Dendera

The prime point of interest in Dendera, a small village north of Luxor, is the Temple of Hathor. The area is pleasantly green, and the ride provides an agreeable view of rural life in Egypt. The site of Dendera was occupied at least from the Old Kingdom onward, but it is the remains of the Late Period and Greco-Roman structures that are of interest here. The site includes the main temple, two mammisis (gods' birth houses), a Coptic church, a sanitorium, the remains of a sacred lake, and a small temple to Isis, as well as some other less visible monuments. Dendera is reached by daily convoy from Luxor; you can book a private taxi or a tour with a local tour operator.