Tomb of Nefertari

The Tomb of Queen Nefertari (QV66) in Luxor's Valley of the Queens holds the best-preserved painted reliefs of any tomb from the New Kingdom, scenes from the Book of the Dead following Nefertari's journey to rebirth, with blues, golds and reds still vivid after 3,000 years. Ramesses II built it for the first and most favoured of his Great Royal Wives. Check access before you plan around it: the tomb is opened and closed periodically depending on its conservation status, because visitors' breath raises humidity and lifts the plaster off the limestone. When it is open, entry needs a separate and much costlier ticket on top of Valley of the Queens admission, visits are capped at 10 to 15 minutes and photography is not allowed. Confirm the current position with a Luxor operator. The Valley of the Queens itself stays open either way, with three other decorated tombs on the standard ticket.

The ceiling is painted a deep blue to mimic the night sky and has golden five-pointed stars. The paintings within the tomb are the best surviving documentation of an Ancient Egyptian’s journey to the afterlife, and the other mythological images help ascertain the roles of many gods and goddesses. It is best to visit in the early mornings when the crowds are less. You can reach the Valley of Kings by taxi or ferry across the Nile, and you may even hike to it.