Things to Do in Petra

First approached by way of a deep, narrow gorge known as the Siq, the Treasury (Al Khazneh) is one of the most dramatic and iconic monuments in the ancient city of Petra. At 131 feet (40 meters) tall, this towering ancient tomb has lost none of its power since Nabatean times.

The Treasury is perhaps the most instantly recognizable attraction in the ancient city of Petra, carved from red desert sandstone more than 2,000 years ago by a lost civilization known as the Nabateans. Despite the name, the Treasury (Al Khazneh in Arabic) was, most likely, a mausoleum, not a storehouse: The twin statues on its front are the Greek demigods Castor and Pollux. Movie fans will recognize it as the place where Indiana Jones did battle for the holy grail in the classic adventure movie. 

Set in the lower levels of the city, the Treasury is an essential stop on almost all Petra tours. Tickets are required to access the site. Compared to the 1-day entrance tickets, 2-day and 3-day tickets are excellent value and allow you to explore other areas of the city. Both day and night tours of Petra are available, some of which include horse rides or camel rides. 

Petra sits just below the tourist town of Wadi Musa, which has minibus connections to both Amman and Aqaba. Taxis are available if you’d prefer not to walk the couple of miles to the site. There’s ample accommodation in Wadi Musa for those who want to take a deep dive into Petra, and full-day tours of the ancient site are available from both Amman and Aqaba.

Summer temperatures of 100°F (38°C) are not uncommon in Jordan, while December and January can be colder than you’d expect of the Middle East. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons to visit. If exploring Petra in summer, aim to arrive early in the day to beat the midday heat: The site opens at 6am.

In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Harrison Ford gallops down the Siq canyon to the Treasury in a dramatic chase. Horses are available for hire if you’d like to attempt a slower-paced re-creation, and fedoras are on sale at the entrance. For cinematic views of the Treasury, seek out the steep path that starts just beyond the Royal Tombs.

Located within the ancient city of Petra, the Byzantine Church (or Petra Church) was first constructed in the fifth century AD, on top of Nabataean and Roman ruins, and expanded in the sixth century AD before being destroyed by fire and earthquakes. It’s still being excavated, but visitors can view its well-preserved mosaics.

 

Excavation of the Byzantine Church, discovered by American archaeologist Kenneth Russell in 1990, started two years later and continues to this day. A protective tent covers the three-aisled basilica, measuring about 85 feet (26 meters) by 49 feet (15 meters) and paved with 230 feet (70 meters) of well-preserved mosaic tiles depicting animals real and mythical, nature, and personifications of the seasons, the elements, the ocean, the earth, and wisdom. Fragments of wall mosaic have also been found, as well as examples of marble church furnishings, some of which have been restored.

 

Visit the Byzantine Church and other Petra highlights, such as the Treasury and the Monastery, on a guided tour. Those with more time can take a multi-day tour of top Jordan attractions, including Petra, Jerash, and the Dead Sea. Tours also originate from either Eilat or Tel Aviv in Israel and include single-day and multi-day options.

 

 

The Byzantine Church is located within Petra. It can be found on the north slope of Colonnade Street and to the east of the Winged Lion Temple. From Colonnade Street, it’s about a 10-minute walk uphill to the church.

 

It’s best to visit Petra in the early morning or late afternoon to beat the crowds and the heat. The main area of the Byzantine Church is covered, which provides some respite from the sun and heat.

 

In 1993, archaeologists found 152 carbonized papyrus scrolls in the church dating to the sixth century AD. Known as the Petra Scrolls, they represent one of the largest collections of ancient writing ever discovered in Jordan. The scrolls are still being deciphered, but they appear to be the records of one extended family living between AD 528 and 582 and include contracts dealing with marriages, dowries, inheritance, and division of property. Some of these documents can be viewed at the Jordan Museum in Amman.

The signature sight of Petra, Jordan’s signature sight, the Siq is a geological wonder: a stark rift in the land, smoothed by time into a scenic swirl of sandstone. The walls reach more than 500 feet (150 meters), while the path narrows to just 7 feet (2 meters), and the view of the Treasury at the end is one of the world’s great reveals.

The Siq is the most common approach to rose-red Petra, the lost city created by the mysterious Nabateans over 2,300 years ago. To enter the Siq, you’ll need a Petra admission ticket; the 2-day and 3-day tickets are excellent value compared to the single-day version. Besides, the site requires lengthy exploration. 

Almost all Petra tours start by walking—or occasionally riding—down the Siq toward the Treasury. One particularly notable Siq tour is the Petra night tour, when flickering candles illuminate the canyon, creating a sense of mystery and drama. It’s worth visiting by day first to savor the Treasury reveal.

You can reach Wadi Musa, the support town for Petra, by minibus from both Aqaba and Amman; the visitor center for Petra is a bit over a mile (2 kilometers) from the station. If you’d like to visit Petra as a day trip, an organized tour with door-to-door round-trip transfers is the most practical option. Note that the site is at least three hours away from Amman.

Beat the crowds by arriving as early as you can bear during Jordan’s tourist peaks: spring (mid-March to mid-May) and fall (mid-September to mid-November). The site opens at 6am year-round, and the best way to arrive early is to stay at one of the many hotels in Wadi Musa.

While the Siq looks like a canyon—or an Arabic wadi—shaped by water carving a course through the landscape, it’s actually a geological fissure. The Siq was formed when tectonic forces split the land in two, and it’s been smoothed as water followed the line of the fault over the course of centuries.

Situated close to the Roman Theater, the Royal Tombs are carved dramatically into the cliffs above the city, and their facades reveal many Roman and ancient Greek influences. Notable tombs include the vast Urn Tomb, later used as a church, the three-story Palace Tomb, and the Silk Tomb, with its natural swirls of color.

The Royal Tombs, which were carved from rose-red sandstone by the Nabateans more than 2,300 years ago, sit at the heart of the ancient city of Petra. As such, you’ll need a Petra admission ticket to see them; note that the two-day and three-day entrance tickets are excellent value compared to the single-day Petra ticket.

The vast majority of Petra day tours will allow visitors to glimpse the Royal Tombs from the outside and identify the signature tombs; however, only a few will ascend the many steps that can be involved in actually seeing the tombs up close. If an in-depth tour is on your bucket list, consider hiring a private guide.

Minibuses from Amman and Aqaba stop at the station in the town of Wadi Musa, a bit over a mile (2 kilometers) from the Petra Visitor Center. If you aim to visit as a day trip, either drive or skip the hassle with an organized tour. The Royal Tombs are on the lower level of the Petra site.

The most popular times to visit Jordan are spring and fall: mid-March to mid-May and mid-September to mid-November. To beat the crowds, consider braving either the surprising cool of winter or the intense heat of summer. Whatever the time of year, the Royal Tombs look at their best in the warm light of sunset, so try to time your Royal Tombs tour to coincide with that.

Originally nomadic Arab traders, the Nabateans, who built Petra, began to rise to prominence during the 4th century BC, and were at the peak of their power around the time of Jesus Christ. Petra is home to more than 1,000 tombs, and the overwhelming majority of its surviving buildings are devoted to the dead. 

A northern satellite of Petra, Little Petra centers on a narrow canyon known as Siq al-Barid. With its water cisterns, carved houses, and rock-cut stairs, it has more of a lived-in feel than Petra proper. Its signature site, the Painted House, is home to one of the only surviving Nabatean painted interiors, which features jaw-dropping frescoes.

Although it’s physically separate from the site of Petra itself, Little Petra can be accessed on the same ticket: the two-day or two-day Petra entrance tickets are both a great value. Little Petra has much less signage than big Petra, so you’ll probably want to hire a guide or join a Little Petra tour. 

Some multi-day Jordan tours visit both Little Petra and Petra proper, and some Petra day tours also include a stop at Little Petra. Some Little Petra tours focus exclusively on the Nabatean ruins around Siq al-Barid, while others also take in the neolithic village of Al-Beidha and geological features.

You can reach Little Petra by taxi or by driving from either Petra or Wadi Musa, the jumpoff town for Petra; it’s around 6 miles (9 kilometers) from the visitor center. A fascinating walk leads to Little Petra through the mountains from the Monastery (Al Deir). The 4-mile (6-kilometer) hike takes about 2.5 hours, and you’ll need a guide. 

Little Petra is less crowded than big Petra, but it does attract group tours, most of which visit in the afternoons. Aim to arrive in the morning, as close as possible to 6am, to get the best experience. Peak seasons for Petra tours and Little Petra tours—as well as Jordan tourism generally—are spring and fall: roughly mid-March to mid-May and mid-September to mid-November.

Hidden under the soot and grime of Bedouin cooking fires for centuries, the 2,000-year-old frescoes at Little Petra’s Painted House were discovered in the late aughts and carefully restored. Created by Nabateans in the Greek style, they focus on the worship of Dionysus, god of wine; the birds, insects, vines, and cherubs are startlingly realistic.