The area known as the Citadel sits on the highest hill in Amman, Jebel al-Qala'a (about 850m (2788ft) above sea level) and is the site of ancient Rabbath-Ammon. Artefacts dating from the Bronze Age show that the hill may have been a fortress for thousa

The ancient Crusader stronghold of Karak (or Kerak) lies within the walls of the old city and is one of the highlights of Jordan. The fortified castle dominates the town and was a place of legend in the battles between the Crusaders or Franks and the I

Throughout the castle are informative display boards with detailed descriptions of the history and function of each structure. It's worth bringing a torch (flashlight) to explore the darker regions, and some doorways are quite low so watch your head. R

Petra is the sort of place that usually exists only in the imagination. This unique ancient city was hewn from a towering rock wall; few of the imposing facades of its great buildings are freestanding. Make sure you take as much film as you can carry b

It's hard to overrate Petra. There's no other sight in Jordan, or perhaps the whole Middle East, as compelling - the locals know it, and they'll charge you accordingly. Once the capital of the Nabateaeans, a 3rd century BC Arab dynasty, Petra was forgo

Ar-Rabad Castle, built atop Mt 'Auf, is a fine example of Islamic military architecture. The castle was built by one of Saladin's generals and nephews in 1184-8, and was enlarged in 1214. The castle commands views of the Jordan Valley and three wadis l

The ruins at Jerash (known in Roman times as Gerasa) are one of Jordan's major attractions and still have the power to evoke the ghosts of Rome. It's one of the best examples in the Middle East of a Roman provincial city, and is remarkably well preserv

In its heyday, Jerash (known in Roman times as Gerasa) had a population of 15,000 to 20,000 inhabitants and, although it wasn't on any major trade route, its citizens prospered from the good agricultural land that surrounded it. The ancient walled city