Located on the east bank of the Nile River in southern Egypt, Luxor is a city often referred to as "the world's greatest open-air museum". Known for its ancient Egyptian sites, Luxor stands on the site of Thebes, the pharaoh’s capital at the height of their power. This ancient city is home to the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, where tombs of pharaohs and nobles from the New Kingdom are found. The city's monumental statues, elegant columns, and art-filled tombs and temples, such as the extremely impressive Luxor Temple and Karnak, the largest ancient religious site in the world, combined with an intriguing mix of the hustle and bustle markets, give visitors a perfectly blended slice of Egypt's history and contemporary life.