Rio Favorites – Parque Lage

Rio de Janeiro has a million and one things to do in and around town so I decided to start creating short videos (T2T Quickies) to feature some of my favorites.

If you like the idea, please don’t hesitate to like, comment and subscribe to my second YouTube Channel, Travel Deeper. Think of it is the appetizer menu to the main course offerings over at the main Tourist 2 Townie channel. 

The first edition of “Rio Favorites” covers a lovely city oasis known as Parque Lage. Located in the leafy Jardim Botânico neighborhood of Rio, Parque (Enrique) Lage is a great little escape from the bright sun and city noise where you can sit back and breath in some cool fresh air. 

Parque Lage is most famous for the mansion that occupies prime real estate in the center of the park.

Industrialist Enrique Lage and his wife, singer Gabriela Bezanzoni owned the land and mansion until the 1920s when it received an Italian facelift by architect Mario Vodrel.

In the 1960s, the land became a public park, which opened up the doors for Snoop Dogg and Pharrell to shoot their 2003 hit “Beautiful.”

The mansion is currently operated by the Visual Arts School of Parque Lage and has a café inside serving coffee and poolside seating.

Along with the great views of Christ the Redeemer (Corcovado), the park offers a variety of walking paths, ponds and streams, a small aquarium, girls taking modeling photos and plenty of flora and fauna.

The peacefulness alone was nice, but I was sold on Parque Lage when I was walking up to the tower that overlooks the park and was completely surprised when a family of monkeys nonchalantly crossed my path. Cool.

Unlike Jardin Botanico, Parque Lage is free to enter and is the perfect spot for an early picnic or afternoon nap so bring a blanket and turn your cell phone off for a while.

See more Rio de Janeiro photos on the Tourist 2 Townie Instagram page and watch more T2T Quickies here.

Gareth

My name is Gareth Leonard, a Marketing Director turned World Traveler with a passion for slow, meaningful travel. I have been traveling the world full-time for the past 9+ years and document it all on Instagram and YouTube. Come join me!