Oranjestad
Aruba's capital, Oranjestad, is a cheerful, sun-washed harbor town where Dutch colonial heritage meets Caribbean color. Its streets are lined with candy-colored gabled buildings in tropical pinks, yellows and greens, a playful island take on Dutch architecture, nowhere more so than along Wilhelminastraat and the main shopping street of Caya G.F. Betico Croes.
A free vintage-style streetcar trundles the palm-lined boulevard past boutiques, jewelers and sidewalk cafes, while Fort Zoutman and the Willem III Tower tell the island's history. The whole center is compact and easy on foot, with shaded plazas to pause in and a marina glinting just beyond the shops.
With its marina, cruise pier, lively plazas and restaurants serving everything from fresh seafood to Dutch and Indonesian flavors, Oranjestad is the easy, walkable cultural heart of the island, a colorful counterpoint to the beaches. We love weaving a morning here into a beach week, and we know the streets and tables worth seeking out.
