Petra
Rock-hewn temples, ancient art and otherworldly landscapes
Petra is a mesmerising ancient city carved into rose-coloured rock faces, where the play of light on stone creates an ever-changing canvas of amber and crimson. Its gateway is the narrow Siq canyon, where towering walls rise 80 metres, their smooth surfaces bearing the marks of both natural forces and human artistry. This dramatic gorge, stretching over a kilometre, builds anticipation before revealing Petra’s most iconic sight – the Treasury, or Al-Khazneh, an architectural marvel that emerges before your eyes like a mirage from the rock face.
Nearby, the Street of Facades presents over 40 Nabataean tombs and homes, their weathered details telling stories of an ancient civilisation that made this improbable location their capital. Just beyond, a ruined Roman-style amphitheatre traces the city’s evolution through different cultures, its semicircular rows carved directly into the mountainside. The Monastery sits atop an 800-step climb, rewarding determined visitors with a colossal, 45-metre-high facade.
From this vantage point, take in the sweeping view across the Wadi Araba desert, an ancient land imbued with religious and political significance.
If you’re an early riser, dawn is a magical time to start your explorations, when the morning light creates subtle shadows that reveal hidden inscriptions and architectural details. Look carefully at the rock walls themselves, and you’ll notice the bands of colour – swirling patterns of red, white and purple created by mineral deposits over millions of years. The area comes alive during evening events, as thousands of candles illuminate the city, reminiscent of ancient festivals. In this vast archaeological park, Byzantine churches showcase intricate floor mosaics, while an on-site museum houses artefacts that trace Petra’s history from prehistoric times through the Nabataean period and beyond.
Don’t miss the less-visited Little Petra, or Siq al-Barid, where intimate spaces once hosted traders and pilgrims. Here, you can admire some of the best-preserved Nabataean frescoes, their colours still vibrant after two millennia. When you’re not exploring monuments, stop at a Bedouin cafe carved into the rock, where traditional sweet tea provides refreshment and a chance to absorb the timeless atmosphere of this UNESCO World Heritage site.
Our hotel in Petra
