following a shipwreck in the northeast of brazil that caused the sailors to continue south along the coast, in 1503 the portuguese arrived to this peninsula - at the time of the colonization, this region of rio de janeiro state was inhabited by indigenous tupinambás, part of the tupi-guarani nation, with the part corresponding to arraial do cabo home to the tamoios tribe.

the tamoios were an advanced culture, living of hunting and fishing, and manufacturing ceramic pottery that are now exposed in the museu nacional da quinta da boa vista in rio de janeiro - interestingly, the tamoios used feathers to adorn themselves, a tradition that influenced the costumes now created in rio de janeiro for modern carnival. 

arraial do cabo was the arriving point of the expedition led by amerigo vespucci, who is said to have built a small mud and stone house on praia dos anjos in 1503.