Most often, Russian travelers come to Jordan from Egypt or Israel, from where travel agencies organize day trips to local attractions. Such a route usually includes a quick tour of the Wadi Rum desert and an inspection of Petra, and most of the time the road is "eaten up". If you decide to visit the kingdom and are studying the question of what to see in Jordan, plan a separate tour to this beautiful country. Jordan is able to surprise even the most discerning tourist, and its attractions are rightfully ranked first among the historical and natural "pearls" of the Middle East.
TOP 15 sights of Jordan
Petra
The highest step of the pedestal of tourist honor in Jordan is Petra. The ancient capital of the Nabataean kingdom receives hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world every year. For many, the name of Jordan is associated primarily with the ancient city, carved by talented architects in the pink rocks.
Petra is Jordan's calling card. What to see in an abandoned city? Wander through the caves carved into the rocks, whose vaults are painted in hundreds of shades of pink by nature itself. Walk to the colonnade and the amphitheater, testifying to the fact that the ancient Romans visited the area. Explore the plumbing system that fed the vast city and allowed the Nabataeans to live in the heart of the desert.
You can get to Petra from Amman by Jett bus. Departure from the Adali bus station in the early morning. The second option is a fixed-route taxi from the Wihdat bus station in Amman. One way tickets cost 12 and 6 euros, respectively
From Aqaba you can take a taxi. The price of the issue is from 100 euros for a round trip
In order to study Petra in detail, one day is not enough. You will be offered to spend the night in hotels in the village of Wadi Musa, a few hundred meters from the entrance to the attraction. Room rates start at 20 euros
The best season to visit Petra is spring, when it is not too hot and rainfall is extremely rare. The air temperature in April ranges from + 25 ° С during the day to + 12 ° С at night.
Desert Wadi Rum
The vast majority of Jordan's territory is occupied by desert, but even in these parts it is picturesque and unlike its sisters on the globe. The views that open to tourists in Wadi Rum resemble Martian landscapes, and the drawings preserved on its rocks date back to the third millennium BC. The desert takes its rightful place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. You can explore the most important sights of Wadi Rum by car, camel and hot air balloon. The latter type of "transport" is available in the second half of spring, autumn and early winter.
It is too hot in Wadi Rum in summer and daytime temperatures easily exceed + 40 ° C. In winter, mercury columns can drop to 0 ° C at night, and therefore the best season for walking in the Jordanian desert is April-May and October.
Jerash city
Historians consider Jerash to be one of the most perfectly preserved monuments of ancient Roman architecture, built far from the center of the empire. You can easily reach the ruins from Amman by hiring a taxi, renting a car, or taking advantage of travel companies offering day trips to Jerash's attractions. Include a show with actors portraying ancient Romans and gladiators as part of your tour of the ruins. The program of the show includes chariot races and a drill of legionnaires. The show takes place at the ancient hippodrome every day except Friday.
Amman Archeology Museum
One of the main values of the museum in the Jordanian capital is the Qumran scrolls. Ancient biblical manuscripts have been found on the shores of the Dead Sea. They were made in the era of the Second Temple on parchment and papyri in charcoal ink. The scrolls interpret the Old Testament and give an idea of the culture of the ancient Qumran community in the 2nd-1st centuries BC.
The Dead Sea
Despite the gloomy name, the Dead Sea is considered the most useful body of water on the planet, because its waters annually heal hundreds and thousands of suffering from serious illnesses. Having decided to look at the Dead Sea in Jordan, you can stay at a hotel or simply swim on the equipped city beach, which does not belong to the territory of hotels.
Clinics in Jordanian resorts offer a wide range of medical and cosmetic programs. There are shops on the shores of the Dead Sea, whose assortment includes salt and mud from the bottom of the sea. Check out Amman Beach. The entrance is paid, the price of the issue is about 7 euros for adults and half the price for children.
Do not forget to follow the rules for staying at the Dead Sea! Its water should not be swallowed even in small quantities, you should swim for no more than 15 minutes, and immersion in the sea, if there are wounds or scratches on the skin, is highly undesirable!
Mountain sky
Jordan lies at the heart of the biblical routes and contains on its map an amazing place that Christian believers and pilgrims traveling in the Middle East seek to visit. Mount Heaven is considered the place of death of the prophet Moses and the very point from which God pointed him to the Promised Land. A memorial complex has been opened at the top of the mountain. In clear weather, from Mount Nebo, you can see the Jordan Valley and even Jerusalem. The nearest town of Madaba is only ten minutes away by car from the mountain.
The place of the baptism of Jesus Christ
The place of the baptism of Jesus Christ evokes no less trepidation among the pilgrims, which, as it was established by scientists studying the times of early Christianity, is located in Jordan. The village where John the Baptist preached is called Bethany, and today ancient churches and monastic cells have been preserved on this site. The pilgrimage complex Wadi Harar includes an Orthodox church, a hotel, a refectory and outbuildings. You can get to Bethany in just an hour from the capital of Jordan and in 30 minutes from the Dead Sea hotels.
Madaba city
This ancient settlement is mentioned in the Old Testament and its main attraction is a mosaic map of the Holy Land, made by ancient artists in the 6th century AD. The map is located in the temple of St. George. Other ancient mosaics are carefully preserved in the city's archaeological park.
Royal Automobile Museum
The unusual exposition of this museum allows you to trace an entire era in the life of the country - from the 20s of the last century to the present day. It contains dozens of cars that belonged to the royal family. King Hussein, as you know, was a big fan of the automotive industry and often got behind the wheel himself to experience the charm of fast driving. The monarch even took part in auto racing and his faithful partner in sports was a 1955 Mercedes.
The museum is open from 10 am every day, except Tuesday and is located at the address: King Hussein Park in the capital of the country.
Roman amphitheater in Amman
A testament to the greatness of the Roman Empire, the amphitheater in the capital of the kingdom is impressive in its scale. It is carved into the rock on the side of the mountain, and its construction dates back to the 2nd century BC. According to the most conservative estimates, the Amphitheater of Amman could accommodate about 6,000 people, and the number of rows on which spectators were sitting was more than four dozen. Next to the grandiose ancient building, there is a museum of folk traditions and an ethnographic exhibition. The ruins are located opposite the Amman Citadel in the east of the Jordanian capital. You can visit the amphitheater every day from 10.00.
Temple of Hercules in Amman
Another ancient landmark of Jordan that is worth seeing during a tour of the country is located in the Amman Citadel. The Great Temple of Hercules was built during the reign of Marcus Aurelius in the middle of the 2nd century. Alas, not much has survived from its former grandeur, but the giant columns make it possible to assess the scale of the once magnificent sanctuary. Historians believe that the Jordanian temple of Hercules resembles a similar one at Ephesus. He was dedicated to Artemis and belonged to the Seven Wonders of the World.
Hot springs in Main
The bottom of the grand canyon, 25 km from Madaba, hides hot mineral springs. From above, there are stunning views of the Dead Sea and the canyon itself. The water temperature in the springs reaches + 60 ° C, and their waters heal a lot of ailments - from rheumatism to sinusitis. The oldest Jordanian resort still operates today, and on the territory of Hammamat Main you will find changing cabins, toilets, a restaurant and even a chic hotel with a spa center with a full range of beauty services. The assortment of the salon includes mud wraps, hydromassage baths, masks based on preparations obtained from the raw materials of the Dead Sea. The spa complex is open from 8.00 to 23.00.
Umayyad palace
The massive complex that served as the seat of the Umayyad dynasty was designed and built in the early 8th century. Here they held audiences to foreign ambassadors and received foreign guests. Since then, little has survived from the luxurious decoration, but stone carving has survived the centuries and continues to delight the eyes of modern visitors to the once grandiose structure in the Jordanian capital. Palace address: King Ben Al Hussein.
Al-Qahaf cave
In the south of Amman there is a rock tomb that appeared in the era of the ancient Romans. It is called the Cave of the Seven Sleeping Youths, who were walled up for their faith in Christ and miraculously resurrected several centuries later. The metropolitan guides willingly tell the legend, and the cave itself looks like a burial chamber with traditional sarcophagi decorated with Roman ornaments. The exact address of the attraction: Ahel Al Kahef, El Rajib.
Dana Nature Reserve
Dana Biosphere Reserve is the largest protected area in the country. Here you can see at least 800 plant species, among which are especially rare and endemic. The fauna is represented by dozens of animal species listed in the Kingdom's Red Book. In the Dana reserve you will get acquainted with four bio-climatic zones - from the Mediterranean to the Sahara-Arabian, and for active tourists, the hiking trails of the reserve are of great interest.
