Itaiacoca is a wild, largely undeveloped canyon area northeast of Ponta Grossa, far less visited than Vila Velha and all the better for it. The canyon walls drop sharply into a river valley of sandstone and subtropical forest, and the main draw is the sheer remoteness of the landscape — you can walk for hours without seeing another visitor.
There are rock paintings of uncertain age at several points along the canyon, attributed to the pre-Columbian peoples who inhabited this plateau before European contact. The images include geometric patterns and animal forms, faded but legible on the overhang faces. Access requires a car and some confidence in navigating unpaved roads; guided tours from Ponta Grossa are available and recommended for first-time visitors who want to find the more obscure painted sites.