7 must see parks in Buenos Aires

Beautiful Buenos Aires is the capital city of Argentina. You'll see as soon as you arrive at Buenos Aires Airport the city is big and vibrant with lots of personality and a distinct mixture of European and South American styles. Thanks to its incredible architecture, fantastic dining and boutique shopping scene, impressive historical landmarks and various entertainment options, the city is sometimes nicknamed the "Paris of the South". Buenos Aires is known for its tango dancing and lively neighborhoods, like La Boca, which are some of the biggest draws for tourists who travel to Argentina.

Scattered throughout each neighborhood in Buenos Aires there are multiple parks, gardens and green spaces which add a bit more color to the city and also provide spaces for athletes to train, or for tourists and locals to meet up with friends. There are plenty of parks in Buenos Aires and below we'll introduce you to some of the best green spaces you can find inside the city limits. Take a break between sightseeing to enjoy the greenery of this Argentinian city.

From the small expanse of Plaza Italia to the public square of Plaza Francia, Buenos Aires has no shortage of places to take a rest after touring the city or browsing the shops. Drop your bags with us and we'll lighten the load while you explore the parks. Luggage storage Buenos Aires is a breeze to find when you download the Bounce app.

Parque Tres de Febrero

This is one of the most popular and biggest parks in Buenos Aires and is situated in the Bosques de Palermo, also known as the Palermo Woods. Inside the park, you'll find spacious lawns with artificial lakes that are always a lovely locale to relax in on a hot sunny day. One of the best activities offered in the park is to rent a pedal boat and get out onto the water.

The Parque Tres de Febrero is also home to several gardens, the most famous being the Rosedal. This rose garden has more than 18,000 planted roses and is quite an amazing sight and a romantic setting to take a stroll with your partner as well. Inside Parque Tres de Febrero there's also a poet's garden where you'll find busts of different famous writers.

You'll see many Buenos Aires citizens as well as visitors to the city spending time here as it's quite a popular place to go for a picnic. You can easily find a shaded spot under a mature tree where you can place down a blanket, and the path that circles around the park's largest lake is often frequented by runners, rollerbladers and cyclists. Before heading out make sure that you stop by the Planetario Galileo Galilei which is also found inside the grounds.

Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve

The Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve, often just referred to as the Reserva Ecologica, is a fairly new addition to the parks in Buenos Aires and spans close to 350 hectares in total. Being so big, you might want to consider renting a bike if you want to explore most of it. You'll find this gorgeous green space close to Puerto Madero, a high-end area that is pretty well-known in the city. The park's grounds continue all the way to the Río de La Plata river which separates Argentina and Uruguay, and it's actually the widest river in the entire world.

This park used to have a lovely waterfront path up until the 1950s which was often used by locals, but after the water quality of the river worsened it was not used as much and was turned into a landfill site in the 1980s. Luckily, nature took back the park and today it has returned to being one of the favorite green spaces for citizens and visitors alike.

One thing that Reserve Ecologica is known for is its incredible biodiversity. A whole variety of species can be found here including lizards, turtles and birds, and there are plenty of unique trees and plants as well. If you're someone who enjoys birdwatching, this is a great place to go with more than 300 species of birds alone.

Barrancas de Belgrano

This public park is located in the residential neighborhood of Belgrano towards the north end of the city. From the park, you'll find train stations (such as Belgrano C), making it easily accessible from anywhere, and its close proximity to Chinatown gives you plenty of restaurants and shops to choose from once you're done in the green space. The Barrancas de Belgrano features more than 60 different kinds of plants, flowers and trees.

This hill was transformed into a park by Carlos Thays back in 1892 and has been a favorite among local families, couples and tourists ever since. Walk your dog here or meet up with friends for a picnic. Although it's situated inside of the bustling city, tall trees keep the noise of the traffic away providing a peaceful spot to spend the afternoon. The park has several hidden gems within its grounds, including a miniature version of the Statue of Liberty located near La Pampa, designed by the same person who created the famous landmark in New York.

If you're visiting Buenos Aires and want to participate in tango dancing go to the La Glorieta, the big gazebo where locals love to meet up and dance. Sign up for classes here evenings during the week and during the late afternoon on weekends. Of course, if you're not comfortable dancing you're welcome to stick around and watch!

Jardín Botanico Carlos Thays

Carlos Thays, the same landscape architect who designed the Barrancas de Belgrano and the Bosques de Palermo mentioned above, also designed this space back in 1898. It's now one of the most beautiful parks in Buenos Aires. It's another one of the Palermo parks so make your way there if you want to check it out, you can find it close to the Plaza Italia. These botanical gardens span 17 acres and boast awesome floral displays.

While you make your way through the grounds you'll see plenty of plants in the herb garden as well as impressive palm and yerba mate trees, and in total there are more than 5,000 different species of flora in this one space. You can learn all about them if you visit the botany museum or by journeying through the several glass greenhouses located on the property. There's also a library on-site dedicated entirely to studying and understanding herbaceous plants.

Aside from having one of the most impressive collections of flora out of all the Buenos Aires parks, the Jardín Botanico is most famous for being home to an entire community of feral cats. They're loved by all and are locally protected. They add an undeniable charm to the green space. Whether you want to learn about native plants, pet cute cats or take a stroll while viewing amazing sculptures, a visit to the Jardin Botanico is a must.

Jardín Japonés

The Jardín Japonés date back to 1967. A lovely green space in the northeast corner of the Bosques de Palermo, they're perfectly maintained and always offer a beautiful outdoor space for a walk or picnic. As you explore the grounds you'll see all sorts of native Japanese flora. Marvel at the bonsai trees and orchids, as well as ponds with koi fish connected by picturesque bridges. Located around the gardens are intriguing Japanese sculptures.

Inside the Japanese garden, you'll find a sushi restaurant that stays open late so you can grab a bite to eat after you've explored the area. The Japanese Cultural Centre is an interesting area to check out as well. Keep in mind this park has a small entrance fee, but all of the proceeds go towards maintaining the grounds and it's definitely worth the price.

When the gardens are quiet you won't find a more peaceful place to get away from the bustling city centre, but since they're quite popular among tourists they can get busy during the summertime. If you want to enjoy the park and its nature to the fullest try to plan your visit for a weekday when it's usually calmer.

Parque Lezama

This green space is named after the Lezama family because it was created from the private garden that formerly belonged to them. The park is located in the southern area of San Telmo which was one of the wealthiest parts of Buenos Aires before the yellow fever pandemic hit in the 18th century. Today, it's a space open to the public and a great place to relax and take fresh air. The grounds are home to landscaped gardens and a sculpture garden, as well as a gazebo that provides shade. The mansion that used to be the residence of the Lezama family is now open as a museum.

Take your time exploring the different walking trails and pathways with plenty of points where you can stop and sit on a bench to contemplate the scenery. This is one of the oldest Buenos Aires parks and has some fascinating landmarks around it, like the National Historical Museum. Many locals like to come here after having a few drinks at one of the two historic bars found in the area; El Hipopótamo and Bar Britanico. If you visit one of the bars make sure to order a fernet, an Italian liqueur.

As you finish your visit to the park, make a stop at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral found right on the edge of the green space. There are only two of these cathedrals in the city and the architecture is pretty impressive. Right by the entrance of the park, you'll also see a monument dedicated to the Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Mendoza who landed in the area back in 1536.

Parque Centenario

Parque Centenario is a special place and one of the best parks in Buenos Aires. Its name, which translates to Central Park, was given because it's located in the geographical centre of the city in a neighborhood called Caballito. The park was built back in 1910 to commemorate the hundred-year anniversary of the independence of Argentina. Today it's one of the city's biggest parks.

Unlike most green spaces, Parque Centenario is a circular park and it offers plenty of interesting and relaxing activities. You'll find a market here at the end of each week selling books, clothes, and art, as well as plenty of pretty areas where you can put down a blanket or a yoga mat to relax in the shade. If you want to be active you can go for a jog around the grounds. On-site, there's even a playground and skatepark.

The artificial lake is always wonderful for escaping the heat and a scenic area for a picnic. The locals love this park and you might see people dancing, playing music, or practicing acrobatics in the open spaces. The Bernardino Rivadavia Museum of Natural Sciences, which is located at the end of the Parque Centenario, is well worth a visit while you're in the area.

Enjoy the fresh air in Buenos Aires

When you find yourself getting tired of the busy city life and want somewhere to relax in nature, choose one or two parks in Buenos Aires and spend the day outside. You'll never be alone since the city's citizens love their parks, which is why they're always so well maintained. Plaza General San Martin near Retiro Station is a central green space that is a favorite of the locals. Plaza de Chile, Plaza de Uruguay, Plaza de Francia and Plaza Justo José de Urquiza form a large park as they are situated side by side.

We mentioned just a few Buenos Aires parks but there are actually about 250 of them within the city limits, so you have plenty more to discover.

Interested in the beaches Near Buenos Aires? Take in the sun on a warm day and rest under a blue sky. Our Buenos Aires visitor guide has plenty of handy information for getting the most out of this wonderful city.