The first villages started up near Jaguariaíva, Piraí, Furnas, Castro, and Iapó Pouso of Ponta Grossa.

Its urban area played an important role in its initial phase, with Chagas Father Francisco Lima starting the occupation based on aesthetic criteria, following the requirements contained in the charter of April 1, 1809, by the Count of Linhares, which determined the standards for the buildings to be constructed.

Manufacture of paper and cardboard, beverages, chemical byproducts, and agro-food industry also have strong participation.

Through Municipal Law 14/1988, Guarapuava has been declared a Twin Town, or Cidade Irmã, with Rastatt, a city in Germany.

The highest temperature recorded is 33 °C in February 1984, and the lowest is -6.8 °C in December 1982; the precipitation is primarily caused by the warmth associated with humidity.

Snow in Guarapuava (1950–2013), according to INMET:[citation needed] The summer is mild, and the common temperature is below 15 °C with exceptional records of lows of 6.8 °C in December 1982 and 7.8 °C in February 1990.

However, as is characteristic of summer in much of the country, the temperature can rise above 30 °C, reaching up to 33.6 °C, an absolute record registered in February 1984.

The folklore of Cavalhadas remained alive in Guarapuava, with the participation of more than a thousand amateur actors from all social strata and age groups in the municipality.

Guarapuava has high-level athletes, including national emphasis on sports such as shooting, cycling, football, and kickboxing.

In 2006, the Gymnasium Hall Mayor Joaquim Prestes was totally reformed and adapted to international standards, thus becoming an example for other cities of Paraná and Brazil.

This reform made it possible to host various sporting events, which previously were restricted to gyms with less capacity and fewer facilities for athletes.

Since the year 2006, the city hosted several friendly matches between local teams and teams from Curitiba, Cascavel, Londrina, Ponta Grossa and Ciudad del Este, and also promoted, in 2006, three major competitions: Since its first edition, and traditionally, Guarapuava has hosted the 1st stage of the Rugby Championship of the state of Paraná.

Rodrigo Bastos, a city native, won the silver medal at the 2003 Pan American Games.

In 1991, the events were held at the headquarters of the Guaíra Country Clube, and the U-18 section was won by Vladimir Kramnik.