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Jordan

6

Reasons To
Visit Jordan

  • Ancient Ruins

    Petra is the most famous of Jordan's historic ruins, but it is by no means the only one. Ummayad palaces, Graeco-Roman cities, ancient churches and crusader castles are found throughout the country and are likely to form the backbone of your time in Jordan.

    Ancient Ruins

  • Classical History

    Jerash is the Classical jewel in Jordan's crown but the Greeks and Romans left their traces across the country, sometimes leaving behind entire cities, like Umm Qais, and sometimes modifying existing settlements, as with the colonnaded street in Petra.

    Classical History

  • Desert

    It was T.E. Lawrence who brought Wadi Rum to public attention, and his description of the desert region as "vast, echoing and godlike" sums it up perfectly. The red sand and towering sandstone mountains make this a deservedly popular destination.

    Desert

  • Nature Reserves

    Jordan is right at the forefront of conservation in the Middle East, and her reserves don't just preserve rare wildlife, like the ibex, but also remarkable scenery and traditional ways of life. The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature runs five main reserves in Jordan, such as the Dana Nature Reserve.

    Nature Reserves

  • UNESCO World Heritage Sites

    Petra is one of the most famous UNESCO world heritage sites and one of the places everyone wants to visit once in their life. The other heritage site you may visit in Jordan is Qasr Al-Amra, protected by UNESCO because of its rich and vivid frescoes dating to the Umayyad period (the eight century AD).

    UNESCO World Heritage Sites

  • Wadis

    Carving down from the desert plateau to the depths of the Dead Sea and Rift Valley, Jordan's wadis are a haven for the more adventurous, whether you choose to hike down Wadi Feynan to spend time at the Ecolodge there, or to tackle the deep pools and boulder chokes of the wet descent of Wadi Mujib.

    Wadis

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Excursions in Jordan: Amman City Tour

The tour of Amman will include the Roman theatre, and a visit to the Citadel to get a wonderful view of the city, as well as to visit the ruins there.

Citadel, Amman
The Roman theatre, AmmanCitadel, AmmanAmman, JordanSouth Theatre, JerashSouth Theatre, Jerash

Amman City Tour

Amman, Jordan
  • Culture & History

The tour of Amman will include the Roman theatre, and a visit to the Citadel to get a wonderful view of the city, as well as to visit the ruins there.

The Roman amphitheatre is approached along a walkway lined with Roman columns. The banks of seats, capable of accommodating 6,000 people, are split into three tiers. The lowest tier nearest the action was reserved for the nobles, the next up for the military and then the furthest up for the rest of the citizens.

Nearby is the Odeon, a small Roman theatre lovingly restored by the Jordanian Department of Antiquities. Overlooking the amphitheatre and heart of Amman is the Citadel. The views from up here allow you to get a better grasp of the layout of the city, and the ruins provide a sense of the city's past as well. On-going excavations, and the sheer volume of remains in a small area, give the Citadel a slightly cluttered feel.

The best ruins are the Roman and Islamic ones: the three remaining erect pillars of the Roman Temple of Hercules are the most prominent feature on the Citadel hill, whilst nearby are the low walls and columns of a Byzantine church. The path amongst the ruins terminates at the remains of the Umayyad Palace.

The Jordanian Archaeological Museum also sits atop the Citadel, and is one of the more impressive museums in the city. There are large amounts of pottery, coins, statues and other smaller remains on display from most periods of history, right back to the Palaeolithic period. There are one or two exceptional exhibits, including burial sarcophagi, a Roman statue of Daedalus, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The citadel is on one of the seven hills on which Amman was built. Standing on this hill when the muezzins call upon the faithful to pray (through speaker systems located on the numerous mosques throughout town and surrounding the Citadel), is a unique and touching experience. Stand still for a moment and listen to the call from the muezzins everywhere around you - there are few better ways to take in the atmosphere of the Middle East.

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{23403303-4598-4DC1-9665-B5BC0D2C3642}The Kings' Highway in Jordan

Travelling the Kings' Highway in Jordan is a great way to see some of the sights that this 5,000 year old highway has to offer. Stops on your journey could include the churches and mosaics at Madaba and Mount Nebo, views of the Holy Land, Kerak and Shawbak castles, nature reserves, and the ancient city of Petra.

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Further reading:
JordanWhen to GoHighlightsItinerary IdeasPlaces to GoThings to DoAccommodationAbout JordanCountry Guides

Other countries in North Africa & the Middle East:
EgyptIranLebanonLibyaMoroccoOmanSyriaTunisia

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