Western Jordan

The rock-cut, secret city of Petra

• Roman ruins at Jerash
• The rock-cut, secret city of Petra
• Wadi Rum’s desert landscapes

 Jordan’s capital, Amman,  boasts some Roman ruins of its own, but it also makes a good base for a day trip to the even more  impressive ruins at Jerash. This is one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the Middle East, with an almost complete theatre that is still used during the annual Jerash Festival. South of Amman, the town of Madaba is worth visiting for its unique Byzantine-era mosaic map.However, the real reason that most people visit Jordan lies farther south still: Petra. The legendary “Rose City” is one of the most spectacular of archaeological sites, and ranks alongside the likes of India’s Taj Mahal and the Pyramids of Egypt as one of the world’s must-see sights. It is possible to see the highlights in one day but there is so much to see that Petra rewards repeated visits. Make sure to allow time for Wadi Rum, with its wide landscapes of red sands and towering mountains of wind-eroded sandstone.

The Dead Sea and the Negeb Desert

• Float on the Dead Sea
• Waterfalls and wildlife at Ein Gedi
• The legendary fortress of Masada

Floating on the highly saline waters of the Dead Sea, reading a book, is the oddest of sensations, and one every visitor should experience for themselves. Most people choose to go to Ein Gedi, where there is a wide beach popular with bathers, and showers to remove the water’s filmy residue. Ein Gedi is also home to a national park  with lush vegetation, twin gorges, waterfalls and abundant wildlife. Further south is Masada, a mountain-top fortress constructed by King Herod but famous for the Jewish defenders who killed themselves rather than be captured by the Romans.