Intrigue, history and discovery await you in Egypt, a destination famous for the Giza pyramids, Great Sphinx, and the ancient temples of Luxor. Who better to talk to about this fascinating place than an award-winning travel writer whose love for the historic land keeps drawing him back?

While the Nile is often described as Egypt’s lifeline, it’s the country’s temples that reflect its multiple identities; its history. Covering roughly 4,000 years and a huge variety of structures, from residences for gods to funerary cults for royalty, no expense was ever spared to make the temples into masterpieces. Here, we shortlist some of the most impressive monuments – the ones that haven’t just stood the test of time, but the trials of good taste, too.