If the Parque Lage looks familiar, then it’s because you recognize it from music videos produced by renowned celebrities like the Black Eyed Peas and Snoop Dogg. It’s no wonder that the park’s mansion was featured – its slightly run-down yet palatial aesthetics are charming. This attraction still remains unknown to tourists, however, as it is nestled at the base of the Corcovado mountain.

Once the home of industrialist Enrique Lage and his Italian opera singer wife Gabriella Besanzoni, the Parque Lage was declared a public park in the mid 20th century, with the house being converted into an arts school (the School of Visual Arts or the Escola de Artes Visuais in Portuguese). It currently includes a courtyard café beside an ornamental pool. Beyond the walls of the building amidst thriving lush greenery, you can find trails that go through the forest and with one even leading to the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. This enchanting location offers endless vibrant sights that goes all around, making it a great place for photoshoots. If you’re looking for a less crowded area to learn more about Rio’s past, then the Parque Lage is for you too.