Petra

The extraordinarily coloured rocks, celebrated tombs, and grand carved façades of Petra’s ‘rose-red’ city are among the world’s most impressive archaeological treasures. Ancient Petra was the capital of the Nabataeans, an Arab tribe that ruled a kingdom covering the greater part of Arabia. A shift in trade routes led to the city’s demise, and for a thousand years, Petra was forgotten by the West until rediscovered in 1812 by the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.

The site is approached via the Siq, a dramatic narrow gorge of striking beauty hemmed in by cliffs up to 80m in height. After 1.5km, the stunning Treasury (Al Khazneh) emerges dramatically through a narrow gap in the rock. Carved in the 1st century BC for an important Nabataean king, the massive façade draws its artistic influences from ancient Alexandria and is incredibly impressive. Further on, the giant Royal Tombs once rivalled the Treasury in their beauty. Along the Street of Façades, rows of rock-carved, multi-hued tombs vie for your attention, as does the extensive rose-red theatre. A collonaded street takes you through the former city centre to the Qasr al Bint. This was probably the main temple of Petra and is the only freestanding structure to have survived centuries of earthquakes and floods.

Petra’s second most famed attraction, the Monastery (Ad-Deir), is reached by climbing some 800 steps to the top of a rocky outcrop. This colossal building is larger than the Treasury and resembles it in architectural style. Throughout this vast site, there are innumerable places of interest. A minimum of a full day, preferably more, should be allotted to exploring. The unforgettable spectacle of Petra by Night occurs three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday). Petra is located a three-hour drive south of Amman.