Worldwide 2024-25

MIDDLE EAST • JORDAN
Discover Jordan
Jordan is a kingdom packed with history
and culture, full of Roman cities, Crusader
castles and biblical sites. There are also some
unmissable natural sites, from its beautiful
nature reserves and the desert landscapes of
Wadi Rum to the mineral-rich waters of the
Dead Sea and the glittering Red Sea.
Whether it’s culture, cuisine, natural wonders
or relaxation you’re seeking, you'll find it
all here. Amman, the capital, is the starting
point for most, its modern buildings blending
with the remnants of ancient civilisations.
Jordan’s modest size means that many of its
sites can be easily combined, and it pairs
well with Israel, Egypt or Lebanon for a
longer holiday.
IMAGE
Petra
Nabataean capital • UNESCO archaeological site
No exploration of Jordan would be complete
without visiting the ancient site of Petra.
Founded in about the sixth century BC as the
capital city of the Nabataean civilisation, the
site has since been settled by the Romans,
Crusaders and the Byzantine Empire, all
of whom left churches, fortifications and
monuments.
Jerash
Roman ruins • Christian churches & mosaics
The Treasury, Petra
The walk through the 1,600-metre-long Siq, a
natural rock corridor only three metres wide in
places, opens out in front of Al Khazneh (‘The
Treasury’) – Petra’s most remarkable edifice.
There are various other walks throughout the
site that reveal hundreds of smaller buildings
and tombs worth exploring.
North of Amman, the Graeco-Roman city of
Jerash is widely regarded as the best-preserved
city of the Decapolis, a confederation of ten
Roman cities dating from the first century
AD. As you approach the ruins, the imposing
triumphal arch comes into view, built to
honour the arrival of Emperor Hadrian in
129AD.
Beyond the arch, continuing excavation
work has revealed two theatres, a forum,
temples dedicated to Zeus and Artemis, a
hippodrome, a long colonnaded street known
as the Cardo and an almost complete circuit
of city walls. From 350AD, a large Christian
community lived here. They left their mark
in the various churches and mosaic floors
that remain.
Jerash
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