- MyRepublic
From the ruins of Athens to Newton’s footsteps in Cambridge, this episode of Geek Atlas is for those who find joy in ancient texts, dusty museums, and the occasional Latin pun. Whether you spend your weekends watching historical documentaries or debating the best Roman general (it’s clearly not Crassus), this journey is a love letter to history nerds and intellectual adventurers everywhere.
Cairo, Egypt — For pyramid theorists, archaeology addicts, and ancient alien deniers
From marvelling at hieroglyphs, to navigating the halls of the Egyptian Museum, or trying to decode the Book of the Dead like it’s your final year thesis, Cairo delivers history with a side of sandstorm. Gaze up at the Great Pyramids and try not to spiral into an existential crisis or an Ancient Alien theory. Wander the maze of Coptic Cairo while contemplating just how many civilisations have left their mark. This is history turned epic.
Athens, Greece — For fans of ancient history, mythology, and questioning everything
Wander the Acropolis, stand where Socrates grilled his fellow Athenians on the meaning of life, and sit on the steps where democracy first took a shaky toddler step. Explore the ruins of the Parthenon, visit the Theatre of Dionysus, and debate metaphysics over ouzo. Athens is where Western philosophy, theatre, and disaster tourism all got their dramatic start.
Siem Reap & Angkor, Cambodia — For temple buffs, Ancient Engineers, and Tomb Raider re-enactors
Visiting Angkor is so much more than just seeing a bunch of old stone structures. Expect a sprawling, vine-wrapped testament to Khmer ingenuity. While the classic “Sunrise over Angkor Wat” is certainly iconic, once you truly start to explore (you can spend days in Angkor and still not see everything,) you’ll find it’s an entire ancient metropolis stretching much further than we thought. This vast ancient urban network spans 35 square kilometers, significantly larger than the 9 square kilometers previously recognised. Most of it is still beneath dense jungle, only recently discovered through LIDAR technology.
Wander through the maze of Ta Prohm, marvel at the intricate carvings of Bayon, or lose yourself in the ruins of a civilisation that once rivalled the great cities of the world. It’s like open-world exploration, but real, and sweatier.
Kyoto, Japan — For lovers of tradition, temples, and historical aesthetics
Kyoto is the cultural heart of Japan, where centuries-old shrines, winding stone paths, and meticulously raked gardens transport you straight into the past. Spend time quietly sipping matcha in a wooden teahouse or timing your visit to catch a glimpse of geiko in Gion. There’s a reverence for tradition woven into every corner.
History lives here. Not in a dusty museum case, but in the rhythm of daily life, from seasonal festivals to the crackle of a temple bell. It’s a perfect destination for Samurai scholars, Edo-period romantics, and anyone who’s ever wanted to time-travel without leaving Earth. And yes, if you’re the kind of person who colour-codes their shrine visits, this city will absolutely ruin you in the best way.
Istanbul, Turkey — For Byzantium buffs and history fans who like their cities layered
Where continents collide and empires rise and fall, Istanbul is a living timeline of human civilisation. With Roman, Greek, Ottoman, and modern histories all stacked together, it’s the ultimate time-travel destination. One tram ride might take you past three empires and a kebab stall. Even history gets hungry.
Cusco & Machu Picchu, Peru — For fans of high-altitude mysteries, mountain architecture, and llamas
The Inca capital and its mountaintop marvel are perfect for those fascinated by ancient Andean civilisations, celestial alignments, and the architectural wizardry involved in assembling multi-ton stones without the help of modern tech. Or wheels. Llamas are still the reigning mode of transportation here, and they’re just as photogenic as they are judgmental.
PS: You’ll notice that we purposely omitted the word “pre-columbian.” We don’t need to name some of the most fascinating ancient civilisations after the colonisers who didn’t even know they existed.
Cambridge, UK — For STEM buffs, classicists, and fans of long scarves and longer library visits
Cambridge isn’t just a pretty university town. It’s a nerd’s holy grail. Where else can you trace the footsteps of Newton, Darwin, and Hawking, then hop into a punt and debate the nature of time over a thermos of questionable tea?
Florence, Italy — For Renaissance geeks, art historians, and Michelangelo stans
Think beautiful buildings, and also gelato. Florence is where the Renaissance rebooted Europe, with enough domes, frescoes, and naked marble men to keep any history buff swooning. Stroll through the Uffizi, gawk at Brunelleschi’s Dome, and realise halfway through your third museum that the Medici family had more influence over art than most modern governments have over policy. There’s something quietly powerful about walking the same streets that once hosted the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli, and Botticelli.
Special mention: Your local museum gift shop
Look, we get it. You can’t always fly to Florence. But sometimes the best place to geek out over is your local museum gift shop, where the Latin phrase mugs and historically inaccurate mini helmets await.
Final Note for the Historically Inclined (and Digitally Dependent)
Whether you’re decoding ancient scripts in Angkor or arguing about Renaissance painters over patchy hotel Wi-Fi, one truth remains eternal: slow internet ruins everything.
So while you’re out time-travelling across ancient cities, make sure your home base is future-proof. Upgrade to Asia’s #1 Best Broadband with MyRepublic.
