the city did not prosper until 1606, when it was then called vila dos reis magos da ilha grande - this was the beginning of the period of intense trade due to the gold mines in minas gerais, and the coffee plantations of the vale do paraíba.

throughout history, angra dos reis' beautiful shores, clear blue waters, and warm climate have always been its main attractions - unfortunately for the inhabitants, the area's characteristics and rich resources were also attractive to marauding pirates, whose frequent raids were both a nuisance and a worry to the safety of the settlers.

with the construction of the railroad connecting rio de janeiro to são paulo, the seaport at angra dos reis lost importance, and only started to recover with development of banana plantations, and then in them mid twentieth century thanks to the oil trade.