A Day in Athens

Travel

3 May

Athens carries the weight of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus. Their presence lingers in the stones and streets, in the quiet corners where philosophy still feels alive. The city is an open-air museum, yet not static—it breathes, reminding you that ideas can outlast empires.

I wasn’t in Athens for leisure. My purpose was to photograph the Humans Behind AI campaign, connecting with brilliant minds pushing technology forward. But between work and deadlines, I walked. And walking here meant walking through layers of history and thought.

My first stop was the National Library of Greece, a temple of knowledge—over a million items, 300 million electronic resources, and ancient manuscripts that felt almost touchable. History was not distant here; it pressed in, inviting you to carry it.

It was through Chris—a Director of Life Sciences Innovation and Senior Lecturer at Imperial College—that Athens opened further. Passionate about both technology and his city, he pointed me toward Free Thinking Zone, a bookshop in Kolonaki. It was more than a shop: a hybrid of café, gallery, and co-working space, alive with activism and cultural energy. Its owner, an advocate for human rights, welcomed me into a space where ideas weren’t just read, but lived. I left with Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations in my hand and a deeper sense of what Stoicism means in practice.

From there, the walk continued—up to the Acropolis, through Plaka’s narrow streets, past cafés spilling onto cobbles. The winter light was kind: 20 degrees in January, the kind of warmth that makes every detail sharper.

Athens also offered smaller revelations. A falafel at Falafellas that was more than food—an experience of flavour and memory. The disciplined beauty of the Changing of the Guard, performed every hour with ritual precision, a human echo of control and endurance.

After just one day, I felt Athens had given me more than I expected—literature, conversations, food, philosophy, and architecture woven into a single thread. It is a city where the ancient and the modern don’t just coexist—they challenge and sharpen one another.

Athens reminded me that walking isn’t just movement; it’s philosophy in action.