things to do in petra
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The ancient city of Petra (map), located deep in the mountains of southern Jordan, is an awe-inspiring monument to mankind’s ingenuity and craftmanship. The city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the new seven wonders of the world, is situated in a basin and was carved out of the rose-red stone of the surrounding mountains. Most visitors visit this UNESCO World Heritage site in southern Jordan as part of a day-trip and that’s a pity as there are many things to do in Petra to keep visitors occupied for at least a few days.

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The famous Treasury in Petra.

Things to do in Petra

Built by the Nabateans as their capital city around 100 BC, Petra was an important trading city that controlled the main commercial routes between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea and Persian Gulf. Archaeological evidence shows that its inhabitants were able to control the water supply by means of a series of dams and cisterns, and this allowed the city to thrive in the harsh desert environment.

You may have seen images of Petra – or its most famous structure, the Treasury – in magazines, documentaries or movies – but it’s not till you’re there that you begin to feel a real sense of awe for the place. Petra has formed the backdrop for many films, including Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade; a tribute to its mystery and charm that continues to captivate visitors right to this day.

The approach to the city is through a spectacular red sandstone gorge that, in some parts, is only a few meters wide. Just before the end of the gorge (the Siq), the split in the rocks provides an unforgettable preview of the city’s most astounding monument: the Treasury.

A preview of the Treasury near the end of the Siq.

Past the Treasury, the gorge opens out into a broad plain where other buildings including the amphitheatre, all hewn from the rockface, are located. Here are my suggestions for what to do in Petra:

1. Visit Petra by night

Seeing Petra during the day is an awe-inspiring experience for most visitors. By night, the ancient city transforms into what must be one of the most magical places in the world. Thousands of candles guide visitors through the Siq (a canyon) to the main square where the Treasury is located, making a visit to Petra by night one of the most unique things to do in Jordan.

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The Treasury in Petra illuminated by hundreds of candles

2. Join a cooking course

This is a great thing to do in the evenings if you’ve already seen Petra by night. The Petra Kitchen (located along the main road in Wadi Musa, a few hundred yards away from the main entrance to Petra) is a lovely place that promises an educational and fun-filled evening. Visitors don gloves and aprons, and under the supervision of the restaurant’s chefs, learn how to create typical Jordanian dishes.

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All set for the cooking course at Petra Kitchen
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Yours truly at work in Petra Kitchen



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 3. Look for traces of ancient grandeur in the Siq

The Siq is a canyon that connects the city of Petra with the outside world. It’s a wondrous experience to walk on thousand-year-old cobblestones and see the curvy rock face in a multitude of colours. Look for traces of ancient dams and water channels used by the Nabateans to control the water supply into the city. As the Siq was the main entrance to the city, the Nabateans carved magnificent statues and arches along the Siq. Little of it can be seen today but look carefully… what may at first look like a hump in the rock face may actually be a carving of a camel.

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Walking through the Siq.

4. Meet the Bedouins

As you make your way around Petra, you’ll see various Bedouin tents that provide visitors a shady respite and refreshments. Strike up a conversation with the Bedouins – many of them are from Petra and speak good English – and ask about stories of their ancestors living in Petra. Chances are, you’ll get to hear a fascinating story about what it was like living in Petra in days bygone.

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Bedouins are very friendly and are always in for a chat

Another interesting person to look up is Marguerite van Geldermalsen who was a backpacker from New Zealand. She visited Petra in the 1970’s and fell in love with Mohammad, a local Bedouin, and she never left. Her heart-warming story about being married to a Bedouin and adjusting to the lifestyle is a great read and I highly recommend it if you’re visiting Petra.

5. Hike through the mountains

There are numerous trails which lead hikers through the mountains and to breathtaking vantage points such as the High Place of Sacrifice. It’s a great way to discover lesser-known ruins like Little Petra, as well as admire colourful and strange rock formations. This is a desert climate so wear appropriate clothing (a cap and proper hiking shoes are a must) and bring plenty of water and some food. Avoid venturing off the path and make sure you get back to the main gate before dark. Information about guides and trails can be obtained from the Petra office at the main entrance.

Climbing up into the mountains provides for incredible views of some of Petra’s famous buildings.
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Discover lesser-know sites in Petra.
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There are stunning views of Petra from the mountains. You can also appreciate how amazingly concealed the city is as you can only spot it if you look closely.

6. Visit the Monastery

The Monastery is another of Petra’s highlights. Located in the mountains above Petra, it’s a moderately difficult hike to the top, especially in the afternoon heat. An alternative to hiking to the Monastery is to ride a mule up. It’s fun and quite harrowing at times but you’ll get there in good shape! A one-way ride to the Monastery costs ten dinars (about $15).

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Riding a mule to the Monastery
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The imposing Monastery deep in the mountains of Petra.

7. Check out ‘The Best View’

At the Monastery, near the small café, you’ll spot a sign pointing you in the direction of “The Best View”. It’s a short hike uphill and the view of the Monastery and the surrounding mountains is stunning!

“The Best View”! Image courtesy of Spencer Davis.

8. Shop for authentic souvenirs

Petra/Wadi Musa is a great place to shop for traditional Jordanian and Nabatean handicrafts. You can visit various Bedouin tents in Petra (near the Roman ruins) and learn about the culture of the various tribes as well as local community initiatives to improve the livelihoods of the Bedouins.

These places have a modest collection of silverware, stone carvings, embroidery and pottery. There is a bigger variety in the Wadi Musa township. The Nabatean Ladies Cooperative of Wadi Musa is an initiative that focuses on the production and sale of silverware and jewellery to wholesalers and tourists, thereby creating jobs for the women in the township. The cooperative operates a modest retail outlet along the main street in Wadi Musa.

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Shop for handicraft in Petra.

9. Check into a hammam

After a day of trekking through Petra, there’s no better way to soothe those aching muscles and rid yourself of the dust and sand than to check into a hammam (or Turkish bath). There are several hammams in Wadi Musa (the township adjacent to Petra) that serve both male and female clientele. A typical hammam session consists of a steam bath, a body scrub and an oil massage.

10. Relax at the Mövenpick Resort bar

I stayed at the Mövenpick Resort Petra, an excellent base from which to explore Petra as it’s situated right next to the main entrance. It’s Arabic-style interior is stunning, not to mention inviting. The atrium is beautiful but make your way to the adjacent bar for a drink – the interior of the bar is absolutely gorgeous!

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The atrium at the Mövenpick Resort Petra
Mövenpick Resort Petra: bar (image courtesy of Melvin Boecher)

Read more about Jordan on Velvet Escape

Note: a big thank you goes to the Jordan Tourism Board for hosting me in Jordan.

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31 Responses

  • […] I highly recommend spending the night in the Wadi Musa township just outside Petra because this allows you to visit Petra at night! Seeing Petra by night is absolutely one of the most enchanting experiences I’ve ever had. Hundreds of candles line the Siq, the mile-long gorge which leads visitors into the city. The highlight appears at the end of the Siq when the famous Treasury building slowly comes into view, cloaked by a faint glow from the sea of candles at its feet. The Bedouins’ musical performance adds to the wondrous atmosphere. Read about things to do in Petra. […]

  • Hi Rosetta,
    Petra is amazing and I’m sure you’ll be in awe of it. Definitely not over-rated. I highly recommend going there in the evening as well – it’s absolutely magical! Have a great trip!

    Cheers,
    Keith

  • Am soo looking forward to going there as it’s on my bucket list….it’s good to have great feedback like this….most places you go and it’s over rated….thank you

  • I know this is an old post, but as someone who is hoping to go there this year, the inspiration still rings true. I first saw Petra in Indiana Jones (probably like a lot of people), and it is on my bucket list. I never thought of taking a cooking course, but since we have done them all over Asia, we may just look into it!,

  • #Travel Tag Roundup 6/10: 1 Dome, 3 Countries, 6 Days - Travel Freak

    […] @velvetescape – Did you know that there is more to do in Petra than just stare at sprawling facades carved into stone walls? We sure as hell […]

  • recommended

    An experience beyond your imagination

    Al Yakhor Turkish bath is located in Quiet Street where next to Petra Palace hotel. Just 200m far from main gate of Petra. Freshen up with a centuries-old spa treatment! A scrub in a Turkish bath is not just part of a bathing ritual, it also helps with detox and enhancing our immune system. Indulge in a hammam and get clean on the inside as well as out!
    The Turkish bath, also known as a hammam, is the Middle Eastern variant of a steam bath. During the Ottoman Empire, Turkish baths served as places of social gathering and ritual bathing. Today people use the hammam as a pampering form of cleansing and relaxation.
    How the hammam works
    The Turkish bath is modeled on the Roman system of bathing with a warm room, hot room and cool room. The bather enters the warm room where their body warms up, then enters the hot room, or steam room, which has water basins along the walls and a large heated stone platform in the center. The bather can rest on the stone to increase body temperature and promote sweating, then rinse off at the water basins. One of the main specialties of the Turkish bath is the foam and scrub massage where a masseuse or masseur lathers up the bather with a special cloth sack full of foam and scrubs off dirt and dead skin with a loofah. The bather can then continue to relax in the hot room and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of the steam and heat.

    tel ; +962 03 2154944
    mobile ; +962 779831414
    websit ; http://www.alyakhorturkishbath.com

  • Petra at night looks spectacular. There is nothing like strolling down the street admiring the beautiful scenery of this place. I was dreaming of doing a cooking course there, but never had a chance. I will go for it soon though. Great review by the way.

  • I’ve just come across this…in Petra right now & thrilled to i’ve done every one of the above except Petra by night (will do in 4 hrs time!) It’s truly a surreal & magical place and thd lesser known sights are physically challenging yet massively rewarding! You can find some of pics – posting as I go throughout Jordan & next Lebanon on Twitter @anishahbbc

  • Looks amazing! Actually just looked up the weather in December to see if I could go on a little expedition, but doesn’t look too good. I’ll have to wait until next year 🙂

  • Petra is indeed a mesmerizing place. The Treasury & Monastery are two distinctly different structures. The Treasury is the most famous of the two; it was featured in one of the Indiana Jones movies. The monastery is quite a distance away in the mountains.
    Hope you get to visit Jordan one say soon.

    Cheers,
    Keith

  • WOW, i am mesmerized! I am so loving this post and a great way to explore it is by feeling it through your feet and all your senses. I liked the idea of getting on a mule to go to the monastery that must be awesome.

    The treasury and monastery perhaps, looked the same? or is it me looking at the same photo all over again.

    Jordan is indeed a great country. I will be praying hard that I will get there too and perhaps write about it on my travel blog too.

  • […] the accompanying post: “Ten Things To Do in Petra“. An awestruck visitor at the door of the […]

  • […] Ma’in hot springs. The magical moments then piled up: a romantic experience in Petra, a cooking course in Petra, a mind-blowing hot-air balloon flight over the Wadi Rum desert and an equally amazing […]

  • […] Jordan has something for everyone. From high adventures like taking a hot air balloon over Wadi Rum or sleeping in the Desert having a Real Bedouin Experience to visiting the Kings auto museum. Maybe you can try Smoking Sheesha for the First time or witness the Roman Ruins of Jerash and of course you can’t miss visiting the ancient ruins of Petra. […]

  • Thanks Andrea. You’ll love it there. You definitely shouldn’t miss the sunset, Petra by night and the cooking course (good fun). Enjoy Petra! 🙂

    Cheers,
    Keith

  • Wow – so much to do – I’ve heard there were many things to do there but had no idea about some of these. We’re there next week so hope to experience some of these! =)

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