Luxor is the largest city in southern Egypt and capital of homonymous governorship (province). Known in the past as Thebes, the capital of ancient Egypt, Luxor has a reputation for hosting the largest open-air museum in the world. The ruins of Karnak and Luxor temple complexes are well preserved and live in harmony with tourists and locals, within the modern city.

Just ahead, on the other side of the Nile, are the monuments, temples and tombs of Thebes Necropolis, which includes the Valley of the Kings (where the tomb of Tutankhamon was discovered) and the Valley of the Queens. Thousands of tourists from all over the world arrive annually to visit the monuments, constituting the most important source of income in the city. Nile cruises also start or end in Luxor.