Alto Vista Chapel

Alto Vista Chapel is a small, bright-yellow Catholic chapel on a hill north-east of Noord, looking out over the island's wild north coast. The present building was completed in 1952 on the site of the first chapel, founded in 1750 — the place where the conversion of Aruba's Amerindian population to Christianity is said to have begun. It is quiet, free to visit and an easy stop between the California Lighthouse (about 8 km away) and the island's interior.

What is the history of Alto Vista?

In the 18th century much of Aruba's Indigenous population lived in this north-eastern area. The first chapel, built in 1750 with stone walls and a straw roof, was founded through the work of a missionary from Venezuela; sources name Domingo Antonio Silvestre. The settlement around it was called Alto Vista, "high view". After an epidemic in the early 19th century the remaining inhabitants moved to Noord, and the chapel was abandoned from 1816 and fell into ruin. Its old wooden cross went to St. Ann's Church in Noord. The chapel was rebuilt and reopened in 1952.

What will you see there?

• The chapel itself: a simple single-nave building painted yellow, with a modest interior, statues and votive candles left by visitors.
• The road of crosses: the winding approach road is lined with a series of white crosses, a reminder that this is a place of pilgrimage. An annual procession walks here from Noord.
• The setting: cactus and boulders around the chapel, and a view over the bare, wind-beaten north coast.

When should you go?

Early morning or late afternoon, when the light is soft on the yellow walls and the heat is lower. Weekday mornings are calmest; tour vans tend to arrive mid-morning. If a service, wedding or funeral is taking place, wait outside and keep noise down — it is an active place of worship, not a museum.

Good to know

• Free entry; no official opening hours are published, and the doors are not always open.
• Dress respectfully inside (cover shoulders and swimwear).
• No facilities beyond a small parking area; bring water.
• The dirt road along the north coast continues towards the ruins of Bushiribana; that stretch is rough and best done slowly or by 4×4.

Pair it with the beaches of Palm Beach for the afternoon, or with the Butterfly Farm if travelling with children.