Amman
Amman, the capital of Jordan was recognized as the Capital of Arab
Culture for 2002. It is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and was
mentioned in the Bible as “Rabbath-Ammon”
or the capital of Ammonites.
Amman, the modern thriving metropolis has many touristic attractions.
While in Amman, we recommend you visit theCitadel. A tour to the archaeological
site will take you back in history to the old city of Rabbath Ammon to discover
the Roman, Byzantine and early Islamic remains. Surrounding the Citadel are
ancient Roman stunning sites such as the Temple of Hercules,Byzantine Chrurch,
and theRoman Theatre.
You can also discover the beauty of the Ottoman architect if you visit
Grand Husseini Mosque in the heart downtown Amman.
Discover the breathtaking
traditional costumes and handicrafts in the downtown area. After a long tour,
you can enjoy the Jordanian cuisine at any of the restaurants located down town
like “Hashem” and “Al-Qudus” restaurants. Discover the famous Manasaf and taste
the traditional Bedwin meal.
Do
not forget to leave room for the most delicious Arabic desert
“Kenaffah”.
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Jerash
Jerash or Gerasa as called during the Roman rule. Located only 48 KM north of
Amman is one of the largest and most preserved sites of Roman architecture. A
walk through the Hippodrome, the Church of Saint Theodore, the church of Bishop
Isasiah and the temple of Artemis will take you 2000 years back in history to
discover the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.
Madaba and Mt Nebo
The Medeba of the Bible, which is now called Madaba is only 30 KM
south of Amman. Although the Roman remains can still be found throughout the
streets of Madaba, but is the Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics that gave the city
its name, the “Mosaic City”. Do
not miss to visit the original mosaic map of the Holy Land at the
Greek Orthodox Church of St. George.
Mount Nebo, the city where Moses is believed to have seen the Promised
land and went off into the desert and died; thus was called the “Tomb of
Moses”. From this mountain you have good views over Israel and
the Dead sea. You can on a clear day see the Mt of Olives in Jerusalem..
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Dead sea
At the northern end of the Great Rift Valley lies the Jordan Valley, the
lowest point on earth. The dead sea (400 M below sea level) is rich in its
minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium chloride and other minerals due
to the low elevation. Enjoy reading your newspaper while floating, or covering
yourself with the Dead Sea mud to enjoy the feeling of sea salts and minerals.
You also watch the most beautiful and fascinating sunset during your stay. You
can stay the night at any of the luxurious hotels including the Marriott,
Movenpick or the Dead Sea Spa. Make sure to get some of the Dead Sea products,
which are ideal for natural beauty, and salt baths that are recommended by
dermatologists. Enjoy also the Hot springs in the Dead Sea area, which are very
nice but avoid local holidays as they become very crowded.
Desert Castles
Qasr Kharaneh, Qusayr Amra, Mushata, Al-Qastal,
Al-Muwaqqar, Qasr Tuba and Qasr al-Hallabat, are the most spectacular and
original monuments stand as a testaments to the flourishing beginnings of the
Islamic-Arab civilization. Scattered
throughout the black basalt desert, east of Amman, the desert castles manifests
ancient agricultural and trading systems. Discover the old irrigation systems,
rainwater harvesting, hydraulic structures, mosques, and baths that are still
preserved until these days.
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Dana Nature Reserve
Dana Nature reserve, a home to 600 species of plants, 200
reptiles and mammals, and more than 150 species of birds, makes it one of the
most exciting places to visit. Dana, a spectacular small village lying at the
foot of a cliff overlooking an enchanting view of a wadi; is the ideal place
for relaxation, hiking, and bird watching. Dana has seven types of Landscape;
and is now considered as the most enchaining eco-tourism sites in Jordan. There
are two places to stay; the first is the guest house which is reasonably nice
but is away from the main sight, or in the actual park in a tent which is an
enjoyable and unforgettable experience. Do not forget to ask for Dana’s
handicrafts which are made by the locals in Dana.
Wadi
Rum
Wadi Rum, described by Lawrence of Arabia's as: Vast,
echoing, and God-Like, is one of the most famous, exciting wadis in the world.
It is one of the favourite places for travellers. You can enjoy the hot air
ballooning, hiking, a camel ride or a romantic night watching the stars in a
bedwin tent. During spring time, Wadi Rum, tourists enjoy the greening of the
hills and the explosion of 2,000 species of wildflower.
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Petra
'The Rose red city of Petra' is the most famous attraction in Jordan 262 KM
south of Amman. Petra, home of the nomadic Nabataen Arabs is the most stunning
and soul-stirring palces to visit. You can enjoy a walk or a ride by camel or
horse through the “Siq”, a narrow crack in the Nubian sandstone. Or a trip to
the most dazzeling monument in Petra, the Treasury of “el Khazneh”, carved out
of the solid rock from the side of the mountain. Petra is full of other secrets
and adventurous sites to visit including; 3,000-seat theatre from the early 1st
Century, a Palace Tomb in the Roman style, a gigantic 1st Century
Deir (Monastery) amongst other dazzling sites. Therefore, we recommend you stay
the night at one of Petra hotels including Movenpick, Taybet
Zaman, Petra Forum and Petra Plaza.
Aqaba
Aqaba, Jordan's window to the sea is four hours drive to the south of
Amman. You can enjoy the dazzling undersea world of coral, fish and other
marine life. Snorkling, swimming, water skiing, scuba diving are some of the
water sports that you can enjoy while in Aqaba. Of specials interest among the
archaeological sites are the Mamluk fort and the Saladin, for of Richard the
Lion Heart and Reynald de Chatillon. Whatever your interest, a wide range of
hotes provide very good accommodation and water sports including Movenpick,
Radisson Sas, Aqaba Gulf and others.
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River Jordan
The very name of the country JORDAN retains the unique baptizmal
area of a holy river and a blessed land. Passing through the Jordan Rift Valley
you reach to River Jordan, which is a sacred stream of many symbols and
historical events. The Prophets Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, John the Baptist and
Jesus Christ all crossed it during their lifetimes.
Many of the sites where they performed miracles are recognized,
excavated, protected and were made accessible to visitors.
The large loop in the Jordan River has long been acknowledged as the
spot where Jesus Christ was baptised by John the Baptist. It is called
Al-Maghtas in Arabic and is clearly located on the mosaic map found in Madaba
church near Mount Nebo, which was discovered in the middle of the sixth
century.
Decapolis
The Decapolis, or the ten cities in Greek, consist
of ten Greco Roman cities in the land of northern Jordan, Syria and Palestine.
One of these cities is Pella, a short drive north of Amman in the Jordan
Valley. Identified among the largest and most important archaeological sites in
the region. Most of the visible structures date from the Roman, Byzantine and
Islamic periods (2nd to 14th Centuries A.D.) and there
are many evidences of human occupation during the earlier Hellenistic,
Persian, Iron, Bronze, Chalcoltithic, Neolithic and Palaeolithic periods. This
huge, ancient city continues to be excavated, with evidence found of
inhabitants dating back as far as 10,000 years.
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Um Qais
Um Qais is one of the important cities among the Decapolis,
known in ancient times as Gadara, where the house of the Ottoman
governor was restored and opened as a museum.
You can see magnificent scenes from Gadara; the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias),
the Yarmouk River gorge and the Golan Heights. On a clear day the snow peak of
Mount Heron is visible.
Kerak
To the south of Madaba, the road to Kerak winds
down into and up out of the spectacular Wadi Mujib, along the Moabite
ridge.
Kerak is well-known by its fine crusader castle built in the 12th
century on the remains of earlier citadels, which date back to Nabataean times.
There is a small but interesting museum in the castle, which is one of the
finest of its type surviving today.
About Jordan
