Swords, Voguing, and Parkour: The city comes alive in the parks

A group walks in line along tree-lined paths. They sweat, they push each other with laughter. They’re not in Patagonia—they’re in Palermo—but they train as if crossing the Andes.

Urban mountain training has become a trend and a hot topic online, not for its landscapes but for its challenge. Memes and debates aside, this practice is growing among those seeking endurance and consistency without venturing too far. Everything takes place outdoors, with a progression designed for those planning real expeditions.

The adventure tourism agency Argentina Extrema organizes outings in spaces like Palermo parks—especially near Lago Regatas—and the Costanera Sur/Puerto Madero Ecological Reserve, combining urban training with preparation for real-life treks.

Imagine dancing to North American country music outdoors, surrounded by trees. At Parque Saavedra, a group of line dance enthusiasts gather to practice this classic U.S. dance. The choreography is performed in lines (hence the name) with synchronized steps and a collective spirit that radiates good vibes from the first note.

Age, skill level, or previous experience doesn’t matter—the goal is to move your body, have fun, and share the moment. Sequences range from simple to complex but share four key qualities: dynamism, rhythm, coordination, and energy. Plus, the dance stimulates memory, focus, and balance. Afterward, participants often relax with mate and conversation among the trees.

The activity is organized by the Line Dance Club Argentina, founded by Ángeles Fernández Madero and Body Torres, national figures in the genre and members of MAX Country Music. For a fun, community-driven experience, this plan might surprise you.

The sound of a house beat pulses among the trees. Someone strikes a pose like they’re on a magazine cover. This is voguing: expression, attitude, history, and freedom.

Born in the 1980s in Harlem’s ballroom scene, voguing gave Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ communities a space to express themselves freely and form their own “houses” after being rejected by families. Inspired by magazine poses, theatricality, and style, voguing grew as a form of resistance, community, and celebration.

In Buenos Aires, the scene thrives with outdoor events in parks like Parque de la Estación in Almagro. Classes are often open to all, teaching steps, sequences, and performance. More than technique, the goal is to let go, have fun, and be yourself. Artists like Tian Aviardi are local voguing leaders worth following.

Steel armor, metal swords, and adrenaline. Medieval combat might seem cinematic, but it’s alive in Buenos Aires’ parks. This sport blends technique, physical training, history, and reenactment.

Also of interest: The best parks in Buenos Aires for kids

With clear rules and referees, fights can be solo or team-based. Practitioners train with discipline, and only those with prior experience wear armor. The Newbery Medieval Combat Club trains in its venue and occasionally in public spaces like Plaza Las Toscaneras in Villa Real. Outdoor training is part of the process, offering a glimpse into a seemingly ancient world that is more alive than ever.

For a quieter option, outdoor chess is a classic sight in many parks. Fixed tables, wooden or plastic pieces, hand clocks, and games played with focus and seriousness await.

Beginners or masters, everyone can join. In parks like Plaza Monseñor D’Andrea, Parque Lezama, or Parque de la Estación, chess is part of a culture of meeting, dialogue, and mindfulness. Free workshops by locals (like Peón Vuelve) and public tables require no registration—just a willingness to play.

Capoeira is more than a martial art—it’s dance, music, and body expression practiced in “rodas,” circles where energy flows to the rhythm of the berimbau. Classes combine attack and defense with acrobatics and live percussion, stimulating body, mind, and ear.

In Buenos Aires, capoeira with Afro-Brazilian roots takes place in cultural clubs and parks. Capoeira en Caballito often organizes open training sessions in various locations. No experience is needed: it’s learned collectively, with respect and community spirit, ideal for releasing tension, improving balance, and enjoying music and movement.

Eastern disciplines also thrive in Buenos Aires parks, promoting wellness, physical training, and self-connection. Tai Chi, with its gentle movements, deep breathing, and mindfulness, improves balance, flexibility, and overall health.

In Parque Rivadavia, behind the Simón Bolívar Monument, open classes are offered by Tai Chi Parque Rivadavia, focusing on holistic harmony of body, mind, and spirit. Perfect for calming the mind and moving consciously.

Traditional Kung Fu is practiced outdoors with dynamic training that blends technique, Eastern philosophy, and personal development. The discipline develops strength, coordination, discipline, and mental control.

In Caballito parks, Artes Orientales Caballito invites participants to use Kung Fu as a tool to strengthen the body and cultivate the mind.

Across General Paz, at Paseo de la Costa in Vicente López (Laprida and Alfonsín corner), a public parkour track has become a hub for practitioners. The space features nine walls up to two meters high, simulating buildings, plus metal structures designed for climbing, jumping, and moving safely.

Parkour is pure movement—traversing from point A to B as efficiently as possible using only the body and the environment. No formal classes exist, but a growing community of traceurs, traceuses, and curious newcomers share the space. More than a track, it’s a meeting point where physicality and creativity merge.

In large parks like Parque Saavedra, Rosedal, or Bajo Belgrano green spaces, you might spot a taut line between trees and someone balancing across it. Slackline, born from climbing, has become an urban ritual: a tightrope for body and mind.

There are no fixed schedules or structures—just spontaneous meetups. Slackline trains balance, coordination, strength, and presence. Many describe it as active meditation: each step requires focus, controlled breathing, and persistence.

Sometimes, the rhythm calls you from afar. In Palermo parks (Plaza Unidad Latinoamericana), Parque Centenario, Parque Avellaneda, and Plaza Mariano Boedo, murga and batucada rehearsals turn the air into music, color, and movement.

Whether spontaneous or organized, these events radiate contagious rhythm and collective energy, transforming public space into an open-air stage. Murga represents identity, community, and resistance—open to anyone who wants to watch, listen, or join.

In every bench, patch of grass, or tile, there’s more than shade or rest—there’s movement, stories, bodies in action, and living culture. Put on comfy clothes, let your GPS rest, and go explore what happens when the city breathes, opens up, and comes alive.