Best places to visit in Jordan

Jordan's Absolute Essentials

Jordan offers a diverse range of historical and natural landmarks. This selection includes the Nabatean wonders of Petra, such as the rose-red Treasury and the Siq's sandstone canyon. In the desert, Wadi Rum features massive granite formations and red dunes, while Quseir Amra and Shoubak showcase Umayyad and Crusader architecture. The Dead Sea provides hyper-saline waters and panoramic views from its cliffs. In Madaba, ancient Byzantine mosaics are preserved in Saint George Church and local museums, reflecting the region's deep religious heritage.

Jordan's Absolute Essentials — Map

Berthold Werner / Public domain

A

Monastery (Ad Deir)

Ed-Deir, also spelled el-Deir and ad-Deir/ad-Dayr, is a monumental building carved out of rock in the ancient Jordanian city of Petra.

hikinginjordan / CC BY-SA 3.0

B

The Treasury (Al-Khazneh)

Al-Khazneh is one of the most elaborate temples in Petra, a city of the Nabatean Kingdom inhabited by the Arabs in ancient times.

Bernard Gagnon / CC BY-SA 3.0

C

Al Siq

The Siq is the main entrance to the ancient Nabatean city of Petra in southern Jordan.

Luigi Rubagotti / CC-BY-SA

D

Wadi Rum Protected Area

Wadi Rum, known also as the Valley of the Moon, is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan 60 km to the east of…

Effi Schweizer / Public domain

E

Valley of the Moon

Wadi Rum, known also as the Valley of the Moon, is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan, near the border…

F

Dead Sea Access - Free

Unmanaged shoreline area providing direct access to the hyper-saline waters of the Dead Sea without resort entrance fees. Visitors often use nearby natural freshwater springs for rinsing.

Bernard Gagnon / CC BY-SA 3.0

G

Little Petra

Known as Siq al-Barid, this Nabatean archaeological site features rock-cut facades and the Painted House, which contains rare 1st-century CE frescoes depicting birds, vines, and flowers.

Daniel Case / CC-BY-SA-3.0

H

Quseir Amra

Qusayr 'Amra or Quseir Amra, lit. "small qasr of 'Amra", sometimes also named Qasr Amra, is the best-known of the desert castles located in…

Jstplace / Public domain

I

Shoubak

Montreal, or Qal'at ash-Shawbak in Arabic, is a castle built by the Crusaders and expanded by the Mamluks, on the eastern side of the…

J

Aqaba Castle

The Aqaba Castle or Aqaba Fort, also known as the Mamluk Castle of Aqaba, Jordan, is a Mamluk and Ottoman fortified caravanserai on the…

K

Dead Sea Panoramic Complex

Located on the Zara cliffs, this complex features a museum dedicated to the geology and ecology of the Dead Sea. Its observation deck provides views across the water to the Judean Mountains.

Moataz1997 / CC BY-SA 3.0

L

Saint George Church

A 19th-century Greek Orthodox church containing the Madaba Map, a 6th-century mosaic floor that serves as the oldest surviving cartographic depiction of the Holy Land and Jerusalem.

M

Madaba Museum

An archaeological park and museum housing a collection of Byzantine mosaics, including those from the 6th-century Church of the Virgin Mary and the Hippolytus Hall.

Other Lists

Jordan's Archaeological Wonders Jordanian Castles & Fortifications Jordan's Top Viewpoints Sacred Sites of Faith