Tres de Febrero Park: Buenos Aires Travel Guide (4.7★)

Lakes, bridges and a white Greek footbridge

Start at the water. The park’s lakes break up the open lawns, and pedal boats sit along the bank waiting to be rented. A white footbridge known as the Puente Griego crosses to a small island, and it is the shot everyone lines up for.

The park’s official name honours 3 February 1852, the date of the Battle of Caseros. It opened in 1875 and was laid out as the city’s answer to the great landscaped parks of Europe. Porteños mostly call it the Bosques de Palermo, “the Palermo woods”. You will want that name when asking directions or giving one to a taxi driver.

The Rosedal and its neighbours

The listed address, Av. Infanta Isabel 110, puts you at the Paseo El Rosedal. This is the rose garden that sits at the centre of the park. Paths run between beds of thousands of rose bushes. The best of them bloom in spring and early summer, roughly October to December in the southern hemisphere.

There are smaller set pieces inside the garden too:

• Jardín de los Poetas: busts of writers including Borges and Shakespeare, set among the flowerbeds
• Patio Andaluz: a tiled courtyard in the Spanish style, given by the city of Seville
• The lakeside pergolas: shaded walkways that run along the water’s edge

Give the Rosedal and the lakes together about two hours. Allow half a day if you add the planetarium and a picnic.

Beyond the roses: planetarium, wheels and gardens

The Planetario Galileo Galilei stands on Av. Sarmiento. It is a dome raised on concrete legs, and it looks as though it has just touched down on the grass. Check its official site for show times and tickets, which are handled separately from the park.

The long, flat paved loops around the lakes suit rollerblades, bikes and runners. Rental stands work the edges of the park, and the city’s EcoBici bike-share docks are close by.

Within walking distance you will also find:

• Jardín Japonés: the Japanese Garden, with koi ponds and arched bridges, on Av. Casares (separate entry)
• Museo Sívori: the city’s museum of Argentine art, on Av. Infanta Isabel
• Ecoparque: the former city zoo, at the Plaza Italia end of Av. Sarmiento

Getting there from the centre

The simplest route is Subte Line D to Plaza Italia. Walk up Av. Sarmiento past the Ecoparque and the planetarium, and the lakes open up ahead of you after about 15–20 minutes. Subte fares are paid with a rechargeable SUBE card, which also works on city buses.

Plenty of buses run along Av. del Libertador and Av. Sarmiento. Taxis and ride-hail cars can drop you at the Rosedal gate on Av. Infanta Isabel.

Beating the weekend crush

Weekends are when the park really fills up. Avoid Saturday and Sunday between 1pm and 8pm if you can: that is when the lawns, boat hire and Rosedal paths are at their most crowded. A weekday, or a weekend morning soon after the 8am opening, gives you far more room on the bridge.

The roads around the lakes often close to cars at weekends. That is good for cyclists and makes for a lot of traffic on wheels. Walkers should keep to the inner paths.

Spending an afternoon like a porteño

Pack a blanket and something to share. Argentines settle on the grass in groups, often passing a gourd of mate around. If someone offers you one, drink it all and hand it back to the same person. Saying “gracias” means you have had enough, so only say it when you are done.

Weekend kiosks and street vendors are usually cash-first. Carry small notes and pesos for the boats and snacks. There is no tipping at the park itself.

Mind the schedule. Google currently lists the park as closed on Mondays, which usually means the Rosedal gates, and open 8am–8pm Tuesday to Sunday. Opening times change with the season and around holidays, so check the Buenos Aires city government site for this month’s hours before you go.