Valley of the Queens

The Valley of the Queens lies at the southern end of the Theban hills, a short drive from Medinet Habu, and it is where many royal wives, princes and princesses of the New Kingdom were buried between about 1560 and 1130 BC. The ancient Egyptians called it Ta-set-neferu, usually translated as the Place of Beauty or the Place of the Royal Children. There are 91 tombs in the main wadi and another 19 in the side valleys, though only a few are open at any one time.

The great draw is QV66, the tomb of Nefertari, the principal wife of Ramesses II. Its painted reliefs are among the finest in Egypt, with rich colours on fine plaster showing the queen being guided by the gods. Because visitors bring heat and humidity, conservation rules are strict: entry needs a separate ticket, visits are limited to around fifteen minutes, and air circulation is controlled. It is worth planning your day around this tomb rather than treating it as an extra.

Other tombs in the valley are smaller but still beautifully decorated, often showing young princes presented to the gods by their father, and they are protected by plexiglass panels and wooden walkways. The Italian archaeologists Ernesto Schiaparelli and Francesco Ballerini carried out the pioneering excavations in the early 1900s, and conservation work has continued since.

The valley is usually less crowded than the Valley of the Kings, which makes it a more relaxed visit for families and for those who find the main valley overwhelming. Allow about an hour, or longer if you enter Nefertari's tomb. Some tombs involve steps and slopes, and the valley is exposed to the sun, so bring water and come early or late in the day. Photography and visit rules can change, so check at the ticket office.

The valley sits at the southern edge of the West Bank monuments. It combines well with Medinet Habu and Deir el-Medina, the workers' village, both within a few minutes' drive, and with the Colossi of Memnon on the way back towards the river. If your time on the West Bank is limited, a visit here can replace a second round of tombs in the Valley of the Kings and gives a very different, more intimate style of painting.