There’s a reason Jordan was featured in one of the Indiana Jones movies: it’s 11,000 years of history (and yes, that’s the correct number of 0’s). Visit amazing destinations while learning about the ancient secrets of this underrated gem of a country. Get into it.
Middle East Travel Resources
These are my favourite companies to use when I travel.
• Find cheap flights with Skyscanner.
• Get the best deals on hotels on Booking.com.
Jordan Tours
• Book small group adventure tours with G Adventures.
• Find the best city sightseeing tours & attraction tickets on GetYourGuide or Viator.
Top Places to Visit in Jordan
Petra
Located just miles from Jordan’s southern Red Sea coast, the mysterious ruins of Petra date back to the Nabataean kingdom. Built during the 6th century BCE, the ruins were lost for many years before they were found again in 1929 by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.
Petra, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, tucked away behind pink sandstone cliffs in the desert, visitors walk through a narrow passageway between two cliffs before turning a corner and seeing the intricately carved temple, carved right into the side of the pink cliffs. This is the same place where Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was filmed.
You’ll also find other buildings carved into the pink and yellow cliffs, which makes for a stunningly unique landscape. View more advice with my Petra travel tips.
Amman
Amman us the capital of Jordan and likely to be where you first arrive in the country. Amman is a fascinating city with a mix of old and new, ancient ruins mixed with super swanky shopping centres. Places to check out include Jabal al-Qala’a hill, the historic Citadel including the pillars of the Roman Temple of Hercules and the 8th-century Umayyad Palace complex, known for its grand dome. The Roman Theater is a an essential photo stop off, this 6,000-capacity, 2nd-century stone amphitheater also still hosts events. View more of my Amman travel tips.
Jerash
Jerash is a city located north of the capital Amman which has been inhabited since the Bronze Age. The main attraction in Jerash is the ancient Greco-Roman ruins which include a 2nd-century Hadrian’s Arch, the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis and the huge Forum’s oval colonnade. The Jerash Archaeological Museum displays artifacts excavated from the site. If you love climbing around ancient ruins for fun, you’ll have just as much fun at Jerash as you will at Petra. View more information with my Jerash travel tips.
Madaba
Madaba is an ancient town in Jordan famous for sights like the 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. The Madaba Archaeological Park preserves the mosaic-rich Church of the Virgin Mary and artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic eras. Northwest, the biblical hill of Mount Nebo overlooks the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. View my Madaba travel guide.
Wadi Rum
Keen to visit the desert and experience a Bedouin camp? View my Wadi Rum travel tips.