ATHENS, GREECE | Stefan James Vlog

Athens, Greece is the ultimate cultural experience – everything from the architecture, to the food, to the beaches.

Many of you may not know, but Greece is my home country. I've got a lot of family members that live there. Recently Tatiana and I jumped at the opportunity to visit this beautiful place.

Ever since we moved to Panama we've made it a priority to travel more. One of the many benefits of having an online business is that you are free to live the laptop lifestyle and travel the world.

Are you ready for a sneak peek of our Athens, Greece travel vlog?

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Our trip to Athens was not planned.

Originally, we were supposed to go to Singapore. We were going to travel from Panama to Rio to Dubai and then onwards to Singapore. However, we didn't know that we had to have our yellow fever vaccination papers with us. As a result, we couldn't verify that we actually had them done.

Tatiana and I had to make the decision if we were going to go all the way back to Panama or re-route our trip. We spent two days in Dubai and then decided to extend our trip and go to Athens. This was, by far, the best decision we could have made!

First and foremost, the people of Athens are so welcoming. They are social and have a genuine interest in learning more about who you are. If you look like you are lost, Athenian locals are quick to help you. Because hospitality is an ancient Greek concept that has been practiced for centuries, it is customary to accept whatever it is that they offer you. Not doing so may insult them.

Athens is one of the world's oldest cities, dating back over 3,400 years. As a tourist, there are endless things to see and do.

Without delay, the first thing on our list to see was the Acropolis.

This an ancient citadel located on a rock that hovers above the city of Athens. The Acropolis is the heart of Ancient Athens. Its monuments are symbols of Greek identity and history. The city of Athens was the birthplace of democracy.

At the top of the Acropolis is the Parthenon, which is dedicated to the goddess of wisdom, Athena. Its mere presence dominates the hill. It is a powerful symbol of Athenian culture. Athena was the daughter of the Greek God, Zeus, who was considered to be the leader of all the Gods.

Built in the 15-year period between 447-432 BC, the Parthenon was designed as a replacement for a temple that was destroyed by the Persians in 480 B.C. A man named Phidias was responsible for building the Parthenon. He is considered to be one of the greatest Greek sculptors of all time.

Although you are not allowed to walk around the interior of the Parthenon, you can still walk around the exterior. If you do nothing during your visit to Athens, make sure that you visit the Parthenon.

I also encourage you to check out the all-marble Panathenaic Stadium which can accommodate over 50,000 people. This is one of the largest stadiums in Athens. In 1986, this stadium hosted the first international Olympic Games.

Ever since then, it's become the hub for hosting many cultural and sporting events.

Lastly, if you are a lover of all things related to philosophy, psychology and education I highly recommend that you check out the Plato Digital Museum. This Museum is dedicated to Plato, who was considered to be one of the greatest philosophers of Ancient Athens. He was the student of Socrates and the teacher of Aristotle.

Aristotle was considered to be one of Plato's most famous students. He joined the Academy at the age of 17 and spent 20 years there. Aristotle was admired for this intellectual abilities, so much so that Plato used to call him, “The Mind.” Despite this fact, the two of them still disagreed with one another. Aristotle has been said to have criticized Plato's philosophical views.

After Plato's death, Aristotle left the Academy and started his own circle called, “The so-called Peripatetic philosophers.” In 2014, The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) declared Aristotle to be the most important individual in the history of mankind.

This is an amazing opportunity to explore the works of this great man and how his teachings influenced modern thought.

A lot of the key ideas that have influenced society today and my own life can be explored throughout this museum. Plato's work attracts research interest from all over the world and serves as a lasting source of inspiration.

The cool part about this museum is that it is interactive. As you move throughout the digital museum’s exhibit you learn Plato’s story through the use of video projections and audio-visual material. This virtual tour allows you to fully immerse yourself in the story of a man who laid the foundation of Western philosophy as we know it.

Something interesting that we learned is that the Academy that Plato founded stressed the need to cultivate the mind and body. He believed that taking care of the soul was just as important as taking care of the body.

It is said that young Athenians received private education in the areas of reading, writing, grammar, math, poetry, and music. In addition, they engaged in a lot of physical activities, some of which included running, the javelin, the discus, and boxing.

In the words of Athens Mayor, Giorgos Kaminis, “Athens is growing into a powerful meeting point; a crossroads of culture, innovation and creative expression in Europe and internationally. In this new cultural reality, Plato’s Academy – The Digital Museum will prove to be another reference point for the city.”

Another one of the highlights of our trip was going to a place called Lake Vouliagmeni.

The beauty of this lake is that it stays at 29 degrees Celsius all year round. This is a mineral spa that is located in a suburb of Athens. It has high quantities of Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Potassium, Chloride, and Sodium. Furthermore, it is slightly radioactive, in a good way.

For this reason, the lake is known for its therapeutic healing properties. It helps heal ailments such as dermatological diseases, neuralgia, headaches, arthritis, chronic gynecological diseases, lumbago, sciatica and other problems.

Surrounded by lush greenery, mountainous terrain, and underwater tunnels, swimming in this lake was the ultimate holistic spa experience. As a bonus, they have beautiful sunbeds and patios there when you can relax and enjoy some amazing food.

After a long afternoon walking around Athens in the scorching sun every day, I still made time for a workout. I want to make sure that I stay consistent with my habits. Even when I'm tired, once I move my body, my state immediately changes. Ultimately, I am always proud of myself for pushing my limits.

In the long run, this is how you build confidence, momentum, and positive habits.

When it comes to food choices, Athens does not disappoint. The Agora-Athens Central Market is a great place to visit in the daytime. If you want to get overwhelmed (in a good way) by the aroma of scents, this is the place to be.

The fish, vegetable, and meat market extend along both sides of Athinas Street. Not to mention, you can also find spices, herbs, cheeses, and sweets. It is a cultural tradition for local Athenians to travel into the city and visit the market to stock up on food for their families.

Athens nightlife is one of the best in the world. In the summer months, there are tons of outdoor concerts where you will find all types of music, from punk to jazz to blues. Indoor and outdoor clubs are packed with thousands of people until the wee hours of the night.

If you know Greek people you know that they love to eat!

Greek food is popular all over the world. However, if you are a foodie, Athens will change your view on what real Greek food is forever. From the street food to the fine dining restaurants, Athens has something to offer every person's taste.

Some of the most popular Greek dishes include souvlaki, grilled octopus, roast lamb, Greek salad, moussaka, spanakopita, or fresh tzatziki with pita. To be honest, I'm a fan of all of them.

One of our favorite places to visit on our trip was called The Plaka, which is a popular neighborhood in Athens. Located under the Acropolis, this is considered to be the oldest area of Athens. The beauty of this place is that the streets are completely closed off from cars.

You can walk up and down the street, enjoy the shopping and take in the sights. The Plaka is a very lively neighborhood. Everything is open super late. There are so many cool shops to check out, everything ranging from high-end stores to small souvenir shops. I bought myself a beautiful Rolex watch. It felt good to treat myself to something nice.

We got the opportunity to eat at one of the most popular restaurants in Athens called, Psaras Taverna. It opened in 1898, making it Plaka's oldest restaurant. The food is to die for. To this day, it is known for having some of the best Greek traditional food in Athens.

On the rooftop patio, you can see a view of the Acropolis and the Parthenon in the distance and the sunset is amazing. This is the perfect restaurant choice if you want to enjoy a romantic dinner with your loved one.

If you get a chance to visit Athens, Greece then you've got to take advantage of the Greek Islands.

Keep in mind that there are plenty of day trips that you can take via a ferry. Within less than two hours of Athens, you can find beautiful islands that boast crystal blue water and white sand. Luckily, Tatiana and I had the chance to check out the island of Santorini.

This is considered to be one of the most lavish romantic getaway destinations in Greece. Santorini has some of the most breathtaking sunsets. The views are picturesque and the ocean is stunning. The island is nestled in the middle of the sea and was created as a result of a volcanic eruption.

Another amazing island to check out while you are in Athens is Mykonos. This is one of the most popular destination spots in Greece. It has epic nightlife, beautiful beaches, and cultural atmosphere.

You can easily get lost walking down the colorful maze of streets and alleys of Mykonos where you will see colorful wooden doors and beautiful whitewashed architecture. On your walk, you will see tons of cute cafes, fancy hotels, boutiques, cultural monuments and jewelry stores.

Little Venice is a popular district in Mykonos and also one of the most romantic. Here you can find a lot of beautiful old homes that are situated on the edge of the Aegean sea.

Athens is definitely not a cheap place to visit, but it depends on what time of year you decide to go and what your budget is. If you go in the summer, you can expect to spend more money. The best times to visit Athens are between March and May and from September to November. During this time the weather is nice, there are fewer tourists and more flight and hotel deals.

Athens, Greece was the trip of a lifetime.

Experiences like this would not have been possible had Tatiana and I not done the work to build successful online businesses.

We always make it a point to remind ourselves how blessed we are to have so much freedom to do what we want and where we want. However, we definitely put in years of hard work to get to the place where we are now. Anything is possible if you are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it.

Are you ready to be your own boss, travel, and work from anywhere in the world? The world is your oyster. Find your pearl.