Otrobanda

Across the mouth of St. Anna Bay from Willemstad’s Punda area is the other of the city’s historic downtown, Otrobanda, which literally means “the other side.” While Punda was settled in 1635, Otrabanda was built about a century later. If you walk from Punda across the Queen Emma Bridge, Otrabanda offers a great view of the iconic and colorful Punda waterfront. One of Otrobanda’s most popular attractions is Riff Fort, which was built in 1828 to help defend the city. Today the fort is a shopping mall where you can buy souvenirs or have a meal at one of the fine dining restaurants with wonderful views of the waterfront. In this area of the city, you’ll also find the Curacao Museum, which exhibits the works of local artists, antique furniture and the cockpit of the SNIP, the Dutch airline KLM’s first airplane to fly from Holland to Curacao.

Practical Info

As in Punda, Otrabanda is quite safe and easy to explore on foot. The main street through the center of the neighborhood is Breedestraat, while Riff Fort sits just south of the Queen Emma Bridge.