The Bosques de Palermo — officially Parque Tres de Febrero — are the lungs of Buenos Aires. Across 400 hectares and more than 12,000 trees, this is the city’s largest green space. It holds a rose garden, several lakes, a planetarium, a former zoo (now an ecopark), a museum, the Japanese Garden, a botanical garden, and an extraordinary collection of sculptures.
The park was designed by the French architect and landscape designer Carlos Thays in the late 19th century. If the subject interests you, we wrote a piece on the green history of Buenos Aires.
How to Get to the Palermo Parks
From Palo Santo, getting into the park is easy: we are about 15 minutes on foot from the entrance to the “small lake,” via Avenida Intendente Bullrich. You can also borrow one of our complimentary bicycles to ride in and explore on two wheels.
We are also 15 minutes from the entrance to the Botanical Garden, on Avenida Santa Fe. Traffic on Santa Fe is heavier, so cycling that route is less advisable.
The Japanese Garden
With its koi ponds, traditional wooden bridges, and meticulously tended paths, the Japanese Garden of Buenos Aires is a welcome parenthesis of calm in the city. Children love feeding the fish. For grown-ups, the sushi restaurant — authentically Japanese — is one of the best in town.
The Botanical Garden
A short walk from the Japanese Garden, the Buenos Aires Botanical Garden — also a Carlos Thays creation — sits near Plaza Italia and offers a quiet, natural space for a stroll. On hot afternoons, the shade and the fountains are especially welcome. The late-afternoon light is particularly good for photographs.
The Ecopark
The city’s former zoo now offers educational walks focused on ecosystems and endangered species. Worth visiting with children; perhaps less so for solo adults. The playground at the far end of the park tends to be a hit with the little ones.
Entry is free, and the park is open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm.
The Lakes and the Rosedal
At the heart of the park, the lakes set the rhythm of a visit: rowboats and pedal karts can be rented, and the perimeter of the small lake — with its 1.6 km track marked every 100 metres — is one of the city’s most popular running circuits (more on that below).
Beside the lake, the Rosedal de Palermo is probably the most photogenic corner of the entire park. Its 3.4 hectares hold a collection of more than 18,000 roses, laid out in beds and along paths meant for an unhurried walk. The most common varieties — the bright red Sevillana, the pink Johan Strauss, Charles Aznavour, and the pale yellow Elina — are labelled, which turns the visit into something close to an open-air botany class.
Other details are worth seeking out: the Greek bridge that crosses the lake, the Andalusian patio gifted by the city of Seville in 1929, and the Garden of the Poets — a path lined with 26 busts honouring writers including Alfonsina Storni, Borges, Shakespeare, and Dante Alighieri.
October is the best month to visit the Rosedal, when the roses reach their peak. Entry is free and the garden is open daily from 8am to 6pm.
Next to the small lake, the Museo Sívori holds a collection of Argentine art from the first half of the 20th century. It’s worth a quick visit while you are walking the lake circuit.
Running in the Palermo Parks
If you are a runner — even a casual one — the Bosques de Palermo are the place. This is where the city’s runners gather, at every hour of the day. In Parque Tres de Febrero, the loop around the small lake is a 1.6 km track marked every 100 metres. For a longer outing, head north to the Lago de Regatas — the “big lake,” as locals call it — also ringed by a 2 km path. Both circuits are perfectly flat.
It is no accident that the great majority of street races in Buenos Aires, including the marathon and the half marathon, start from this area.
Eating in the Palermo Parks
Food inside the park is deliberately informal. At the Paseo de la Infanta — one of the main entrances — a cluster of casual spots and quick-service kitchens spreads out across generous outdoor seating: the kind of place you drift into after a turn around the lake or a run. It is not destination dining, but it does its job well: a light meal, in the sun, without rush.
The exception is the Japanese Garden’s restaurant, mentioned above — authentic and carefully run, in keeping with the setting around it.