Willemstad is on the former Dutch island of Curaçao. The island's geographical location is relatively close to the Venezuelan coast of South America. Willemstad was founded in the beginning of the 17th century by merchants from Amsterdam as a trading post and slave trading centre. The city comprises several quarters, most of them grouped around a wide, natural harbour.

The multicoloured historical buildings and the noticeable Dutch influences in the town's planning and architecture are characteristic of Willemstad.