Must See

Al-Kharanah

In the east of Jordan, you'll find a number of desert castles built as hunting lodges and trading posts by the Umayyad from the 7th to 11th century. Al-Kharanah is one of the few that actually looks like a castle.

Ammam

Often referred to as the 'white city', this modern capital is home to one-third of the country's population. High above the city stands the ancient Citadel (Jabal el Qala), with historic remains from Roman, Greek and Ottoman Turk eras. The Citadel is home to the Temple of Hercules which is said to have been constructed under the Roman imperial ruler Marcus Aurelius (AD 161-180).

Behind the Roman forum stands a Roman theatre built between AD 138 and AD 161 with room for 6,000 spectators. The theatre is constructed into the side of the mountain and is still used for sport displays and cultural events.

At the Archaeological Museum, you'll be able to examine a selection of the Dead Sea Scrolls, whilst the city's Railway Station has a display of steam locomotives, some of them dating back to before the time of Lawrence of Arabia.

Ammam also has some charming souks (oriental markets) and coffee shops filled with locals enjoying a friendly game of backgammon.

Azraq

Azraq is a small town in a remote and now-arid desert area of central-eastern Jordan. The town lay in the the middle of the Azraq oasis, the only permanent source of fresh water in approximately 12,000 square kilometres of desert, and thus became an important and strategic settlement. Its large fortress (Qasr Azraq) was built in the 3rd century AD by the Romans. In the 16th century ,the Ottoman Turks stationed a garrison there, and T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) made the fortress his desert headquarters during the winter of 1917, during the Great Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. His office was in the chamber above the entrance gatehouse.

The Dead Sea

Float freely in the salt-laden waters of this large lake, or loll in mud, amid this eerie, dry landscape. Supporting no life and having no outlet, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth at 392 metres (1,286 feet) below sea level.

Drive along Highway 90 (the Dead Sea Highway) to view the pillar of salt that was once Lot's wife, then continue south to the town of Zoar (modern-day Safi) to visit the cave where Lot and his daughters found refuge.

Jerash

45 km north of Amman is the city of Jerash, best known for the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa. It is considered one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East, and visitors will be able to see many striking monuments, including a Triumphal Arch, the recently restored Hippodrome (which stages daily chariot races), two theatres, the oval Forum (surrounded by a fine colonnade), the Temple of Artemis, a long colonnaded street or cardo and an almost complete circuit of city walls.

King's Highway

The Kings Highway is the world's oldest continuously used communication route. It linked ancient Bashan, Giliad and Ammon in the north with Moab, Edom, Paran and Midian in the south. Highlights of the route include Madaba, which has the oldest mosaic map of Palestine in the Orthodox Church of Saint George; nearby Mount Nebo (where Moses saw the Promised Land before he died); the village of Mukawir (where the Bani Hamida weaving workshop is based); and Machaerus, the fortress of Herod Antipas, where John the Baptist was imprisoned before being executed.

Also on the route is Um er Rasas, a rectangular walled city, about 30 kilometres southeast of Madaba. It was fortified by the Romans and local Christians were still embellishing it with Byzantine-style mosaics well over 100 years after the start of the Muslim Umayyad rule. Just outside the city walls is the recently unearthed Church of Saint Stephen with its perfectly preserved mosaic floor, the largest of its kind to be discovered in Jordan.

On the highway to the south of Amman is the city of Karak, an ancient Crusader stronghold. The medieval town and castle are situated on a hilltop about 1,000 metres above sea level and commands a magnificent view of the Dead Sea.

Pella

Once the capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia in Ancient Greece, Pella was founded by Archelaus I of Macedon (413-399 BC). Archaeological digs have uncovered a small part of the city, including the large agora (market), which was surrounded by the shaded colonnades, and streets of enclosed houses with frescoed walls round inner courtyards. Pella's pebble-mosaic floors are famous: some reproduce Greek paintings; one shows a lion-griffin attacking a stag, whilst another depicts Dionysus riding a leopard. A recently discovered massive Bronze and Iron Age temple is thought to be the best preserved temple from Old Testament times anywhere in the Holy Land.

Petra

Set in a spectacular deep and narrow desert gorge, Petra is Jordan's cultural jewel and one of the great wonders of the Middle-Eastern world. Founded by the Nabatean Arabs and added to by the Romans, this fascinating complex was lost to the world for 400 years, until being rediscovered in 1812. Enter through the siq, a chasm created by a prehistoric quake, at the end of which stands the most famous monument, the Treasury (Khazneh), a towering facade carved out of the rock, which in recent times, appeared in the final sequence of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Beyond the Treasury are the numerous other rock reliefs, tombs, halls, a monastery and a dramatic 3,000-seat amphitheatre, all carved by hand into solid rock.

In July 2007, Petra was named one of New Open World Corporation's New Seven Wonders of the World.

The Red Sea

The Red Sea at Aqaba is one of the top dive locations in the area, and offers divers clear waters, a variety of tropical fish and corals, and year-round facilities.

Umm Qais

Umm Qais is located on the site of the ruined Hellenistic-Roman city of Gadara, where a rare five-aisled basilica from the 4th century was recently discovered and excavated. The basilica had been built directly over a Roman-Byzantine tomb and is located alongside the old Roman city gate on the road from the Sea of Galilee. Visitors may climb to the top of the Roman theatre, walk along the colonnaded street with still-visible chariot tracks or simply stand on the terrace and look towards Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) and the Golan Heights.

Wadi Rum

Described by T.E. Lawrence as "vast, echoing and God-like", this unspoilt desert landscape is popular among climbers and hikers. Consisting of a vast area of dry riverbeds, mountains, black hills and sand dunes, the Wadi Rum may also be explored by camel, jeep or hot-air balloon.

Wildlife

Jordan has a wide array of animals, birds and plants, many of which may be enjoyed at Jordan's 10 designated wildlife reserves, such as the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve or the Azraq Wetland Wildlife Reserve. There's also the Dana Nature Reserve where hikers can enjoy guided tours taking in the local flora and fauna, the geology and the history.

The Bedouin

For the adventurous, there's the chance to stay with the Bedouin; touring the desert by day by jeep, on foot or on camel, before enjoying a traditional feast in a Bedouin tent, then falling asleep under the stars.