however, it is a popular tourist spot for cariocas, who flock there on weekends to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. originally a settlement of the ancient tamoio indians, who used the area as a hunting ground, the modern town is actually considered older than rio de janeiro city itself, as it was first recorded by the french in 1555, one year before the founding of rio. over the years, the island has had various functions, notably being a favorite vacation spot of king dom joão vi - in fact, up until the mid 20th century, the island was an especially popular vacation spot for rio's upper class, due to the relative closeness to the shore and the tranquility of the waters.
