Destination:
Jordan

Originally spread over seven hills, or jabals, the capital of the Hashemite kingdom now sprawls over 19 hills and is home to over a million people, almost half of Jordan's population. Known as the White City, the hills are covered in a jumble of light-coloured stone houses, consistently box-like in shape with flat roofs characteristic of a typical desert city. Faded minarets, pavement markets, Arabian sweet shops and the crumbling remains of ancient civilisations contrast wonderfully with the contemporary edifices, fashionable boutiques and international restaurants. This blend of the old and the new combines in the noisy and chaotic downtown area where the city's extraordinarily friendly residents go about their business.

At the heart of downtown is the Ottoman-style King Hussein Mosque, around which the buzz and bustle is at its most interesting. Even busier at prayer times, the surrounding streets are filled with the essence of Arabia, exotic smells and rows of glittering treasures in the souq (market) amid the noise of frenetic haggling.

Just as overwhelming is Amman's sense of history, dating back 5,500 years to its position as the ancient capital of the Ammonites, Rabbath-Ammon of the Old Testament, and later as Philadelphia, the Roman city that became part of the Decapolis. Overlooking the city from atop Jabal al-Qala'a is the Citadel, the site of the ancient Rabbath-Ammon, and at its foot lies the impressive Roman amphitheatre that is the most remarkable remnant of ancient Philadelphia.

Amman is one of the oldest, continuously inhabited cities in the world, and today functions as a thriving commercial and administrative centre with modern facilities, historical attractions and a longstanding tradition of hospitality. It is an excellent base from which to explore the surrounds, even the rest of the country, being no more than five hours drive from anywhere, and is surprisingly agreeable for a capital city.

As Jordan's only outlet to the sea, the tourist resort of Aqaba is known for its fantastic diving opportunities, mild winter climate and sandy beaches.

Situated on the tip of the Red Sea in southern Jordan on the Gulf of Aqaba, the town's greatest attraction lies offshore in the colourful coral reefs that are rated as the best in the world. These boast an incredible marine life and provide wonderful opportunities for divers and snorkellers in the clear waters year round. Besides underwater escapades, Aqaba is an ideal location for watersports and relaxation, whether it is swimming, waterskiing, parasailing, fishing or sunbathing.

For the history enthusiast, Aqaba contains sites dating back to 4000 BC, including the recent discovery of what is believed to be the world's oldest church from the 3rd century, the remains of the medieval walled city of Ayla and a Mamluke fort. These are proof of Aqaba's strategic position as the main port on the trading route to the Far East from Africa in ancient times, which made it a thriving town, and it is this same location today that makes it an important tourist centre. It is also conveniently situated for excursions to the spectacular desert scenery of Wadi Rum and the ancient rock city of Petra.

Carved into the rock and protected by rugged mountains on all sides is Jordan's most famous attraction, the ancient rose-red city of Petra, one of the world's most spectacular ruins set within a deep canyon near the town of Wadi Musa. Wadi Musa, or the Valley of Moses, was once the name of the whole valley and not just the small tourist town sprawled along the sides of the valley leading down to Petra. The town's existence is primarily to service the tourist industry as the gateway to Petra.

Over 2,000 years ago, a nomadic tribe from Arabia settled in the area and these Nabateans established Petra as their capital. It became a powerful fortress city that controlled the passage of traders, and grew prosperous from the caravans crossing their land carrying spices and riches from India and Arabia. From this wealth was created an astonishing city of monumental tombs, temples and decorative buildings carved from the solid rock, which still stands as a testament to the remarkable creativity and engineering prowess of the Nabateans.

Today's Petra is a staggering landscape of rock-hewn monuments, amphitheatres, palaces, arched gateways, water channels and detailed carvings spread over a vast area. Dramatic tombs and temples unfold with each step taken further into the winding canyon, and intricate facades cut into the soaring cliff faces dwarf the ubiquitous camel drivers, traders and tourists to insignificance. Where the uppermost layers of the rock have eroded away, fantastic surreal streaks of blue, red, yellow, purple and white cover the monuments in undulating patterns.

To enter the city, visitors must first pass through a long, narrow chasm in the rock, the Siq, that winds its way for almost a mile (1.5km) with steep inclining sides that come close to meeting 656 feet (200m) above. Suddenly the Siq opens out onto the canyon floor, dramatically revealing Petra's most famous monument: the Treasury, or Al-Khazneh, is intricately carved into the solid rock of the pink mountain face and stands 140 feet (43m) high. The towering façade was used in the final moments of the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.Petra's second most fabulous structure is the Monastery (El-Deir) situated among spectacular desert scenery high up on the mountain, and while it is bigger than the Treasury, it was never finished and is less ornate. A number of places require a bit of effort to reach, but climbing will be rewarded with enchanting views of the desert setting, an overwhelming sense of the size of the site and panoramic lookouts over the rose city of Petra, a certain highlight of any trip to Jordan.