1
Little Petra (Siq al-Barid)
Petra
A miniature Petra with painted Nabatean frescoes and almost no crowds, minutes from the main site.
Local tip: Free entry; combine with the back-road hike into Petra via the Monastery.
Hidden Gems in Jordan
Everyone comes for Petra — and they should. But ask anyone from Amman where they take visiting friends and you get a different list: basalt ruins above the Sea of Galilee, golden Ottoman stairways, warm slot canyons, and a miniature Petra with no queue. These are the best places in Jordan besides Petra, with the local tip for each.
Written by our editorial team in Amman · See them all on the interactive map.
2
Umm Qais (Gadara)
North
Roman ruins in black basalt with three-country views over the Sea of Galilee and Golan.
Local tip: Locals come for sunset and dinner at the heritage restaurant in the old village.
3
Ajloun Castle & Forest Reserve
North
A 12th-century hilltop castle beside one of Jordan's rare green woodlands.
Local tip: Pair the castle with the soap-makers and calligraphy houses of the RSCN village trails.
4
As-Salt Old Town
North
UNESCO-listed Ottoman-era town of honey-coloured stone stairways and harmony museums.
Local tip: Go on a weekday morning and just wander the stairs between Hammam Street and the viewpoints.
5
Shobak (Montreal) Castle
King's Highway
A lonely Crusader castle on a windswept cone — dramatic and rarely busy.
Local tip: A natural stop between Dana and Petra on the King's Highway.
6
Azraq Wetland Reserve
Amman
A desert oasis with boardwalk trails and migratory birds, near the Umayyad desert castles.
Local tip: Combine with Qasr Amra's UNESCO frescoes on an eastern desert loop.
7
Wadi Bin Hammad hot canyon
King's Highway
A warm, palm-fringed slot canyon walk that few visitors ever hear about.
Local tip: Local families come on Fridays; go midweek for solitude. Water shoes essential.
8
Rainbow Street after dark
Amman
Amman's evening promenade: rooftop cafés, galleries, and people-watching over the old city.
Local tip: Start with knafeh at Habibah downtown, then climb up as the lights come on.
Know a Gem We Missed?
We add reader recommendations after our team checks them out. Tell us about your favourite spot — and where to find your photos of it — and it could appear here with a credit.