Buenos Aires, Argentina

One of the two places that raised padel from childhood. In Buenos Aires the game is neighbourhood-deep — courts tucked behind clubs and on rooftops, played by people who've held a racket since before it was fashionable elsewhere. It's soulful, affordable, and gloriously unpretentious. Come for the cradle, the asado afterward, and a city that never treats padel as a trend.

Coverage of Buenos Aires is underway — the pillar guide lands first.