Ponta Grossa is a mid-sized city in the highlands of Paraná, about 110 km west of Curitiba. It sits on the second plateau of the Serra Geral, and the surrounding landscape — sandstone canyons, caves, and araucária pine forests — is the main reason to come here.
The star attraction is Vila Velha State Park, a short drive from the city, where wind and water have carved the sandstone into extraordinary shapes over millions of years. The lagoons, canyons, and fumaroles are genuinely impressive and easy to explore on foot. Buraco do Padre, a dramatic gorge with a waterfall, and the wild scenery around Itaiacoca are worth the extra effort for anyone who wants to get off the well-worn path.
The city itself is a working regional centre — busy, unpolished, and honest. The historic downtown has some handsome early-twentieth-century buildings and a decent café culture, but it's the nature around the city that makes Ponta Grossa worth a stop on the way through Paraná.