Entre Ríos province, north of Buenos Aires, has more than a dozen towns with thermal parks, and no single one suits everybody. Some are closer to the capital, some sit on a river with beaches, and some exist almost entirely for the hot pools. The choice comes down to how far you are willing to travel and what you want to do once you are out of the water.
The map in a few lines
Most of the well-known springs lie along the Uruguay river. From Buenos Aires the road crosses the Zárate–Brazo Largo bridges and continues on Ruta Nacional 14, a dual carriageway. From south to north come Gualeguaychú, Concepción del Uruguay, Colón, San José, Villa Elisa, Concordia, Federación and Chajarí. A second group is on the Paraná side: Victoria, which faces Rosario and is joined to it by a bridge, La Paz and María Grande.
How to choose
- For a short journey. Gualeguaychú is the nearest to Buenos Aires. In summer it also holds its carnival, which fills the town at weekends.
- For river and nature as well. Colón has beaches on the Uruguay river and is close to El Palmar National Park. San José and Villa Elisa are in the same area, so you can try more than one complex.
- For springs and nothing else. Federación, on the Salto Grande reservoir, is a town organised around its thermal park. Chajarí and Concordia complete the north. The trip is longer and deserves more nights.
- If you start from Rosario. Victoria and the springs on the Paraná side are closer to hand.
The water differs too, fresh or saline depending on the complex, and so does the style: some have a water park, others are aimed at rest. Ask each complex what it offers and which days it opens.
When to go
The main season runs from autumn to spring. Long weekends and the July winter holidays are the busiest times: book accommodation early and expect a crowded road. In midsummer the heat makes hot water less appealing, except at complexes with cool pools or slides.
How to get there
- Bus. Services run from the Retiro terminal to these towns. The thermal parks are often outside the centre, so the last stretch is by taxi or remis.
- Hire car. The most common choice, and it lets you visit more than one spring. The Sunday return is the heaviest part.
- Plane and train. There is no regular passenger train, and flying does not solve this trip for most people.
- Private transfer. Door to door from your hotel in Buenos Aires to where you are staying, with stops on request. It makes sense for families with children, for older travellers who are going precisely to rest, and for groups that fill a minivan. For one or two people with little luggage, the bus costs less and gets there just the same.
Shorter trips are covered in the guide to weekend getaways.