For most visitors to Jordan, the world-famous historical sites top the list of must-see destinations any visit to the kingdom. Petra, the ancient Nabatean city carved out of the red-hued rock of Wadi Musa, remains the country’s biggest draw, and UTA provides guided tours throughout the complex, from the walk down the famous Siq, up to the High Place of Sacrifice and then on to the breath-taking Monastery. Aaron’s Tomb and Little Petra are also highly recommended to fully appreciate this remarkable site.
Petra, though, is far from the only site of note in Jordan. Jerash in the north is among the region’s best preserved and most spectacular Roman sites, boasting sweeping theatres, a unique colonnaded oval forum and a hippodrome that boasts gladiatorial and chariot reconstructions. Umm Qais, at the country’s most northerly point, is a Roman settlement built from striking black basalt that overlooks the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights.
The subsequent Byzantine era bequeathed a wealth of mosaics in and around the city of Madaba, just 30 minutes from Amman, while the legacy of the Ummayad dynasty can be found in the 8th Century desert palaces of Kharaneh, Amra and Azraq that stretch out to the east of the kingdom. Fast forward to the Crusader era, and the likes of Kerak, Ajloun, and Showbak are remarkably well-preserved castes that stand as a reminder to the tumultuous events of the Middle Ages.
