Built in 1953 on the site of Aruba‘s first Roman Catholic church, this humble chapel, whose name means “high view” in Spanish, earns its moniker and then some. Make the winding trip up the hill to see the best sunset of your life, enjoy breathtaking vistas of the entire island, or sit and meditate in the stone pews. On your way up, be sure to note the white crosses dotting the path. They mark the 14 stations of the cross and are the reason locals make pilgrimages to this chapel every Good Friday.
Alto Vista Chapel, Chapel, Sanctuary, Aruba, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean
Martin Moxter/agefotostock
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Aruba's Holy Places
Aruba is home to some 115,000 permanent residents from more than 90 different nations. Dozens of churches and other sacred spaces are spread across the island, and while Roman Catholicism predominates, many religions have their own places of worship (most of which are open to the public). The Chapel of Alto Vista is one of Aruba’s most important sites, as it was the first permanent Catholic Church, built in 1750. The church’s hilltop location provides panoramic views at sunrise and sunset. The altar at St. Ann’s Church was built in Rome in 1870 and gifted to Aruba by the Netherlands, and stands as the Caribbean’s preeminent neo-Gothic masterpiece. Eastern Jews settled in Aruba in the 1920s, and built the beautiful Beth Israel Synagogue.
Alto Vista Chapel
Built in 1952 on the site of Aruba’s first Roman Catholic church, this house of worship is aptly named. Its high position in the island’s interior affords excellent sunrise and sunset views. Inside the basic church, pews are arranged in a semicircle. Additional seating is outdoors. The road to the site is winding and dotted with white crosses, marking the 14 stations of the cross. On Good Friday, locals make pilgrimages up the hill.
Chapel of Alto Vista
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