Excellent Jordan travel attractions 2022
Jordan travel agency right now by AlexTravel? While sightseeing in many destinations demands you look up, the opposite is true in the historic trading city of Madaba. The city is home to the “largest number of mosaics discovered in their original location in the world,” many of which are located on the floors of churches and buildings around the city. The relatively unassuming St. George’s Church is home to one of the most noteworthy mosaics in Jordan: the Madaba Mosaic Map. The 6th-century map depicts the Holy Land during the Byzantine period, showcasing Biblical-era cartography. While some of the original two million tiles are missing, the remnants of the map still give you an excellent glimpse at what the Middle East looked like many centuries ago. Visitors can see more mosaics at Madaba’s two archeological parks. The open-air museum at Archaeological Park I contains a stunning geometric mosaic from the Church of the Virgin Mary – a site from the 6th century that was unearthed in someone’s basement in 1887. This attraction also houses the oldest mosaic in Jordan, which dates back to the 1st century BC, as well as breathtaking carpet-like tile work of the four seasons and nature that was once in a Byzantine villa. See extra details on travel agency in Jordan.
The Roman city of Jerash, 49km (30mi) north of Amman, retains its grandeur even in ruins, with ceremonial gates, colonnaded streets and theatres. The Temple of Artemis is one of the most striking sights with its stately Corinthian columns that would once have dominated the city from its hilltop setting. It was built between 150 and 170 CE and dedicated to Artemis, the revered goddess of hunting and fertility. Keep your eyes down in this 19th-century Greek Orthodox church, where the oldest known map of the Holy Land is assembled on the floor with more than a million mosaic pieces. The map was constructed in the 6th century CE and was originally between 15 and 25m (49 and 82ft) wide, made of more than two million pieces. Less than a third has survived but this artistic masterpiece is still a remarkable sight to behold.
It’s a testimony to the sheer wealth of immersive history that still exists at the ruined city of Jerash that this site just north of Amman pulls in almost as many visitors as the legendary rock-cut temples at Petra. Yep, this medley of towering colonnades and old forums, fascinating temples turned to Byzantine churches, and great plazas is hailed as perhaps the most amazing Roman provincial city still on the planet today. You can come and stand where merchants from the Med would once have touted their goods, or imagine the hubbub of camel caravans arriving here straight from the dunes of the great Arabian sand sea.
You can access the Dead Sea from a couple of entry points, including Amman Beach. Better yet, splurge on a stay at one of the plush spa resorts on the Dead Sea’s northeast coast. They typically have private wading areas complete with buckets of Dead Sea mud. One bath with this red-brown sludge, and your skin will be softer than ever. Hot tip: Avoid getting Dead Sea water in your eyes at all costs. The intense salinity (10 times saltier than the ocean!) stings worse than you can imagine. Ask your tour guide to take you to the Khazali Canyon, where you can see petroglyphs of humans and antelopes that may date as far back as the 8th century BC. See even more information on alextravel.world.
When you think of Jordan, what springs to mind? Floating in the Dead Sea? Striding through the stone swirls of Petra? Riding through the red sand of the desert beneath the stars and sipping cardamom coffee with Bedouin? Those are just some of the best things to do in Jordan. But you can add more attractions to your Jordan bucket list than that. More ancient cities, more sights of the stars, more fresh, authentic food and more experiences with the people who live here. Start with this list of unique things to do in Jordan, then read around the more in-depth stories on the site until you’re ready to make your own Jordan bucket list. After that? It’s just a matter of making your trip happen! We have some tips on that here. And a full Jordan itinerary here. It has everything from a 7 day Jordan itinerary to what to see in Jordan in 5 days.