Stoic Walks
Stoic Walks
Walk, talk, and think together: in the tradition of Zeno and the ancient Stoa
Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism, taught by walking. He and his students paced the Stoa Poikile in Athens, thinking out loud, questioning, and listening. Philosophy was not something they read about. It was something they did, on foot, in the open air.
Stoic walks carry that tradition into the present. A small group gathers, starts moving, and a question opens the conversation. The walk does the rest, since there is something about being in motion, in nature, that loosens thinking. Ideas arrive differently when you are not sitting still.
Each walk is guided through a Stoic lens, with room for every perspective and tradition. No lecture, no performance, no expertise required.
Walks are hosted by Benny Voncken, founder of Via Stoica, in the cities he calls home for a while. Community hosts are welcome to bring a walk to their own city.
What to expect
Each walk starts with a single question drawn from Stoic philosophy, then follows wherever the conversation leads. Walks usually run 60 to 90 minutes. They are free to attend and open to everyone, whether you are new to Stoicism or have practised for years.
Outdoors
Parks, hills, and coastlines. Moving helps thinking.
Open dialogue
Stoic guidance with room for every view and tradition.
Small groups
Intimate enough for a real conversation.
What Stoic walkers say
Upcoming walks
Socratic walks in Prague Hosted by Justin of the Agora Network
Socratic walks hosted by Justin of the Agora Network. For more info go to Meetup.
Stoic walks in Lagos Hosted by Benny
Benny will be in Lagos from late October. Sign up for the newsletter below to hear first when the walks are scheduled.
Get notified when new walks are scheduled. Via Stoica sends one newsletter per month, The Pause, with Stoic reflections, walk updates, and podcast news.
Where we've walked
Rincón de la Victoria
Málaga, Spain
Coastal walks along the Mediterranean. The first city where Stoic walks were held regularly.
Open in Google Maps ↗Las Palmas
Gran Canaria, Spain
Walks through the city and along the Atlantic coast.
Open in Google Maps ↗Granada
Spain
Walks through one of Andalusia's most historically layered cities.
Open in Google Maps ↗Maastricht
Netherlands
Tuesday evening walks on Sint Pietersberg, meeting at Lage Kanaaldijk 117.
Open in Google Maps ↗Valkenburg
Netherlands
Walks through the hills and caves of this historic town in the Geul valley.
Open in Google Maps ↗Prague
Czech Republic
Walks in Malá Strana, in collaboration with the Agora Network.
Open in Google Maps ↗Athens, Greece
Special walk — Plato's Academy
A four-week philosophical walking series at Plato's Academy, held together with Donald Robertson.
Open in Google Maps ↗
Bring a walk to your city
Stoic walks work anywhere there is a park and a handful of curious people. If you want to host one in your city and have it listed in the calendar above, reach out. The process is simple; there is no certification, and you keep full ownership of your walk.
Send Benny an email
Tell him your city, your background with Stoicism, and roughly how you would run the walk.
A short conversation
A quick call to align on format and spirit. No gatekeeping, just making sure the walk fits the community.
Get listed here
Your walk appears in the calendar with your RSVP link and city. You own it, Via Stoica amplifies it.
Want to go deeper than a walk? Stoic coaching with Benny is a one-to-one practice. Book a free consultation to explore what that looks like.
Listen to The Via Stoica Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.
About the author
Benny Voncken is the founder of Via Stoica and host of The Via Stoica Podcast. He has practiced Stoicism as a way of life for over seven years and draws on almost 15 years of teaching experience to turn dense ancient ideas into daily practice. Since 2023 he has coached clients around the world through one-on-one Stoic coaching. He also leads Stoic walks across Europe, writes the monthly newsletter The Pause, and has spoken at Stoicon.
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