City breaks to Luxor pack in magnificent ancient temples, hidden souks, and the last resting place of the pharaohs.

City breaks to Luxor

On the eastern bank of the River Nile, the city of Luxor still lives in the shadows of the mighty pharaohs who ruled here three millennia ago. Behind them, they left monuments whose grandeur and mystery is still unsurpassed. These days, the thriving city, which fans outwards from the Nile, is home to 100,000 people, and is full of colonial buildings and colourful bazaars.

The Land of the Pharaohs

The ancient sites in Luxor are up there with the Pyramids of Giza. In the heart of the city is Luxor Temple, a giant complex flanked by two seated statues of Ramesses II at its entrance. To the north is the Temple of Karnak, a collection of gargantuan temples and sphinx-lined avenues. And across the Nile lies the Valley of the Kings, the necropolis where pharaohs like Tutankhamun began their journey towards immortality.

Modern luxuries

There’s more to Luxor than ancient history, though. You can wander through spice-scented souks, sail on a white-sailed felucca boat at sunset, take a hot-air balloon ride with the desert plains stretching beneath you, or sip a cocktail in grand surroundings at the Old Winter Palace.

Nile river cruises

If you fancy venturing out from Luxor and exploring more of Egypt, our Nile river cruises are just the ticket. They start and finish in the city, so you’ll have plenty of time to see the sights, but in between you’ll stop off in the ancient cities of Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan.