The volume and scale of the antiquities at Luxor is incredible. Located on a beautiful stretch of the Nile, an hour’s flight south from Cairo, the city known as Waset (City of a Hundred Gates) by the ancient Egyptians was capital of the country when it was at the height of its political power and artistic expression. The Nile divides Luxor into two. In ancient times, corresponding with the patterns of the heavens, the East Bank where the sun rose was the city of the living, and the West Bank over which the sun set was the Necropolis. The two principal archaeological sites on the East Bank of the Nile are the Temples of Karnak, and the Temple of Luxor. Covering over 100 hectares, Karnak is a vast complex of obelisks, pylons, colonnaded halls and is considered to be one of the grandest monuments in Egypt. On most evenings a highly impressive walk-through Sound & Light Show is held at the temple. Luxor Temple was dedicated to the triad of gods of Amun, Mut and Chons and was the centre of the important Opet Festival. During the early evening the temple becomes particularly dramatic when the entire complex is floodlit. The artefacts in the small Luxor Museum are very well displayed. The principal attractions are a collection of 26 superbly preserved New Kingdom statues found in 1989, funerary goods from the tomb of Tutankhamen and two royal mummies. Luxor is an ideal place for relaxation and benefits from a wonderful Winter climate. Complementing the magnificent monuments, is the beautiful surrounding countryside. This can be appreciated in many ways, but perhaps the two most spectacular are the from the sky in a dawn hot-air balloon adventure, or from the Nile during a sunset cruise in a traditional felucca. Luxor is the start / end point for the deluxe 3, 4, 6 and 7 night Nile Cruises that ply the Nile between here and Aswan, and vise versa, visiting the magnificent temples en route and passing through stunningly beautiful scenery. The ideal duration in Luxor is one full day’s sightseeing, normally divided between two days, however, there is plenty to keep an enthusiast busy for a much longer period.