A thoughtful guide to help you choose what feels meaningful, spiritual, adventurous, restful, and delicious during your time in Jordan.
If you plan to visit Petra, the Jordan Pass is usually the easiest option to look into before flying.
The Jordan Pass includes entry to over 40 attractions, including Petra, Jerash, and Wadi Rum, and it can waive the standard tourist visa fee when purchased before arrival and the traveler stays at least two whole nights in Jordan.
Recommended for this trip: Jordan Wanderer is likely enough if you only want one Petra visit day. Jordan Explorer may be better if you want a slower Petra experience over two days.
Apply on Official Jordan Pass SiteSelect the places that interest you most. Petra is included in every version of the trip.
Jordan’s iconic rose-red city carved into sandstone cliffs. Best experienced with an overnight stay and Petra by Night.
Float in mineral-rich water and relax at a resort near one of Jordan’s most unique landscapes.
Jordan’s Red Sea escape with beaches, seafood, snorkeling, and warm coastal evenings.
One of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world with colonnaded streets, temples, and amphitheaters.
A hillside heritage town with cafés, churches, limestone architecture, and local life.
Ancient mosaics, biblical history, and Mount Nebo views connected to Moses.
A lively limestone city of family time, local restaurants, markets, cafés, rooftops, and daily Jordanian life.
These are additional Jordan Pass attractions with richer travel photos, quick Google Maps links, and the same itinerary selector.
Hilltop ruins above downtown Amman with Roman, Byzantine, and Umayyad remains.
A 12th-century hilltop fortress with sweeping views over northern Jordan.
A black basalt desert castle with Roman roots and Lawrence of Arabia history.
A huge Crusader castle with tunnels, stone halls, and dramatic valley views.
A layered archaeological site with Greco-Roman, Byzantine, and earlier remains.
A desert castle complex with Roman origins and later Umayyad additions.
A UNESCO site known for mosaics, churches, towers, and Roman-era ruins.
Jordanian food is deeply communal, generous, and tied to hospitality and family gatherings.
Falafel, hummus, moutabel, olives, za’atar, tea, and shared breakfast spreads.
Jordan’s national dish traditionally shared with family and guests.
Warm sweet cheese pastry soaked in syrup and topped with pistachios.
An earthy herb blend eaten with olive oil and fresh bread.
Refreshing mint lemonade enjoyed during hot Jordanian summers.
A beloved street food wrap with seasoned meat, vegetables, pickles, and sauces.
An upside-down rice dish layered with meat or chicken, vegetables, spices, and nuts.
Coffee, dates, and sweets are a classic expression of Jordanian hospitality.
Soft date or nut-filled cookies often served with coffee or tea.
Jordan is welcoming and relaxed, though modest clothing and respectful behavior are appreciated at holy sites and family gatherings.
Bring comfortable walking shoes or supportive sandals for Petra, Jerash, Salt, and uneven stone streets.
Loose, breathable outfits are ideal for heat and help you feel comfortable in towns and holy sites.
A sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and water are essential during summer sightseeing days.
A light layer or scarf is helpful for churches, holy sites, air-conditioned cars, and evenings.
Ask before taking close photos of people, families, religious spaces, or private moments.
Modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees is appreciated at churches and religious sites.
Top-rated books and films from your Jordan list, chosen for strong reader/viewer response and direct relevance to Petra, Wadi Rum, Amman, or the modern Middle East.
Leon McCarron walks ancient routes through the heart of the Middle East, including Jordan and Wadi Rum.
Scott Anderson’s acclaimed history of war, imperial ambition, and the making of the modern Middle East.
James Barr traces the British and French agendas that reshaped the region after World War I.
Marguerite van Geldermalsen’s memoir of living with a Bedouin family in Petra’s cave community.
Janet Wallach’s biography of Gertrude Bell, whose work helped shape the modern Middle East.
Agatha Christie’s Poirot mystery set around the region, with archaeological travel atmosphere.
The sweeping classic tied to the Arab Revolt and the desert landscapes that made Wadi Rum cinematic.
Petra stands in for the film’s unforgettable final destination.
A powerful, highly rated drama partly filmed in Amman, though the story’s country is unnamed.
Wadi Rum’s red desert landscapes doubled as Mars in this major sci-fi adventure.
Jordan’s desert landscapes helped create the planet Jedha in the Star Wars universe.
Some phrases change depending on whether you are speaking to a man or a woman.