Scharloo, Fleur de Marie & Pietermaai

Otrobanda and Punda get the most attention, but Willemstad has more to offer. Beyond the Emma Bridge, towards the north, are the districts of Scharloo, Fleur de Marie and Pietermaai – less known to tourists, but at least as worthwhile. We would schedule this part at the end of your day, when Pietermaai is just starting to come to life.

Scharloo, also known as Skálo (meaning “higher ground”), began in the 17th century as a plantation of the West India Company. The ground turned out to be too hard for agriculture, and the estate was soon abandoned.

It was not until the 1870s that the district got its current character. When walled Punda became too cramped, wealthy Jewish merchants moved to the suburbs, and after the devastating hurricane of 1877, even more families moved from the lower Pietermaai to the higher Scharloo. There they built elegant mansions in southern European, neoclassical style – painted in the colorful shades of the Antilles. Scharloo thus grew into the richest part of the city, inhabited by those who were called the hende di Scharloo at the time.

From the fifties onwards, residents moved away to the more modern suburbs, and Scharloo fell into decline – a period of poverty and crime followed. Today, many of those mansions have been restored, often now used as offices, and a walk through Scharloo is a must for those who love architecture.

Be sure to visit: the Curaçao Maritime History Museum, located in a beautifully restored building, which showcases 500 years of the island’s maritime history – from authentic nautical charts to ship models and navigational instruments.

Street art in Scharloo: here too you will find murals, including on the Bitterstraat and Van Raderstraat – read more about it in our street art guide.

Fleur de Marie is a working-class district within Scharloo, located on a rocky slope. It feels very different from the stately mansions elsewhere in Scharloo – this is one of the less touristy corners of Willemstad. Some local guides recommend only visiting this district with a guide; We wouldn’t just wander through this on our own, and recommend that you just stay extra aware of your surroundings, as with any less touristy neighborhood.

Via the Scharlooweg and the bridge at Prinses Amalia you walk along the Waaigat into the Pietermaai district, via the Theaterstraat.

From elite district to lively hotspot: Pietermaai was founded in the 18th century as an upscale residential area, just outside the city walls of overcrowded Punda. Willemstad’s elite built stately mansions with a view of the sea, cooled by the trade wind. It was only after the city wall was demolished in 1860 that Pietermaai gradually gained its function as an entertainment area – a role it has retained until today.

In the 20th century, things went downhill: the buildings fell into disrepair, the chic residents moved away, and Pietermaai completely lost its shine. Since becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, the district has undergone an impressive transformation – from a run-down neighborhood to one of the island’s most beloved nightlife districts, with restored colonial buildings that now house boutique hotels, galleries, and restaurants.

Where Scharloo is the place to walk during the day, Pietermaai is the neighborhood that only really comes to life when night falls.

Must-visit streets: the Nieuwestraat and Pietermaai itself – the Nieuwestraat is particularly cozy, with a mix of bars, restaurants and galleries.

Be sure to visit:

• Mundo Bizarro – a colorful, eclectic bar and restaurant with a bohemian vibe and Caribbean flair
• Saint Tropez Ocean Club – chic, with pool and delicious cocktails and a brilliant sunset spot

If you walk a little further along the Penstraat, you will arrive at the Avila Hotel – a beautiful place to end your day. The sunset here is breathtaking, and a well-deserved resting point after a day of walking through Willemstad.