These are the essential, unmissable, indispensable and practically compulsory stops (we’re not exaggerating, just warning you) that you have to visit if you choose Jordan as your next holiday destination.
Petra, the jewel in the crown. A 2000-year-old city most famous for its breathtaking mortuary temples, cut into the living rock of mountains sculpted by time. It’s Jordan’s biggest tourist attraction, a Nabatean and then a Roman settlement, later abandoned for centuries, surviving only as a legend amongst Bedouin tribespeople. In 1812, Swiss explorer Ludwig Burckhardt put the lost city back on the map – a city that is now one of the Seven New Wonders of the World.
Wadi Rum, the beauty of the desert. A magical, cinematic setting halfway between Petra and Aqaba. This sweeping valley of red earth, set between bare granite mountains, is where the legendary Lawrence of Arabia gathered with his men. It’s the perfect place to explore by camel, quad or 4×4, and we recommend enjoying this near-immaculate natural environment to the full by spending a night in a traditional Bedouin camp.
The Dead Sea: leave the pool float at home. It’s not really a sea at all — in fact, it’s a lake fed by the River Jordan, and it’s nine times saltier than any of the planet’s oceans. It’s also the point on the Earth’s surface with the lowest elevation — 416m below sea level — and is mentioned in the Bible and other sacred texts. Need we add that you can’t leave without posting the obligatory Dead Sea selfie (((on your social networks))), floating on its buoyant waters.
Bethabara, and Jesus’ baptism. A stretch of the River Jordan that has become a place of pilgrimage for the faithful — and for tourists in general — from all over the world. This is the place where, according to Scripture, Jesus was baptised by his cousin John, establishing the first sacrament of the early Christian church.
Jerash, the other jewel in the crown. Together with Petra, this is an absolute must for every traveller who visits Jordan, and the most well-preserved city of the Roman Decapolis to survive down to the present day.
Amman, the bustling heart of Jordania. Jordan’s capital is one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world. Its personality and chaotic city planning give it a strange charm – one that’s not easy to put into words. The sense of history in its streets, and the distinctive character that impresses itself on every visitor, make it a place where travellers lose themselves to explore a new world of sights, sounds, ((aromas)) and colours.
Its architectural attractions include the Roman Theatre, Wakalat Street, the King Abdullah I Mosque, the busy street markets of Souk Jara and the impressive building of Le Royal Amman Hotel*****. A luxurious hotel whose striking and spectacular facade has earned it a place of honour on the city’s skyline and its majestic exterior is equally matched by the quality of the facilities and services on offer inside.
