Obelisk Tomb & Bab As Siq Triclinium
The Ancient City
Between the Petra Visitor Centre and the entrance to the Siq (south side of the path), there is a fine tomb with four pyramidal obelisks, built as…
Must-see attractions in Jordan
Jordan
In the northwestern corner of Jordan, in the hills above the Jordan Valley, are the ruins of the Decapolis city of Gadara (now called Umm Qais). The site…
The Ancient City
One of the few free-standing structures in Petra, Qasr Al Bint was built in around 30 BCE by the Nabataeans. It was later adapted to the cult of Roman…
Jerash
Jerash’s superb colonnaded cardo maximus is straight in the way that only a Roman road can be. This is one of Jerash’s great highlights, and the walk…
The Ancient City
A major Nabataean temple of the 1st century BCE, this structure was badly damaged by an earthquake not long after it was built, but it remained in use …
Jerash
Built about AD 165 and enlarged in 235, the beautiful little North Theatre was most likely used for government meetings rather than artistic performances…
Mt Nebo
On top of Mt Nebo, this modest church, or more accurately basilica, was built around 4th-century foundations in 597 and has just undergone major…
Jerash
Two hundred metres north of the hippodrome is the imposing South Gate, which was likely constructed in AD 130 and originally served as one of four…
The Ancient City
About halfway between Petra Visitor Centre and the entrance to the Siq, look out for three enormous, squat monuments, known as Djinn Blocks or God Blocks…
Dead Sea
This public facility goes under the full title of Amman Beach Tourism Resort, Restaurant & Pools. The beach, 2km south of the main resort strip, gives…
Dead Sea Highway
This wonderful reserve, which ranges from an altitude of 900m above sea level to 400m below, was originally established by the Royal Society for the…
Jerash
Built sometime between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD, this ancient sports field (244m by 50m) was once surrounded by seating for up to 15,000 spectators,…
The Ancient City
An awning covers the remains of Petra Church (also known as the Byzantine Church). Inside the church are some exquisite Byzantine floor mosaics, some of…
Aqaba
The fort (currently closed for renovation with no set reopening date) was built between 1510 and 1517, as attested by the Arabic inscriptions inside the…
Jordan
Located in the Ajloun Highlands, this small (just 13 sq km) but vitally important nature reserve was established by the Royal Society for the Conservation…
The Ancient City
The delightful three-storey imitation of a Roman or Hellenistic palace, known as the Palace Tomb, is distinctive among the Royal Tombs for its rock-hewn…
Wadi Rum
The western flank of Wadi Rum is formed by Jebel Rum (1754m), which towers over Rum village. It is a popular destination for scramblers and climbers who…
Madaba
This insignificant-looking church contains a remarkable mosaic dedicated to the Twelve Apostles. The embroidery-like mosaic was created in AD 568 and is…
Jerash
Before you finish exploring ancient Jerash, visit this compact museum and visitor centre just above the forum. It houses a small but worthwhile selection…
Jerash
Though most of it has collapsed, this temple has imposing 15m-high columns that are some of Jerash's most dramatic. The thick walls of the sanctum still…
Wadi Rum
The deeply crevassed ‘Mother of Twenty’, a 20-domed mountain forming the east flank of Wadi Rum, is connected to the Seven Pillars of Wisdom formation…
The Ancient City
This hall was used for annual feasts to honour the dead placed in the Roman Soldier’s Tomb. The hall is unique in Petra because it has carved decoration…
Wadi Rum
Thamudic and Nabataean inscriptions, depicting camel caravans, hunting warriors and various animals, are common throughout the Wadi Rum area. The Alameleh…
Wadi Rum
One of the most visited of numerous canyons that riddle Wadi Rum, this 5km-long corridor of rock through the mountains offers opportunities for hiking,…
Jordan
Established in 2004, this nature reserve consists of an 8-sq-km area of Aleppo pine and oak forest. Managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of…
Wadi Rum
Often mistaken for Lawrence’s Spring, the ‘Father of Aineh Spring’ is piped down the mountain into a large tank for Bedouin sheep, goats and camels. Look…
Dana
Spare some time for the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature's (RSCN) wonderful little museum. It illustrates the various wildlife at 1500m on the…
Aqaba
Run by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, this bird sanctuary is an artificially created wetland that's become host to a variety of species…
Jordan
You don’t have to be a linguistic scholar to enjoy the dynamic rhythms of Arabic script. Reinforcing Islamic heritage, the women in this workshop aim to…
Jordan
Delicious Jordanian delicacies are prepared for sale in RSCN Nature Shops in this cottage-industry kitchen. With an on-site cafe selling locally produced…
Jordan
Ever wondered what pomegranate soap smells like? Local women demonstrate the art of making all kinds of health-promoting soaps using natural local…
Amman
Designed especially for children, this centre has a library, a playground, an interactive ecomuseum and an inflatable castle. It also organises regular…
The Ancient City
Next to the distinctive Urn Tomb in the Royal Tomb group is the so-called Silk Tomb, noteworthy for the stunning swirls of pink-, white- and yellow-veined…
Umm Qais
This viewpoint offers tremendous vistas over Israel and the Palestinian Territories across the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights.
The Ancient City
Beyond the Monastery, this eyrie perched on a steep precipice affords breathtaking views.
The Ancient City
One of several viewpoints across Wadi Araba is worth the extra hike from the Monastery.
Jordan
Pella, near the modern Arab village of Taqabat Fahl, was one of the cities of the fabled Roman Decapolis. It's of great importance to archaeologists…
Jordan
With a fair proportion of masonry still standing, some beautifully restored archways and a desolate perch on the edge of the Eastern Desert, this fort is…
The Ancient City
Beyond Qasr Al Bint is the small hill of Al Habis (the Prison). From the Nabataean Tent Restaurant, steps lead up the hill past a disused museum around…
Amman
These partially reconstructed 8th-century ruins are of the winter palace of Umayyad caliph Walid II, planned as a lavish castle but never finished. They…
