1 - Al Aqaba

Aqaba, with its clean sandy beaches and transparent waters, is an ideal location for both relaxation and water sports.

Sunbathing, Swimming, para-sailing, water skiing and jet skiing, are just some of the activities to partake in.

Famed for its preserved coral reefs and unique sea life, this Red Sea port city was, in ancient times, the main port for shipments from the Red Sea to the Far East.

The Mameluk Fort, One of the main historical land marks of Aqaba was originally a Crusader Castle, rebuilt by the Mameluks in the sixteenth century. Square in shape and flanked by semicircular towers, the fort is marked with various inscriptions marking the latter period of the Islamic dynasty.

The current excavations at the ancient site of Medieval Islamic Ayla already revealed a gate and city wall along with towers, buildings, a town mosque, courtyards and baths.

The Museum houses a collection of artifacts collected in the region, including pottery and coins. It also hosts the house of Sharif Hussein Bin Ali, the great grandfather of King Abdullah II.

Other places of interest are the site of the oldest church in the world, the Aquarium and several diving centers across the shore line

2- Petra

The ancient city of Petra is one of Jordan's national treasures and by far its best known tourist attraction. Located about three hours south of Amman, Petra is the legacy of the Nabataens, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan more than 2000 years ago. Admired then for its refined culture, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water channels, Petra is now a UNESCO world heritage site that enchants visitors from all corners of the globe.

Much of Petra's appeal comes from its spectacular setting deep inside a narrow desert gorge. The site is accessed by walking through a kilometer long chasm (or siq), the walls of which soar 200 meters upwards. Petra's most famous monument, the Treasury, appears dramatically at the end of the siq.

Used in the final sequence of the film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", the towering facade of the Treasury is only one of myriad archaeological wonders to be explored at Petra.

Various walks and climbs reveal literally hundreds of buildings, tombs, baths, funerary halls, temples, arched gateways, colonnaded streets and haunting rock drawings - as well as a 3000 seat open air amphitheatre circa, a gigantic first century Monastery and a modern archeological museum, all of which can be explored at leisure.

A modest shrine commemorating the death of Aaron, brother of Moses, was built in the 13th century by the Mamluke Sultan, high a top mount Aaron in the Sharah range.

3 - Jerash

A close second to Petra on the list of favorite destinations in Jordan, the ancient city of Jerash boasts as unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years.

The city's golden age came under Roman rule and the site is now generally acknowledged to be one of the best preserved Roman provincial towns in the world. Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal provincial Roman urbanism that is found throughout the Middle East, comprising paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theatres, spacious public squares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates.

Beneath its external Graeco - Roman veneer, Jerash also preserves a subtle blend of east and west. Its architecture, religion and languages reflect a process by which two powerful cultures meshed and coexisted, The Graeco - Roman world of the Mediterranean basin and the ancient traditions of the Arab Orient.

The Jerash festival, held in July every year, transforms the ancient city into one of the world's liveliest and most spectacular culture events. The festival features folklore dances by local and international groups, ballet, concerts, plays, opera, popular singers and sales of traditional handicrafts, all in the brilliantly floodlit dramatic surroundings of the Jerash ruins.

4 - Ajloun

The marvels of nature and the genius of medieval Arab military architecture have given north Jordan two of the most important ecological and historical attractions in the Middle East the sprawling pine forests of the Ajloun-Dibbine area, and the towering Arab-Islamic castle at Ajloun that helped to defeat the Crusaders eight centuries ago.

Both these natural and man-made marvels, along with other attractions in the north, are being carefully protected to form the core of a pioneering Eco-tourism project now being implemented with French technical assistance, which aims to preserve the large pine forest that stretches from Ajloun towards the north; this is a unique environmental resource, for it is the southernmost complete pine forest in the world. The area's cool forests, beautiful picnic areas, and extensive walking trails already attract visitors throughout the April-October season, especially from the Gulf and other warmer regions of the Middle East.

The project that has been recently launched will designate three concentric zones: a) an inner, fully protected nature reserve where the pine forest can flourish in perpetuity; b) an environment-friendly Eco-tourism zone where private sector investments will be encouraged in services such as chalets; and, c) a surrounding national park acting as a buffer zone, where visitors can enjoy picnics, trail walks, and other low-impact activities.

The combination of the invigorating forests, clean air, cool summer temperatures, easy access from all north Jordan, and a series of major antiquities sites promises to make this a leading new tourism destination, for both international and domestic tourists. The gateway to the national park will be from the Jerash region, just 20 minutes by car to the east. The Greco-Roman city of Jerash, among the best preserved cities of its kind in the world, is one of Jordan's leading tourist attraction.

Ajloun Castle, more formally known as Qualm er-Rabad, is the major ancient site within the Ajloun forests region. It towers above the green hills and can be seen from many miles away, betraying its strategic purpose as a military watch post that protected the trade routes in the 12th-15th Centuries. It was first built in 1184 by the nephew of Salaheddin (Saladin), Izzeddin Usama Munqith, to repel the Crusader threats to north Jordan (the Crusaders had already occupied south Jordan, from their massive castles at Shobak and Karak, and were driven out of TransJordan in 1189). The Ajloun castle was expanded in 1214 into its current configuration.

The castle is one of the best preserved and most complete examples of medieval Arab-Islamic military architecture. Among its main features are a surrounding dry moat, a drawbridge into the main entrance, the fortified entrance gate (with decorative pigeon stone carvings), a massive south tower, and several other towers on all sides. Inside, the castle is a labyrinth of vaulted passages, winding staircases, long ramps, enormous rooms that served as dining halls, dormitories, and stables, a total of 11 water cisterns, and the private quarters of the Lord of the Castle (complete with a small stone bathtub and rectangular windows that convert into arrow-slits for defensive purposes).

From the top of the castle, visitors enjoy panoramic views into the Jordan Valley and throughout the highlands of north Jordan. Excavations have recently identified a church that was built on the castle site in the earlier Byzantine period, while restoration and conservation works have made all areas of the castle accessible and safe for visitors.

New restaurants and hotels in the immediate vicinity of the castle make it easier for visitors to spend an entire day, or a weekend, in this enchanting region. Other nearby sites that can be visited include the birthplace of the Prophet Elijah at nearby Listib, the Church of St Elijah at Khirbet Mar Elias, and scores of smaller ancient sites, including water mills, forts, and villages, in the hills and valleys of north Jordan

5 - Amman

sprawling city spread over 19 hills, or jebels. Amman is the modern, as well as the ancient capital of the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan. Known as Rabbath-Ammon during prehistoric periods and later as Philadelphia, the ancient city that was once part of the Decapolis league, now boasts a population of around 1.5 million.

Often referred to as the white city due to its low size canvas of stone houses, Amman offers a variety of historical sites and modern facilities that is complemented by wonderfully gracious and welcoming people.

Amman is a busy commercial and administrative center with many fine hotels, restaurants, art galleries and museums. Shopping amenities vary from old markets and souqs full of gold and spices to modern boutiques offering local handicrafts and imported fashions.

Towering above Amman, the site of the earliest fortifications is now subject to numerous excavations which have revealed remains from the Neolithic period as well as from the Hellenestic and late Roman to Arab Islamic Ages. The site which is known as the Citadel includes many structures such as the Temple of Hercules, the Omayyad Palace and the Byzantine church. At the foot of the Citadel lies the 6000 seat Roman Theatre which is deep-sided bowl carved into the hill and still used for cultural events. Another newly restored theater is the 500-seat Odeon which is used for concerts. The three museums found in the area offer a glimpse of history and culture, they are the Jordan Archaeological Museums, the Folklore Museum and the Museum of Popular Tradition.

Amman is an excellent base to explore the environs and many interesting half-day or full-day trips can be arranged. The ancient town of Salt and the traditional villages of Fuheis and Kan Zaman, for example, are less than an hour away and feature traditional restaurants, handicrafts complexes and picturesque streets from ancient times.