Oranjestad

Holidays to Oranjestad give you a Caribbean break with a European dusting. First-rate sands share island space with Dutch and Spanish-style buildings and Continental restaurants.

Capital town

Set on Aruba’s southern coast, Oranjestad is the island’s capital. Its Dutch name translates as Orangetown, and it’s certainly got a zest about it. A lot of the colonial landmarks – and the newer lookalikes – in the cobblestoned streets of the Upper Town bear more than a passing resemblance to gingerbread houses. With their façades painted in bubblegum pinks and sherbet lemon yellows, they’re almost good enough to eat. The Lower Town, meanwhile, is home to the old port and ruins from the island’s bygone days.

Island hub

Oranjestad is Aruba’s largest town and the place where life plays out in all its fullness. There’s a large working port packed with fishing boats and schooners, and a busy cruise ship terminal. A collection of beaches is within striking distance. Elsewhere, modern malls congregate in the downtown area, giving way to makeshift markets and stalls piled high with fish and fresh produce as the harbour comes in to view.

By the shore

The island’s no more than a crumb in the Caribbean Sea, so it doesn’t really matter where you hole up – it’s easy to tour the coastline and pull over when you see a beach that takes your fancy. If you’re on foot, though, there are some great white-sand stretches about a 15-minute walk from the capital. The first stop is Druif Beach. It’s a narrow affair, but it marks the start of a gigantic runway of ivory sand.

Aruba’s past

Built by the Dutch army in 1798, Fort Zoutman is Aruba’s oldest heirloom. Together with the Willem III Tower on its west flank, it’s home to the Historical Museum of Aruba. Exhibits take you from the island’s prehistoric past up to the Dutch colonial period. Tuesday evenings are reserved for the Bon Bini Festival, which celebrates Aruban music, dance, cuisine, and crafts with a steel band and rice and shrimp by the bowlful.