Explore Luxor In Luxury

Luxor has been a tourist attraction since the beginning of tourism!  Greek and Roman tourists thronged there. Homer named it the City of a Hundred Gates.  Vivant Denon, the French artist and antiquarian who accompanied Napoleon’s troops to Egypt, said:  “on catching sight of the scattered ruins the Napoleonic army stopped and broke into spontaneous applause.”

The right bank of the Nile, site of modern-day Luxor, was the City of the Living dedicated to Amen, an obscure local god who took the place of Re in the Egyptian pantheon.  Luxor has often been called the world’s greatest open air museum because the number of well preserved monuments in the Luxor area is unparalleled anywhere else in the world.  Archeologically, what most people term “Luxor “is really three different areas:  the City of Luxor on the east side of the Nile, Karnak just north of Luxor and Thebes which is on the west side of the Nile across from Luxor.

Luxor today is a city of 150,000 people and is governed by special statutes that gives considerably more political and civil autonomy than any other area of Egypt.  Many public buildings, like the National bank of Egypt and the railway station,  conform  to an ‘ancient’ building code and are designed to appear as “pharaonic”  as possible -  a consequence of the  “Egypt mania”  that resulted from Howard Carter’s discovery of the Tomb of Tutankhamen.

In Luxor proper on the east Bank, one of the first stops must be the Temple of Luxor built by Amenophis III.   The Temple of Karnak is reached by a road built along a canal that once connected the Nile to the Temple.  There was a dock in ancient times, but now all that is left is the quay and the raised dais.

Viewing and really appreciating these astonishing wonders is made easier if you have a convenient and comfortable base.  Located in Luxor about 15 minutes walk from the centre of town is the Sonesta St George Hotel.  Service is good and the standard and range of restaurants are equally excellent.  The Luxor Hilton is a good choice too.  Based in Karnak and set among ancient and awesome ruins such as the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor, it’s also within easy reach of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.   The Sofitel, also located in Karnak, is a good choice for couple families and singles. It’s a large resort style hotel with sports and activities, excellent service and the temple of Karnak nearby.

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