Lagoa’s most stunning attribute is difficult to define. Sprawling under the wide embrace of Corcovado Mountain’s “Christ the Redeemer” statue, this south Rio neighborhood adds a placid blue lake to the city’s aquatic repertoire (as if the appeal of the Atlantic wasn’t enough). A veritable playground surrounds the lake, and Rio’s active residents hike, bike, and meditate along its banks, while the neighborhood’s modern high-rises and convenient kiosks provide recreational necessities and places to relax. (courtesy of Airbnb)