Parque do Ingá is Maringá's easiest escape from traffic: a patch of protected green space around a lake, only a few blocks from the cathedral. It began as a forest reserve, and the best reason to go is still the simple pleasure of walking under trees in the middle of the city.
The park is a good counterpoint to the cathedral. One is all concrete and vertical ambition; the other is shade, water, and birdsong. Together they explain why Maringá feels roomier than many inland Brazilian cities of similar size.