Introducing Madaba
This easy-going town is best known for its superb and historically significant Byzantine-era mosaics. The town has a strong sense of its unique history, making it a major stop on the tourist trail. Madaba is the most important Christian centre in Jordan, and has long been an example of religious tolerance, a place where the Friday call to prayer from the mosque coexists with Sunday church bells; Muslims make up two-thirds of the population, and Christians one-third.
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Madaba is compact and easily explored on foot, with some excellent hotels and restaurants, and is less than an hour by regular public transport from Amman, so it's worth considering as an alternative to Amman as a place to stay. It's even possible to come straight by taxi from Queen Alia International Airport, bypassing Amman altogether.
Madaba is also a good base for exploring the Dead Sea, Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan (Jesus' baptism site) and other local sites such as Mt Nebo, Mukawir (Machaerus) and Umm ar-Rasas.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
Thorn Tree forum discussion
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RE: A Newbie in Need of Basic Information on Israel and Jordan
by laketraveller 31 May 2012
The other option of course is to still fly to Amman but spend a day or so just exploring that area. Amman itself holds some interest,…
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RE: A Newbie in Need of Basic Information on Israel and Jordan
by laketraveller 30 May 2012
Welcome, We'll see if we can shed some light on your quest. First, if you want to see Petra you'll need to get to Amman more than just…
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RE: Jordan
by laketraveller 25 May 2012
Getting honest reviews is always helpful. Of course, they are just opinions and often depend on limited experiences. My personal experie…
