synagogue in Curacao on a Sunday. I was wondering when you were there, because I read on line that they are closed on Sundays. Do they open on Sundays when a cruise ship is in port?

Thanks!