Visit to Petra: Things you should know before your trip

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If Christ the Redeemer is the most overwhelming experience of the seven wonders of the world, a visit to Petra must be the opposite. This "rose -red city, half as old as time" was carved out of sandstone thousands of years ago.

Petra may have already been 312 BC by the Nabadeans. BC built and developed into a flourishing trading center with over 30,000 inhabitants. It was the capital of the Kingdom of the Nabadeans of 400 BC. Chr. To 106 AD, when the Romans officially took possession of it.

When the trade routes shifted downwards, the importance of the city began to disappear and continued after a devastating earthquake in 363 AD. The Rosenstadt reached 700 AD at the end of the Byzantine rule and was then forgotten. Petra remained "lost" for the western world until the Swiss geographer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered it in the early 19th century.

Today Petra's visit is on every serious travel list - and understandably. It is undoubtedly the most captivating landscape in a country full of captivating landscapes. Below we share our best tips for a visit to Petra.

Plan your visit in advance

Before your arrival, plan your approximate route to get the best out of your visit to Petra. It is a huge area (264 square kilometers / 102 square miles). So if you only "appear and see", you will probably miss some of the best sights.

Below are some of the inevitable, listed in the order of the route (not from the best to the smallest). It is worth noting that after the treasury we went straight to the monastery (No. 10) and visited the rest in reverse order, which was a great way to escape the masses.

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  • obelisk grave
  • siq (al-siq)
  • Treasury (al-Khazneh)
  • streets of the facades
  • theater
  • high sacrifice
  • royal graves
  • pillar road
  • Byzantine church
  • Kloster (ad-deir)

    • the fact according to dress

    Jordan is a Muslim country and Petra is a job for a number of Bedouins. Therefore, you may not only want to cover it up as a sign of respect, but also to protect yourself from the scorching sun. Petra is a desert country and the sun can get extremely hot!

    alt = "Kia in the treasury during a visit to Petra"> Atlas & Boots kia in the treasury

    Finally,

    wear sensible shoes because they will run a lot. The footpath from the entrance to the SIQ is 1 km and it is another 1 km to the famous treasury - and that is only the beginning! My converse gymnastics did not exactly fit my harem pants, but trust me: When you visit Petra, choose comfort instead of style.

    get there early

    Petra opens at 6 a.m. and we arrived soon after. We stopped at the treasury to take photos and then walked directly to the monastery, which meant that we couldn't see it nearby with anyone else.

    You can stay in a hotel nearby (Mövenpick, Petra Guest House and Crowne Plaza are only a few seconds away) or take the 20-minute walk from Wadi Musa in the early morning.

    If you are really over to defeat the masses, you can access the Treasury Livecam to monitor the masses!

    buy the two-day pass

    The visit of Petra is one of the most expensive day trips we have ever done - but it was worth it. We chose the one -day card, but we recommend the two -day card. It was a pressure to see everything in one day and we were exhausted in the end. Two days cost a little more, but give them twice as much time to explore.

    • Daily entry: 50 iodine (70 US)
    • The two -day entry: 55 iodine (77 USD)
    • three -day entry: 60 iodine (84 USD)
    • Visits without an overnight stay in Jordan: 90 iodine (127 USD)
    • Petra at night: 17 iodine (24 USD)

    The Petra by Night tour takes you to the treasury by the SiQ, where you can enjoy traditional Bedouin music and peppermint tea. The tour takes place every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and lasts two hours (8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.). You can buy tickets in the visitor center or at your hotel reception in advance.

    alt = "Petra at Night"> Dream time petra at night

    It is not unusual for 150-200 visitors to book a tour, so linger in the back if you want something privacy. You can also go in front of the group. Perhaps you would like to take the tour after seeing Petra during the day because part of the splendor in the dark and the crowds is lost.

    take cash

    The Petra visitor center does not accept cards, so take cash with you. Squipment is useful if you want to buy jewelry or snacks at the Bedouin stalls that are set up on the entire area.

    alt = "a horse-drawn carriage in the siq"> dream time a horse-drawn carriage in the siq

    Note that although your entry ticket contains a ride on horseback (either at the beginning or at the end of your visit), you are expected to give the guide a fairly high tip (15 iodine / 21 USD). We decided to go in both directions to avoid the additional costs. If you prefer to ride, do this at the end of the day when you are tired and hot. You can upgrade to a carriage, but it costs 20 iodine ($ 28) per person and you may be asked to pay a tip on top.

    Take a lot of water

    I'll say it again: Petra is very hot and very dry. You will need a lot of water, so take it with you. If you (when!), You can buy something inside. It's more expensive, but this is not the time to save!

    accessibility can be a problem

    If you have mobility problems, be warned that you may not be able to see everything. Petra was carved out of sandstone rocks and some of his sights require quite a climb in the heat. To get to the monastery, for example, you have to climb about 850 steps.

    alt = “The monastery is over 850 very strenuous steps”> Atlas & Boots The monastery is available over 850 very strenuous steps

    Visitors can book donkey riding, but there were reports of abuse by tour guides, so that they may rather avoid this option.

    get a perfect picture

    Petra is a gold pit for photographers. In fact, Peter's photos from Jordan are among his bestsellers on Shutterstock.

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    The late afternoon is a good time to take pictures: Most tourists went, the rose red of the rock is alive and the light is gentle. Bring a wide -angle lens if you have one so that you can take pictures in tight places. A circular polarization filter is also useful to reduce glare. (I have no idea what that is, but Peter tells me that it is useful.)

    to say unnecessarily, bring a lot of memory and a replacement battery.

    Search for hidden treasures

    Our friend Laura in Amman told us that we should not only make the shorter path to the high sacrificial place, but also the "longer" down.

    alt = "The lion fountain can be seen on the way back from the high sacrificial place"> Atlas & Boots The Löwenbrunnen can be seen on the way back from the high sacrificial place

    This route leads you down the back of the mountain into the Wadi Farasa and reveals some breathtaking views, carvings and graves on the way. It takes about two hours (in contrast to the 45 minutes up), but the detour is worth it.

    alt = "A hidden viewpoint in the treasury"> Dream time A hidden viewpoint in the treasury

    At the treasury, you have access to a great viewpoint when you climb the stairs behind the royal graves. Keep your left on the way. They come past a small building and it looks like the path has ended, but continue until they reach the viewpoint.

    keep an eye out for the best seller on this side of Aqaba

    she was tiny, maybe 3'2 ”. She was wearing traditional robes and a shy headscarf that didn't fit her personality. She asked me if I wanted to buy a piece of stone. I looked around in Petra - also known as the city from stone - and smiled at her over the cheek.

    Now I have 20 nieces from nephew, so I'm used to the charm of small children, but the knowing curling of her lips amused me so much that I was enough for her. Next she asked about my bottle of Cola. And then she sold me a piece of stone in a city full of stuff.

    to visit Petra: The essentials

    Was: Visit to Petra, Jordan.

    Where: We stayed in the Mövenpick directly opposite Petra, who was super comfortable and had friendly, inviting staff. Other hotels nearby are the Petra Guest House and the Crowne Plaza Hotel. There are also many options in the Wadi Musa. You can find details on Booking.com.

    When: Spring and autumn offer pleasant temperatures day and night. In winter (January to February) it can be cool and rainy, during summer temperatures of up to 38 ° C (100 ° F). The main season is from February to March and from October to November, so they choose the middle of spring or early autumn. Petra is open in summer from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and in winter from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    like: Petra can be reached in 20 minutes on foot from the city center of Wadi Musa. If you live further away, your hotel or hostel may offer a free shuttle service to the Petra visitor center. Taxis cost around 5 iodine (7 USD) from Wadi Musa. If you arrive by car, there is a free parking space opposite the bus stop in front of the Petra Moon Hotel.

    from Amman you can take a jett minibus to Petra (3 hours, 10 iodine, $ 14). See timetable here. There are several international airlines that fly to Amman. Book via Skyscanner at the best prices.

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    Lonely Planet Jordan is a comprehensive travel guide to Jordan, ideal for those who want to explore the most important sights and take the less busy street.

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