This summer, Athens Insider toasts 22 incredible years of magazines, events, and a very long engagement with Athenian social life. We’ve been here through the highs and lows, and this year we’re celebrating that ingenious spirit of Athens that has powered forward to become the hottest destination for the creative set. That presents a new set of responsibilities for a magazine such as ours to serve a growing and demanding international community who have chosen to make Athens part of their life story. This issue has a rich critical eye. It’s full of stories about artists and designers who are intrinsic to the city’s modern legacy, and who are helping the city once again redefine itself. It’s about how human needs and historical pressures manifest their ideals in urban architecture. We ask what attracts people to Athens and propose some new directions. We see the city as a living community, not as a tourist park or a protected archaeological site. Here’s wishing you an ouzo-soaked summer!