Jordan

Madaba is famous for its mosaics. Or, rather, the Madaba mosaics are famous.

This small town in Jordan, nineteen miles southwest of Amman and on the Kings Highway, smells of cardamom, rosewater and ancient sighs. It earns its place on the map of the world today with a map of the world from yesterday: one of the oldest maps of the Holy Land, built out of two million pieces and embedded in the floor of the Saint George Greek Orthodox Church.

Is Jordan safe for solo female travellers? I love Jordan and have visited many times. And the short answer is: yes. Yes, it is. But there’s slightly more to it than that. Here we talk about what you need to know before you go.

Usually, I manage to find something beautiful, something that moves me wherever I go. But last night, in Petra, that didn’t happen.

Simply put, Bedouin coffee is about more than just the drink. Join us beneath dark skies and starlight to learn all about Arabic coffee.

Swirling desert sands, raspberry ripple rock, ancient ruins, a thriving capital and some fantastic food. Welcome to Jordan.

Let’s face it, the Dead Sea has a depressing name. It also fizzes the synapses by sounding too much like Red Sea.
Red Sea, Dead Sea. Red Sea. Dead Sea.

Dust rose from the ground as the horse thundered past and the sun began its ablutions. It painted pinks and pomegranates, amber, pistachio, charcoal and soft apricot rust across the walls of Petra before calling it a day and turning in for an early night…