Emirates destinations
One thing many visitors don’t anticipate when they book flights to Jordan is the amazing food. It’s a delightful surprise – everything from the breakfast fuul and flaky pastries flavoured with pistachios to the falafel is downright delicious. And if you can bring yourself to take a break from eating, you’ll find there are plenty of other things to discover.
Amman is a laid-back, chilled out city with enough activities and attractions to keep you busy for a few days – or even longer if you’re happy to while away the hours sipping coffee and mingling with the locals. The prime sight in Amman is the impressive Roman theatre, which dates back to the second century AD. If you’re lucky, you might catch a concert here during the summer months.
Once you’ve seen the major sights in Amman, your best bet is simply to wander around, taking in the sights, smells and sounds, such as the Arabic pop music filtering from shop doorways. Drink freshly squeezed orange juice from street vendors, purchase some cardamom in the local spice shops and immerse yourself in one of the Middle East’s most modern cities.
Petra is a highlight, and truly one of the world’s great sights. Made famous as a film location for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the Lost City is every bit as stunning as everyone says it is. Stunning facades carved into the red stone, wide boulevards, temples and tombs, all date back to the era of the Nabataeans (a few centuries BC), and together make up a compelling site that you’ll need at least a full day to explore.
Jordan is small enough to traverse quite easily, and it’s worth making it all the way to the southern tip to spend a couple of days lying on the beaches of the Red Sea, snorkelling and scuba diving, before heading out of the country.