Jordan - The 11 Most Beautiful Places You Must Visit
Jordan is a wonderful country, one of the most popular holiday destinations in recent years and a location worth visiting at least once.
Jordan awaits and welcomes its tourists with warmth and joy, and in this article I present a list of the most beautiful and touristic places in this country. Besides the well-known attractions like Petra and the Wadi Rum desert, in Jordan you will find many other places that wait to be discovered, explored and admired.
If you want to find out information about Jordan, and what you need to know before organizing your vacation here, read this article: Jordan - Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Jordan.
1. Petra
Petra is one of The New 7 Wonders of the World. It is a fascinating and unique place, one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, included in the UNESCO Heritage list. It is known because of the temples dug directly into the rock, surrounded by a specific pink-orange desert stone.
It is a former ancient city, the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, located in the south of Jordan. The Nabateans were a people formed after the union of ancient Arab nomadic tribes, appeared in the 4th century AD, engaged in trade on the commercial routes of the Arabian desert.
Petra was gradually abandoned over the years, until it was rediscovered in the 19th century by Western explorers.
Today, Petra is a tourist destination of world importance. The stone buildings, with graves carved into the rock, the advanced system of sewage and water management - all of rhese demonstrate the intelligence and improvisation of the former Nabataean people to strive against the difficult conditions, in the middle of the desert.
The symbolic image for Petra, and Jordan in general, is represented by the Treasury building, with a beautifully carved stone facade. Another well-known point in Petra is the Monastery building.
What to do in Petra
- The adventure in Petra begins the moment you arrive at the Visitor Center. From this point you will start on an easy 2 km route, through a rock corridor, until you reach the Treasury building. From here begins the touristic Petra, with many tourists, Bedouins selling souvenirs, places to serve coffee and many camels. What is interesting is that the Bedouins are the only ones allowed to run businesses in Petra.
- From the Treasury you will start to discover the rest of the ancient city: theater, temple, royal tombs. There are different routes you can take, and the most famous is the one towards the monastery. It is a slightly more difficult route compared to the one to the Treasury, where you will have to climb 800 steep steps. It is a route of medium complexity, and the biggest challenge could be the sun and the heat outside. That's why I recommend you to do this route as early as possible, in the morning. That way you also get rid of the crowd during the day.
- Another attraction here is Petra By Night, where Petra comes to life at night, thanks to the multitude of lights on the route to the Treasury.
- If you get here and you have enough time, you can also visit Little Petra, an ancient city similar to Petra, but on a smaller scale. It is located 9 km north of Wadi Musa and the entry is free.
- Get accommodation in Wadi Musa, with breakfast included, and start early in the morning to visit Petra.
How much does a ticket to Petra cost
For Petra you can buy tickets for one, two or three days, depending on how much time you want to spend here, to discover this place. You can buy the tickets on this website: Petra Tickets.
- One-day ticket: 50 JOD
- 2-day ticket: 55 JOD
- 3-day ticket: 60 JOD
If you have a Jordan Pass, the entrance ticket to Petra is already included in this pass.
A ticket to Petra By Night costs 17 JOD, and takes place every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
What NOT to do in Petra
- Do not walk with your head and shoulders uncovered. Wear a cap or scarf to avoid sunburns.
- Don't forget to bring water and sunscreen with you.
- Please try not to use donkeys to move around Petra. I felt very bad when I saw how the animals struggled on those steep rocks to transport people and that's why I want to draw attention about this.
2. Wadi Rum Desert
Wadi Rum is my favorite place in Jordan, and it is the main reason why I wanted to come here. I dreamed sleeping in the desert, to feel like I am on the moon or on Mars and to wake up with that gorgeous view from the desert.
Here we did a 4-hour desert safari, we admired the sunset and the sunrise in the desert, we rode camels and slept in a tent, under the open sky. For me, it was the most beautiful experience in Jordan and I recommend it to everyone.
I recommend you to contact local guides, or directly to the accommodation properties, who will help you with all these activities.
Wadi Rum Safari
Sunset in Wadi Rum
Camel ride at sunrise in Wadi Rum
Bedouin campsite in Wadi Rum
3. The Dead Sea
Not many times did I have the opportunity to swim in a sea and be like... the water is strange. Because yes, this is the most appropriate word to describe the feeling that I had when I bathed in the Dead Sea.
The Dead Sea is actually a very salty lake, with the highest salinity in the world: 34.2%. Besides, that's why it's called the Dead Sea: it's so salty that no life can survive in it. Besides the high salinity, another interesting aspect is the altitude: 427 meters below sea level.
A bath in the Dead Sea is an unique experience. You actually float in this water, you can't drown. It is very good and healthy for the skin, thanks to the water properties. And if you have open wounds, they will heal quickly and miraculously. But be careful in this case, this water on an open wound will sting very, very hard.
In Jordan, you can find resorts with a private beach and direct access to the Dead Sea.
4. The Red Sea and Aqaba
Jordan has an exit to The Red Sea, in the south of the country, in AqabaYou have surely already heard of the Red Sea, it is one of the most beautiful seas in the world, with some gorgeous water colors. What is interesting here is that the exit to the sea is in the Gulf of Aqaba, where 4 countries meet on a very short distance: Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
If you want to go to the beach and swim in the Red Sea, keep in mind that it is forbidden to stay in a bathing suit on the public beach in the city. Locals use full bathing suits.
You can, instead, go to a private beach, where you can sit quietly in a bathing suit, go snorkeling, with the boat or drink alcohol. Don't forget your water shoes at home, it is not recommended to enter the Red Sea barefoot, because of the sea hedgehogs present. We went to this private beach: Berenice Beach Club.
You will stay in Aqaba, the resort city on the Red Sea, a dynamic, effervescent and active city. Aqaba is a free economic zone, so the prices in the shops are lower than in the rest of the country.
5. Wadi Mujib
If you want an activity full of adventure, which will take you out of your comfort zone and give you a lot of adrenaline, you can try to do the route from the Wadi Mujib canyon. It is a 2 km route, in the water, among rocks and stones.
It is not an easy route, but the sensations and images are extraordinary. I'm not an athletic person, but the fact that I managed to do this entire route gave me great satisfaction: I entered the water from head to toe, I climbed the ropes, I let myself be carried by the currents , I exceeded my physical limits. For 2-3 hours, as long as these adventure lasted, we disconnected from everything and focused only on what we were doing at that moment. And on the surrounding views, of course, which were wonderful.
6. The Roman city of Jerash
Located 50 km north of Amman, the former city of Jerash Jerash is one of the best preserved Roman cities in the world, close to the level of Pompeii, in Italy.
Today, Jerash is an important tourist destination in Jordan, tourists can explore the ruins of the ancient city: theater, hippodrome, forum, temples, public baths or walls of the fortress.
7. Amman
Amman is the capital and the largest city of Jordan, with a population of over 4 million inhabitants. The city is worth visiting, it offers interesting places to discover, including: the Citadel, on the highest hill in Amman, the Roman Amphitheater or the center of the capital.
8. The Baptismal Site of Jesus Christ
After many discussions over the years, it was decided which was The Baptismal Site of Jesus Christ, in the Jordan River. Tourists can visit this place, they can even bathe in the Jordan, to be baptized symbolically. On the other side of the river is Israeli territory, so be careful not to get lost here, the people who ensure security are very strict and vigilant.
9. Mount Nebo
Located at a height of approximately 700 meters above sea level, Mount Nebo is mentioned in the Bible as the place where Moses saw the Promised Land before his death.
From here you have a view of Israel, across the Jordan River valley. The city of Jericho in Israel is visible, and on a clear day you can also see Jerusalem.
10. Madaba – Church of St. George
Madaba, the town at the foot of Mount Nebo, is worth visiting because of the church of St. GeorgeHere is the most famous mosaic, which represents a map of the region from the 6th century and which is still present in the church.
11. Ma'in Hot Springs
Ma’in Hot Springs is a place perhaps less known by tourists, but still impressive. The waterfall with hot mineral water flows into a pool, and tourists and locals can bathe in the water of this thermal spring.
If you want to have an unforgettable vacation, Jordan is a destination that will not disappoint you. We liked it a lot, there are some absolutely gorgeous places in this country, places which I would recommend anyone, at any time, to visit.
