Attractions of Jordan

Like Damascus and Aleppo in Syria, Amman is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with occupation dating back some 9,000 years. It rose to prominence with the arrival of the Ammonites in 1200 BC, later falling under the influence of the Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Ptolemies and Seleucids before it became one of the cities of the Decapolis under the Romans. Its historical attractions include the Citadel with its Roman Temple of Hercules and 6,000 seat Roman theatre, the 8th century Ummayad Palace and the grandeur of the King Abdullah Mosque. The Jordan Archaeological Museum contains an excellent collection of artefacts from the city's history, including an exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a copy of the Mesha Stele and four rare Iron Age sarcophagi.

Jerash

Jerash is one of the finest examples of a Roman provincial city anywhere in the world and a highlight of any trip to Jordan. It is the best preserved of the Decapolis, a confederation of ten self-governing cities that developed in the area following the Roman conquest in the 1st century BC. A triple arch gateway leads to the Colonnaded main street, where grooves in the paving stones are reminders of the chariots that once rode along these streets. Other impressive remains include two theatres, the forum, the temple of Zeus, a nymphaeum and a hippodrome.

Along with Jerash, the classical sites of Umm Qais and Pella marked two other cities of the Roman Decapolis. The remains of ancient Gadara at Umm Qais are located on a plateau overlooking the Sea of Galilee, which was once a major cultural and artistic centre and an important stop on several trade routes. Most of the remains at Pella date from the Byzantine period.

Um er-Rasas was a Roman military camp that grew to become a town from the 5th century AD onwards. The site contains remains from the Roman, Byzantine and early Muslim periods, including 16 churches and 2 stylites - columns upon which ascetic monks spent time in isolation. The mosaic floor of the Church of St. Stephen contains a representation of the towns of Palestine, Jordan and Egypt.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa'a)

The desert east of Amman contains numerous historic castles, palaces and other structures. Quseir Amra was built in the early 8th century for use as a garrison and a residence of the Umayyad caliphs. Although small, this structure is very well preserved and noted for its exceptional reception hall, three-roomed hamman or steam bath and extensive murals on the interior wall surfaces and depicting hunting, hamman scenes, historical figures, a zodiac and the mythical representations of history, philosophy and poetry. The castle at Azraq dates back to Roman times and was used by Lawrence of Arabia as his desert headquarters during the Arab Revolt. Qasr al-Hallabat was originally Roman but was rebuilt during the Umayyad period and is renowned for its elaborately decorated mosaics, carved stucco, and fresco paintings.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Quseir Amra

Aljoun Castle is the only truly Arab castle in Jordan. It was built in 1184 by the nephew of Saladin to deter the Crusader invasion and occupied a strategic location to monitor invaders and command trade routes. It was destroyed by the Mongols in 1260 but rebuilt by the Mameluke Sultan Baibars before serving as an Ottoman outpost.

The small Christian town of Madaba was once one of the most important Christian centres east of the Jordan River. It is famous for the mosaics housed in several small churches in the town, in particular the 6th century Great Map of Palestine on the floor on the Church of St. George containing detailed depictions of sites in the Holy Land. It is comprised of two million coloured stones and is believed to be the oldest map of Palestine in the world. Nearby lies Mount Nebo, the presumed site of Moses' death and burial place. An important Christian site of pilgrimage, it was from here that Moses finally saw the Promised Land before he died, knowing he would never set foot there. The site houses a Byzantine church and offers spectacular views over the Dead Sea and the Jordan Valley.

Dead Sea - Jordan

Floating in the Dead Sea is one of travel's memorable experiences. The sea, 400 metres below sea level and with 33% salt (normal sea water has 3-4%), is impossible to sink in. The water and the soft, sulphurous black mud you can pick up underneath is said to have remarkable healing powers.

Kerak and Shobak are two of numerous castles built by Crusader forces in the Middle East between the 11th and 13th centuries. Kerak is built on a hilltop overlooking the town, an imposing setting offering spectacular views, and very well preserved. Further south, Shobak Castle is less well preserved but equally impressive.

Petra

Petra, the Rose-Red City, is one of the new Seven Wonders of the World and one of the world's most famous and spectacular historical sites. Petra was founded by the Nabataean Arab tribe in the 6th century BC and taxes imposed on trading caravans allowed them to build their rock-carved city surrounded by mountains. Construction continued after the Romans annexed the Nabataean Kingdom in AD 106 and, after it was conquered and occupied by Muslim Arabs and Crusaders, it was abandoned and became a mystical 'lost city'. Its exact location was unknown in the west until the Swiss explorer J.L. Burckhardt stumbled upon it in 1812. Today visitors followed the same path used by Burckhardt, through a kilometre long chasm known as the siq, the only entrance to the city. At the end of the siq lies the stunning sight of the Treasury, or Khazneh, a 40 metre tall facade carved into the mountain rock face. Inside the Hellenistic columns is a large plain square room, carved out of rock. The High Places are the mountain-top altars which offer spectacular views over Wadi Araba and the Negev Desert. Beyond the centre of Petra lies El Deir, the Monastery, with another superb facade built into the mountain rock. Other highlights include the three Royal Tombs, carved into the King's Wall, the Palace of the Pharaoh's Daughter and the Roman era theatre, with 8,000 seats carved from rock.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Petra

Wadi Rum

A trip to Wadi Rum is one of the quintessential travel experiences in Jordan. This is an area of stunning desert scenery with sand dunes mixing with dramatic sandstone mountains, narrow gorges, natural arches, towering cliffs, ramps, massive landslides and caverns. Travelling with Bedouin guides who still forge a nomadic existence in the area, camping overnight in Wadi Rum is essential - to see the effect of sunset on the colours of the sandstone rocks and sleep out under the clear, star-filled sky. It was here that Lawrence of Arabia assembled the Arab tribes for the attack on Aqaba in the First World War and it also provided the location for the film. A camel trek through the wadi will transport you back to the time of Lawrence and complete the desert experience. The site also includes some 25,000 rock carvings and 20,000 inscriptions which testify to 12,000 years of human occupation.

UNESCO World Heritage Site: Wadi Rum Protected Area

Aqaba is a Red Sea coastal town in the south of Jordan, the country's only access to the sea. The relaxed holiday resort has a Mediterranean feel and has some great beaches and excellent diving and snorkelling opportunities, with some of the best coral reefs in the world.