Jordan

The rock city of Petra is undoubtedly Jordan's most famous landmark. Artistic facades, carved directly out of the red rock, a dream for thousands and thousands of visitors every year - and excellent photo opportunities to boot. The once proud trading city was built by the Nabataeans, who controlled the region's caravan trade in ancient times and created an easily defensible base among the rocks.

Those who are interested in historical monuments from Jordan's turbulent history, however, should not leave it at a visit to Petra. Also worth seeing is the Roman amphitheater in the capital Amman, which once seated up to 6000 visitors. Other well-preserved traces of Roman rule can be found in the Roman city of Jerash in the north of the country. The so-called "desert castles" from the time of the Umayyad caliphate are also easily accessible from Amman as a day trip.

Whoever thinks of the landscapes of Jordan usually has the Wadi Rum desert with its spectacular rock formations in mind. Known through countless movies, from "Lawrence of Arabia" to "Dune", the desert is definitely worth a visit - for hiking, camel riding or spending the night under countless shining stars.

But Jordan has much more to offer than the desert! The Dana National Park, which is rich in species, or the Aljoun Forest Reserve are ideal for hiking. If you want to swim, the Red Sea near Aqaba in the extreme south of the country is the place to go. The famous Dead Sea should not be missed on any trip to Jordan. A photo while reading a newspaper in the extremely salty water, which keeps you on the surface while swimming, is of course part of it.