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top spots
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The rose city of Petra
Accessed on a walk through a penetrative, narrow, deep siq, the end prize is the hidden valley where the Rose City of Petra lies. As you reach the end of the Siq, you’ll come across the spectacular façade of the Kazneh – the Treasury of Petra. It’s natural to have an Indiana Jones moment here as it was this building that served as the Holy Grail’s resting place and the prize that Indy so coveted. As the Treasury is passed, the hidden valley widens to reveal the remains of the city proper. An erosion-hewn masterpiece all but lost to the modern world until 1812 when a Swiss explorer rediscovered it, Petra is full of ancient tombs and ruins ripe for the modern-day discoverer. An incredible place, it’s like an eighth wonder.
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Aqaba
Situated on the tip of the Red Sea on the Gulf of Aqaba, the laid-back resort of Aqaba is Jordan’s only gateway to the sea. Renowned for its sandy beaches, clear waters and colourful reefs studded with marine life, Aqaba is just the ticket for sun, fun, diving, snorkelling and swimming. Beyond the deep, Aqaba is a great place for watersports such as waterskiing, parasailing, jet-skiing and fishing and tops for relaxation. Historically, Aqaba boasts sites dating back to 4,000 BC, including the recent discovery of possibly the world’s oldest church dating from the 3rd century AD, the remains of the medieval walled city of Ayla and a Mamluk fort.
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Wadi Rum
A vast, silent landscape of ancient riverbeds, pastel-coloured stretches of sandy desert and amazing rock formations known as jebels, dating back from when time began, rise from the desert floor at Wadi Rum in the south of Jordan. Wadi Rum possesses unspoilt beauty forged by millions of years of geological formation, erosion and evolution. The region is also home to semi-nomadic Bedouin living in their great goat hair tents, tending their herds of sheep and goat and preserving a lifestyle that has been practised here in the Arabian desert for centuries. On visits to Wadi Rum, we take a 4 x 4 desert jeep ride through the heart of the stunning wadi, enjoy a traditional Jordanian grilled dinner and camp outdoors or in tents.
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Dead sea
Sink or swim? There’s no chance of either occurring at the Dead Sea. The mineral-rich Dead Sea offers bathers ultimate buoyancy to the point where you’ll feel like a cork bobbing about! Take a dip in the mineral-rich waters. In addition and perhaps famously, the intense salinity creates an unusually high degree of buoyancy. Opt for a dip, and you’ll bob about like a rubber duck in a bath, without any effort at all. No life rings needed here!
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Roman ruins of Jerash
Just north of Amman are the well-preserved Graeco-Roman ruins of Jerash. Built in the 2nd century BC and conquered by the Roman General Pompey in 63 BC, the town exemplifies the finesse of Roman urban life. Its hundreds of columns, temples and streets are worthy of exploration. Among the ancient attractions are mosaics, a triple-arched gateway, an oval-shaped forum, Roman baths and nymphaeum replete with ancient fountains trimmed with dolphins. The traditional Roman street is very impressive and still boasts chariot ruts, whilst the well-preserved South Theatre boasts astonishing ancient amplification. |
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