What to see? Jordan offers the magnificent ruins of Hellenistic cities, the submarine world of the Red Sea, the Holy Sites along the river Jordan, and its desert cities and castles.

Amman The capital of Jordan was originally an Ammonite settlement. Later, the town became part of the ten cities’ covenant, the Decapolis, under the name of Philadelphia. The ruined citadel still dominating the town dates back to the Romans, just like the theatre and forum below. Byzantine emperors established a church on the citadel hill. Worth visiting are also the Archaeological Museum and the oriental suqs of Old Amman.

Cities of the Decapolis

Jerash

The ancient Gerasa is an astounding site – one of the biggest Roman cities still preserved.

Pella is still largely unexcavated. The town was continuously settled from Neolithic well into Muslim time.

Umm Qais is the Gadara of the Bible – the site of Christ’s exorcism and the subsequent drowning of the Gadarene swine. Roman ruins have been excavated here, among them theatres and baths.

Christian Sites

Madaba is famous for the extensive mosaic floors uncovered in some of the old churches. The best known is a map of the Holy Land in the church of St.George. The same applies to

Umm Rassas – under the modern village lie the remains of a Byzantine settlement. The churches had mosaic floors as beautiful as those of Madaba.

Mount Nebo is the place where Moses was shown the Promised Land, but denied entry. From the earliest days of Christianity this has been the site of a church of Moses.

Petra

The rose red city was the capital of the Nabataeans who established their trade-based empire during the first millenium B.C. The area became part of the Roman empire during the 2^nd century A.D. With the slow decline of the caravan trade the influence of the Nabataeans and the importance of the city gradually dwindled until it was given up.

The monuments of Petra are hewn out of the red sandstone the area is famous for. There are hundreds of tombs and temples. A visit to the extensive area takes at least a full day.

Crusaders’ Castles

Kerak was built in the 12^th century, on a promontory dominating the valleys around. After it’s completion it remained in the crusaders’ hands for a few years only, then was conquered and manned by Saladin. Well preserved, it is still an impressive sight and one of the most important visits in Jordan.

Shobak castle was the first crusaders’ stronghold built in the then Transjordan area by King Baldwin of Jerusalem, at the beginning of the 12^th century. It controls the southern plain between the Jordan valley and Ma’an. Shobak, too, was conquered by Saladin and later used by the Mamluk sultans, well into the 19^th century, when it was finally torn down by Ibrahim Pasha.

Ajloun is one of the few Middle Eastern castles not raised by the crusaders but by the Muslims. Erected on a hill west of Jerash in 1184, the castle lost its significance after the battle of Hittim in 1187, when Saladin scored a decisive victory against the crusaders.

Dead Sea Area

The Dead Sea, nearly 400 m below sea level, is famous for its mineral content. The curative effects of the waters have been known since ancient times. Several hotels at the shore of the Dead Sea offer easy and comfortable access to the waters.

Hammamat Ma’in lies east of the Dead Sea.  It is famous for its thermal springs, both hot and cold.

The Baptism Site at Bethany beyond the Jordan is said to be the place where John the Baptist started his mission and also baptized Christ.

Mukawir some 60 km south of Amman is the place of the ancient Herodian fortress of Machaerus, where John the Baptist was imprisoned and later beheaded at the command of Herod Antipas.

Wadi Rum

The impressive desert landscape of Wadi Rum is among the most beautiful in the world. A half day visit including a trip to a Bedouin camp is undoubtedly a highlight of any Jordan tour.

Desert Castles

The Ummayyad desert castles of Jordan rival those of Syria. Situated in the desert east of Amman, they can be easily reached for a day tour. The most famous is Qasr Azraq, named after its blue basalt stone. Qasr Azraq was the headquarter of Sherif Hussein and T.E.Lawrence before the start of the Arab revolt. The most attractive of the castles is Qasr Amra, where a lot of the original frescoes decorating the walls can still be see. Other castles that can be visited are Qasr Allabat, Qasr Karraneh, Qasr Mushatta and Qastal Palace.

Aqaba is situated on the narrow strip of land offering Jordan access to the Red Sea. The lively sea port is famous for its beautiful beaches and the diving opportunities.

National Parks

Among the most beautiful areas of Jordan is Wadi Dana, near Al Tafilah. The area has been established as a national park in 1989 and covers mountaineous terrain more than 1000 m above sea level, as well as desert landscape well below sea level. Many rare species of animals and plants can be found here. The village of Dana has been a settlement since prehistoric times.

Two campsites for overnight visitors are open from March to October.

Another protected area is Shaumari, where Oryx antelopes are reintroduced into the wild.