Luxor

Entry/Visa
To travel to Egypt a visa is required. You can buy it directly on arrival at the airport or order it in advance at the embassy in your country. The visa costs about 18 euros. You will however need to bring your passport.

Vaccines
Vaccinations against hepatitis A,B and C are advisable to be take, especially against hepatitis A.

Climate
Autumn (late September to late November) is the ideal time to go as during this time it is neither too hot nor too cold. Temperatures range between 25 and 35 ° C. Winter begins in mid-December and lasts until late February, during this time temperatures range between 8 and 20 degrees. Luxor is however sunny all year round. Spring does not last long (March-April). During this season it can also get quite windy.Summer temperatures rise up to 35 ° C, thereforeIt is best to explore and travel to areas in the early morning.


Currency
The currency Luxor is the Egyptian pound (LE abridged). 1 Egyptian pound is about 13 euros.

Language
The official language is Arabic. But English is spoken in all tourist areas.
Some basic vocabulary in Egypt:
- Good afternoon (morning) = Sabah El Kheir
- Good morning (afternoon) = mesa el Kheir
 - Goodbye = ma'asalama
- Thank you = shokran
- No = la'a
- Yes = aywa
- My name is = esmi

Telephone reception
The sockets are identical to the EU having a voltage of 220 volts.

Customs / Culture / Traditions
Luxor is a tourist "mecca" ever since the nineteenth century when Luxor became a popular tourist destination. Tourists coming to Luxor frequently visit the remains of Thebes - the former capital of the New Kingdom as there is a lot of culture and history to visit in this area. About 85% of the city's economy relies on tourism. Most tourists visit Luxor between October and February, when it is a little colder than the high temperature peeks in the summer.

Religion
The dominant religion in all of Egypt is Islam; its basic principle is the belief in one God (Allah). Approximately 90% of Egyptians are Muslims. Every Muslim is obliged to fulfill the five pillars of faith. He must proclaim that there is no other god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet, pray five times a day, give alms, fasting during Ramadan, and hold at least once a pilgrimage to Mecca. The most important of these responsibilities is to pray. The faithful are called to pray by the muezzin at the minaret located at the mosque. However, Muslims can pray anywhere, as long as they are facing in the direction of Mecca. The Qur'an in Islam serves as a legal code and has a set of rules to be followed. Other than Muslims, Copts are also in Egypt and are faithful to the Catholic Church Coptic Rite. They speak the same language as the Arab Muslims, but do not come from the Arabs. Their roots go back to the native people of Egypt. Copts in Egypt can be identified by a distinctive tattoo on the hand between the thumb and the rest of the hand.

Airports / Car rental
Luxor International Airport is located 6 km east of the city. It is considered one of the largest airports in Egypt. The airport handles mainly domestic flights, but also has some scheduled flights to European cities.Cars can be rented at the airport or the hotel reception, but it is advised to travel with the local taxis and mini buses.

Public transport
Mini buses are the most popular transportation in Luxor. They are constantly accessible being available in the city 24 hours a day. They are characterized by a continuous sound of the horn, which the drivers use to create awareness of their whereabouts. Travelling with these mini buses one usually negotiates a good price. This transport is best to use however in large groups rather than individually to get the best negotiated price. These buses are quite busy though as the locals use them just as much as the tourists.

Taxis / Infrastructure
Taxis can be found everywhere and although most taxis have taximeters, it is recommended to negotiate on a fixed price. Every taxi, on the windscreen, in the lower right corner has a sticker with the number of the central customer service. If you encounter any problems with a certain taxi it is advised to call this number.

Events
Public Holidays:
1 January - New YearApril
25 - Sinai Liberation Day
May 1 - Labour Day
June 18 - Independence Day - the British departure
October 6 - Armed Forces Day
October 24 - Day of the City of Suez
23 December - Victory Day

Religious holidays:
Coptic Christmas - Christmas Eve (only Copts celebrate)
Qurban Bair - the feast of the pilgrims
Muslim New Year
Muldi an Nabi- Prophet's Birthday
Good Friday and Easter Coptic (Copts celebrate only)
First Day of Spring - Sham el Nessim
Bair Ramadan - the end of Ramadan
Public holidays do not have a significant impact on tourism. Only during Ramadan it is possible that restaurants in the cities can be closed.

Culinary Specialities
The local cuisine consists of a combination of Egyptian dishes ,Turkish, Greek, Lebanese and a French cuisine. Egyptian cuisine consists mainly of large amounts of fresh vegetables. The most popular dish is “ful” which is a paste of fava beans with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Another very popular specialty is “sycącym kuszari”, a mixture of rice, pasta, lentils and peas, all topped with spicy sauce. As a principle dish it is common to order “mezze” - a set of salads and sauces. All dishes are served with pita bread. Islam forbids eating pork, therefore it is unlikely to find pork anywhere in Egypt. The local meat dishes in Egypt are mutton and camel meat. Other popular dishes are the roast goose or dried fish. Nevertheless, it is most common in Egypt to mostly eat vegetables, combined with chickpeas and stewed beans.

Sights
While in Luxor it is worth visiting:
- Luxor temple
- Temple of Amun at Karnak
- Luxor Museum
- Museum of Mummification
- Valley of the Kings and Queens
- Temples of Hatshepsut
- Colossi of Memnon
- Madinat Habu
- House of Howard Carter
 - the discoverer of Tutankhamen's tomb
- Ramesseum