San Nicolas, Aruba, Travel Guide

When I first stepped into Aruba, I was not sure what to expect. I knew that the island had a great reputation, that sand powder would be soft and water shiny turquoise, but I did not expect to uncover its cultural center, or to feel such a strong personal relationship.

Aruba has long been a destination for Sansk cars in search of an escape from the island, but beyond its ancient coast is a place filled with dynamic culture, food and street art. San Nicholas is a reflection of the heritage of the island, which is affected by the generations of African-Caribbean and South American immigrants who call it home. Since someone of the Caribbean descended (my mother is from Trinidad, my father is Puerto Rican), I immediately. It was felt in the molten vessel at home, which explains this part of the island.

A powerful story is in the colorful streets of San Nicholas. The island’s second largest city-which is known for its past as a promoted port and industrial center during the rise of aeroba oil, and is later at the Cultural Rehabilitation Center as the island’s Red Light District. Today, locals like the Art Week Aruba and the founder of the Aruba Art Fair, Tattoo Bolivver, are not only claiming to be again claiming what the city was, but also turning it into a celebration of Aruban’s culture. “San Nicholas was one of the most important places in Aruba, but it has become a forgotten city,” said Bolivar. “I started at the Aruba Art Festival, which includes a program where artists paint the walls in San Nicholas. The purpose was to nominate San Nichols as the Caribbean’s ‘Street Art Capital’.”

Every street with amazing walls tells a story. Many industrial revolutions on the small island, which are cultural mosaics that make their people, and the trials and victories that have been tested. It is the story of colonialism, flexibility, and a joy de -vaver that makes it very clearly felt. Attractive places like wall trips, the museum of industry, and the Baby Beach have brought a healthy pile of interest in the area, but it still feels like a hidden essence. Secrets Baby Beach Aruba, which is a popular all -included resort, which is opened in June 2025, and the third annual Aruba Art Festival is designed to take the city in October, my focus tells me that San Nichols is the next hot place. For now, this area is an incredible cultural shelter for people who want an adventure beyond the Champor Resorts.

The best places to live

Secret Baby Beach Aruba

Although some locals are no less about what will be involved with this area, many business owners with whom I spoke in San Nicholas are echoing with enthusiasm. This size resort indicates the development of the area, and more and more people mean more visitors and more. The Secrets Baby Beach Aruba, ready to open in June 2025, is located only two minutes away from the city center of San Nichols, with comfort Babe Beach. All included, just a part of the resort-adding combination for adults.

Eva Resort

For the establishment of a shop that feels like a private hidden route compared to many of the cookie cutters, do dotted on the island, visit the Eva Resort in Savinata. The intimate property offers only four to two bedrooms, everyone is equipped with a full kitchen and comfortable room, so you can really bend the whole feeling outside the house. Salt water pools, private chef experiences, and VIP Tours add an extra layer of luxury to any trip. Located only 15 minutes from San Nicholas, it is an ideal domestic base for leaving the beaten path.

Joya Aruba by Ibrostar

Although it is 40 minutes away from San Nicholas, Joya Aruba (Beach) is the current ballet of hair through Abrostar. It is the latest luxury resort to reach the island. Located on the coast of the Eagle Beach, which is the name of the best beach in the Caribbean, this oasis is not only amazing, but also has an environmental conscious design and world -class facilities, including 18 hole golf courses (the single of the island), a sophisticated welfare center, and a sophisticated food option.

Box and Tara

Even set near the sunshine coast of Eagle Beach, Bocke and Tara escape from only an unrealistic adults, focusing on welfare, stability and romance. Even one of it was voted Travel + leisure Readers’ favorite resorts in Caribbean, Bermuda, and Bahamas in 2023.

Best work to do

Go to Street Art Tour.

One of the things I immediately fascinated about San Nicholas was the dynamic walls lining on the streets. Walking was a deep experience, each wall used to tell a different story of the island’s past and present. Bolivor is chosen street artists from all over the world to divide the stories of the island culture. He said, “I look for artists whose style is associated with Aruba ‘One Happy Islands’. He offers some different walls visits of different lengths, but perhaps the most interesting is the whole story and workshop, which is a 6.5 -hour option that includes direct art lessons with local artists.

Visit some museums.

If you want to find out more about the history and culture of Aruba, visit at least one of the three museums in San Nichols. The Museum of Industry offers deep sinking in many industrial revolutions. Carnival Ufuria exposure Visitors find a glimpse of the heritage of a Aroba carnival season with costumes, memoirs, and the community, with apparel, memoirs, and hand -on workshops. And the Community Museum, which is sitting inside the restoration Nicolas store, lives local history with re -created rooms and abuses from the island’s early communities.

Sanorle with turtles.

Although Palm Beach and Eagle Beach can be crowded (for good reason), Baby Beach is an ideal place for something more comfortable. Its curved, Crescent shaped beach is prime for calm and snorkeling. There is also a restaurant called Big Mama Girl for the aftermath of the third. During my time, Babe spent on the underwater world looking for the underwater world, I managed to find a colorful row of parrot fish and angelifash, and even swim with some sea turtles – a glimpse of my island.

Sample Caribbean Flavor.

During the rise of oil, thousands of African-Caribbean and South American workers arrived to work in refineries and gave the area a cultural melting vessel. And they still tell the story of San Nicholas. In addition to the art and history of the island, it is something that is still based on my brain (and my taste) by eating its way in the city.

The best restaurant

O’niel Caribbean kitchen

Born in Jamaica and the Chef Winele Williams based in Aruba brought a mixture of Caribbean flavors to the San Nichols in the ONL Caribbean kitchen. The restaurant remains up to its slogan, “Local and Caribbean food is good for the last cut,” mouthwatering dishes such as jerk chicken wings, oxistl stew, and, my personal favorite, curry lobster. In all the amazing meals I had on the island (I had a lot of), it was easily one of my favorite.

Culture

The husband and wife’s duo was founded by Nick and Cadsha Gordon, the Culture Cafe is sitting inside the Nicolas store and just below the community museum. From the Salman and Aukado toast to the siblings to Baba and the lime juice, everything feels healthy and fresh. On the one hand, the cafe celebrate the local culture. “Our goals include providing residents and visitors a happy place to connect, hosting programs for local abilities and arts, and promoting Aruba’s rich cultural heritage,” Malik Gordon said. There are only a few things in the calendar of the cafe cafe -in -the -art exhibitions, art exhibitions, art exhibitions, and pure experiences reflecting the traditions of the island.

Kitchen kitchen

Famous in the locals And visitors to the kitchen of Kamini, some good old -fashioned Caribbean comfortable food and owner Kamini Coronic’s trinidadine roots have been added to the flavors of Arubon. I was happy to find staples such as doubles, bread, and chunic and potato years in me half the trainee menu, just as my grandmother made them.

Deslene Haiti Caribbean Food

To bring out your childhood flavors to bring out the aeroban dining scene, the chef Mark-Alene Arslen (alias Chef Makoli) founded the Dyslene Haitian Caribbean food. On the menu, you will find pork pineapple pineapple pineapple and its heatin spaghetti, a traditional breakfast dish that includes Turkish sausage, smoking herring, a hard boiled egg, fresh tomato and red pepper.

The best time to see

San Nicholas lives the best during the day, when colorful walls, galleries and cafes live area. Since the city is being made from the roots of its Red Light District, it is still finding its destinations, which makes it ideal times to experience it in the morning and afternoon.

Since the Aruba is not part of a hurricane belt, there is a good time to see at any time of the year. Temperatures usually sit for 82 degrees Fahrenheit, with occasional rainfall between October and January. One thing that surprised me was how fast the island was during my visit, and according to locals, May is usually one of the fastest months.

If you want to experience the culture of Aruban in San Nicolas, come in the first week of September, when Art Week Aruba started. The week ends with a three -day Aruba Art Fair, where the community is directly combined with performances, art installations, food trucks and more.

How to get there

Visitors will fly at the Queen Betrakes International Airport (AUA), especially on the East Coast as well as many major international airports around the world, directly to many major US cities. So far, citizens of the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and most South America do not need a visa, but visitors will need to fill the Online Summit and Desimability (ED) card and pay $ 20 sustainability fees.

To go from the airport to San Nicholas, passengers can rent a car (my personal preference) or take a taxi. It’s about 25 to 30 minutes of drive along the coast.

How to go around

Depending on where you are living on the island, you can rent a car from the airport, find a local fare, or take a taxi in San Nichols. Since it is a little away from the beaten path and not especially close to most hotels, I recommend renting a car so that you can find the island on your leisure. Driving in Aruba is perfectly straightforward, and the traffic is quite calm.