Located in the foothills of Serra do Mar, Cunha has its origin as resting place for travelers crossing the high granite walls between the narrow coastal strip and the Brazilian interior. Crossing the small and rugged stretch is of an extraordinary story in a monumental scenery.

Chronology

• 1534 - D. João II establishes the system of hereditary captaincies and the region Cunha, yet unexplored, was part of Capitania de São Vicente
• 1592 – The first report that mention on the journey from Paraty to Cunha is the book by Anthony Knivet, crew of the legendary privateer fleet and English navigator Thomas Cavendish, captured by the Portuguese in 1592 on Ilha Grande.
• 1596 – Expedition of Martin Correia de Sá crosses the region.
• 1611 –Capitania de São Vicente is given to countess of Vimieiro who ordered the official settlement of the backlands of Paraiba, with distribution and registration of land grants.
• 1650 - Opening the way to the Guaratinguetá sea. At this time the Cunha region was named “Facão”
• 1660 - From this date on no record of the passage of sporadic travelers camped in "Boca do Sertão" or settlement of “Facão”, stop for pioneers, Indian grabbers and miners.
• Final of XVII century – With the onset of gold exploration, the path of Paraty, passing through Facão region become the preferred route to reach to the region of Minas Gerais, as well as the flow of gold, which was shipped by sea from Paraty to Rio de Janeiro, where it was shipped to Portugal
• 1720 – The new path of the Estrada Real is open as quicker and easier alternative, and the gold begins to be sent to Rio de Janeiro
• 1785 – The settlement is elevated to the village called Nossa Senhora da Conceicão de Cunha. Paving and expansion of trails to drain the coffee, Brazil's largest wealth of the nineteenth century. With the coffee cycle there is a settlement of people to the land, and the construction of most of the old houses in the city and some houses in the countryside.
• 1858 – Cunha becomes a city.
• 1877 - Railroad D. Pedro II reaches Guaratinguetá, replacing the drover transport model, moving from port of Paraty away to Rio de Janeiro. Cunha region is no longer route for the flow of goods
• 1888 - With the abolition of slavery in 1888, Cunha and Paraty plunge into period of decline and stagnation worsened with the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange in 1929.
• 1890 – Cunha becomes District
• 1932 – Cunha is the scene of clashes in the Constitutionalist Revolution
• 1948 - Cunha becomes Climate Estancia and paving SP-171 begins to realize its tourism potential during centuries of activity dedicated to the traveler in the tradition of hospitality, food, support, supply and rest.