The Middle East had never really been on my list of places to visit. Sure, the influencers did their thing to convince me that I needed to visit Dubai but beyond that, I was largely uninterested. However, the universe has given me the opportunity to visit Jordan a few times now and I can honestly say it was really opened my eyes to the beauty of the region. On one of these trips, I got the chance to visit Petra, a World Wonder which, up until this point, I knew nothing about. Let’s get through the pics, chat about the history and I’ll tell you about my experience.

In the heart of Wadi Musa, (‘Valley of Moses’), you’ll find this World Wonder that was once a thriving city. It dates back to around 300-400 BC and was built by the Nabataeans. The original name was ‘Rekem/Rekmu’ but upon the Roman annexation, it became Petra – a Greek word that means rock, which is somewhat unoriginal but here we are. I feel like I prefer the ‘Rose City’. It hints to the beauty of it…

The Nabataeans were an Arab tribe whose livelihood centred around trading. They have been described as the most ‘unjustly forgotten’ group of people who were incredibly advanced for their time. One of the standout facts about Petra is the advanced water irrigation system which enabled them to move around desert areas of Arabia. This ingenuity allowed them to rack up their wealth and build this incredible city of rock which was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

Last note on the Nabataeans – their society allowed for men and women to be entirely equal. Queens ruled alongside their husbands to the point that they were both featured on coins. Women ran their own businesses, owned land and had received equal inheritance.

We left Amman early, like 6.30am early, as the drive from Amman to Petra is around 3 hours. Our driver Anas had a very comfortable car with wifi helping the journey to fly by. He told us about the history of Wadi Musa, which is where it’s believed that Moses had his miracle of striking water from a rock in the valley. He took us to that spot where the spring still runs and we stopped at a few photos along the way, including a look out over the whole of Wadi Musa. I wouldn’t say I’m hugely religious now, but I grew up in the church with staunchly religious Grandparents, so it was weirdly exciting to walk where Bible characters are said to have once walked too.

Eventually we made it to Petra, we paid our entrance fee which was 50JOD, (~£55), and eagerly headed in. It was a very hot day, (like 40°+ hot), and the sun was beating down so we slowly wandered along the dusty road and came up to our first rock carved formation. I have said it once but I’ll say it again but, how these architectural wonders were created pre-power tools is something I will never be able to comprehend. The wonder just kept on coming as we made our way through the Siq. This is a sandstone gorge, rising high creating a desperately needed shaded path to probably the most recognisable part of Petra – the Treasury.

The treasury is honestly so pristine and perfect that it almost looks fake. Standing at almost 40m, it’s carved from a single block and was a mausoleum that would have been the place for funeral processes. We sat here for a fair while, just marvelling at the detail and intricacy of it. Eventually, we tore ourselves away and kept walking.

Everywhere we looked there was something to marvel at until we came out to what I imagine was the main square or plaza of the city. There were temple ruins, theatre ruins and the royal tombs. This part of Petra is wide open meaning absolutely zero shade and at this point, we had been walking for hours. We stopped for some food and decided whether or not to brave it up to the Monastery. The other instantly recognisable part of Petra is the Monastery which is apparently breathtaking, but up about 850 steps. I struggle with the steps at Covent Garden station so we decided to be sensible and not risk sunstroke by exerting ourselves like that in the battering 40°+ sun.

There’s a shuttle service from the main square of Petra back to the visitors entrance where we retreated for some much needed air conditioning and a walk around the Museum. Here you can learn about the history of Petra, the Nabataeans, the ‘rediscovery’ and it’s journey to being a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Wonder of the World.

Come back tomorrow for my dos and dont’s for visiting the Rose City because, wheeew, we can all learn from my mistakes.