Spaniard Alonso de Ojeda discovered the island in 1499. The Spaniards called the island “La Isla de los Gigantes” (The Isle of the Giants), because of the tall local natives (the Arawaks).

It was first named Curaçao some twenty years later in a Portuguese map. To this date it’s not known why. The most credited version is that the Portuguese named it “Coraçao” (Heart) and the locals translated it to their language.

The island belonged to Spain until the Dutch conquered it in 1634. At the end of the XVII century and the beginning the XIX, the Dutch and the English alternated control of the island. Also the French attempted to conquer it, but retreated after being compensated. Finally, in 1815 Curaçao became a permanent Dutch colony.

In 1954 Curaçao obtained its independence from the Netherlands. Today the island still has old colonial forts and caves marked with drawings. In the 1970’s the island experienced a major growth in tourism.