Map of Jordan with resorts on red. Jordan on the map

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Discovering new shores and countries is the lot of travelers and tourists. You may ask, how are they different? Well, for example, a traveler loves to discover places that few people have visited before or have not visited at all. But a tourist needs a place where he can have a comfortable and quality holiday, so that he can bask in the sun and swim in the sea. Jordan is a place that will be of interest to both travelers and tourists. The country is very interestingly located on the continent. Its shores are washed by two seas, but the total coastline is so small that there are essentially no resorts here. There are one or two resorts on each sea and that’s it. So a map of Jordan with resorts on the Red Sea may not be useful to you, because on the shores of the Red Sea there is one city, which is a resort - Aqaba. It is this resort that we will talk about today.

As already mentioned, Jordan is washed by two seas: the Red and the Dead. Naturally, those who come to the country for treatment and to prevent diseases choose the Dead Sea, where the water itself heals and heals. Tourists who prefer beach holidays relax on the shores of the Red Sea. To be fair, it should be said that the Red Sea approaches the shores of Jordan thanks to the Gulf of Aqaba. If it were not for the gulf, Jordan would not have access to the sea in this part of the world. And thanks to the Gulf of Aqaba, the country has access not only to the Red Sea, but also to Indian Ocean, and then to anywhere in the world.

For this reason, Aqaba is not only a resort city, but also a port. True, the port is not large; nevertheless, due to the length of the Red Sea, it is not profitable to bring or take away cargo by sea. It is much more economical to deliver goods by land or across Israel to Mediterranean Sea, and from there by sea to anywhere in the world.

Jordan finds it very difficult to compete with neighboring countries for tourists. firstly, the coastline here is small and it is physically impossible to receive many tourists, so in order to reduce demand, prices are quite high. And secondly. Nearby there are cheaper and no less beautiful countries: Egypt and Israel. Their coastlines are much larger and have a larger selection of hotels and resorts. And Jordan’s proximity to countries such as Iraq and Syria also leaves its mark on the tourism industry. Not many people decide to vacation where there is a war going on literally a few hundred kilometers away.

But be that as it may, Aqaba is a very visited resort in the country. And it’s not just about beaches and beach holidays. Excursion tourism is very well developed here, but what can we say if one of the wonders of the world is nearby - the ancient city of Petra. This city is visited by more tourists than the beach area in Jordan, because there are beaches in every country in the world, but such a city is only here.

The road to Petra alone is worth seeing it all. You will walk two kilometers among stones and caves, one hundred meter mountains will rise above you and hang over your heads. This walk takes your breath away. And after half an hour of walking you find yourself at the gate ancient city. Entrance to Petra costs at least $117! Yes, it’s a lot of money, but it’s worth it, and the city must be maintained and maintained in such a condition that it stands and delights tourists for many years to come.

The most best time to visit Jordan for a beach holiday is spring and June. These days it is not hot here, the weather is quite pleasant. Starting from mid-summer, the heat begins, there is not a single cloud in the sky. It’s better not to come here these days; during the day it’s up to +40 in the shade!

There is only one resort on the Red Sea in Jordan. But the map will still be useful to you. Thanks to interactive map you can get close enough to see the streets of the resort, coastline And all the rest. With the help of a map, you will determine where and what is located and can easily move around independently.

Jordan is an Arab state in the Middle East. Relatively large and deserted, it is curious because almost the entire population consists of a variety of refugees. This is not surprising, because in 1954 a law was passed granting citizenship to everyone who wished it. Half of Jordan's population comes from Palestine, many from Iraq and Bangladesh.

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This poor country is hospitable to everyone, because mutual assistance and friendliness are almost a cult here. They greet with a handshake and say goodbye with an obligatory handshake. They always exchange obligatory questions about the health, affairs and successes of the children. The only thing you can’t ask about your wife is that this is interpreted here as an insult. However, this is practically the only taboo among the locals.

They also treat Christians well, without oppressing them, as in many other Arab states. Interestingly, although Christians make up only about 6% of Jordan, they hold 20% of the seats in parliament.

Jordan is rich in phosphorites, which nature placed here as if in mockery, since there is practically no place to use them - 90% of the territory is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts. Natural gas comes from Egypt, and oil is now imported from Libya. Phosphorites are the main source of income for the kingdom and are exported through the only port - Aqaba.
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Jordan is a cheap and hospitable country. So if you are satisfied with the need to keep the doors of your dacha or cottage constantly open, you can rent a house. Such strange customs in local villages are dictated by the intense heat. Often, instead of doors, curtains are used, preventing the entry of discreet glances, but allowing air to circulate.

• 50,000-4000 BC e. Hunting weapons from this time have been found in Wadi Rum and Azraq. The first settled settlements and the beginning of agriculture in the Jordan Valley.
• 4000-1200 BC Exodus of the Jews from Egypt led by Moses. 1250 BC e. - Joshua took the city of Jericho and divided Palestine between the 12 tribes of Israel.
• 1200-539 BC e. The kingdoms of Ammon, Moab and Edom, located east of Jordan, and Wadi Araba are in constant conflict with the Israelite tribes. 800-539 BC e. - Assyrians and Babylonians conquer Jordan.
• 538 BC e. The Nabateans come to power in the south; their capital becomes the city of Petra.
• 332 BC e. Alexander the Great (Macedonian) conquers Palestine.
• 63 BC e. The Romans, led by Pompey, conquer Palestine and Jerusalem.
• 63 BC e. - 106 n. e. The Decapolis, a federation of ten cities in Northern Jordan, is formed and annexed to Syria, a Roman province, which it remains a part of until 106 AD. e.
• 37 BC e. - 4 n. e. The dominion over Judea of ​​Herod the Great, an Edomite by origin who converted to Judaism.
• 4 BC e. - 30 n. e. The birth and life of Jesus Christ.
• 106 n. e. The Romans conquer the Nabataean kingdom and annex it to the province of Arabia.
• 324 Christianity becomes the state religion of the Roman Empire.
• 636 Battle of Yarmouk. The Arabs defeat the Byzantines and force them to leave Jordan, Palestine and Syria. Islam is triumphant in Jordan.
• 661-750 The Umayyad dynasty is an Islamic caliph with the capital of the caliphate in Damascus.
• 1095-1187 Crusaders. 1099 - Jerusalem fell to the Crusaders. 1171-1187 - Saladin liberated Jerusalem; his Ayyubid dynasty rules the region.
• 1263-1516 Mamluk rule in the region under the leadership of Baibar of Egypt.
• 1520-1566 Suleiman the Magnificent extended the power of the Ottoman Empire to the entire Arabian Peninsula.
• 1916 The Ottoman Empire enters World War I on the side of Germany. Arab revolt of tribes fighting for independence.

• 1917-1918 The Arabs capture Aqaba. The Allies capture Jerusalem. General Allenby fights the Turks in Palestine and Syria. The end of Ottoman domination over the Arab countries.
• 1920-1946 Transjordan and Palestine become mandate territories of the British Empire.
• 1946 Declaration of independence of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
• 1948 Creation of the State of Israel in the Mandatory Territory of Palestine. The first wave of Palestinian refugees arrives in the West Bank.
• 1950 Jordan annexes the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
• 1952 Hussein becomes king at the age of 17, after the murder of his father.
• 1967 Six Day War. Israel conquers the richest region of the kingdom, the West Bank, and part of Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Gaza Strip and Sinai from Egypt.
• 973 Israel captures the Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War.
• 1980-1988 First Iran-Iraq War. Jordan supported Iraq by allowing it to use the port of Aqaba and sending volunteers to Iraq.
• 1990-1991 Iraq invades Kuwait. The United States, with the support of the Gulf countries, Syria and Egypt, is trying to liberate Kuwait. Jordan is isolated from the rest of the Arab world for refusing to condemn Saddam Hussein.
• 1994 Jordan signs a peace treaty with Israel, ending 46 years of formal war. The US ends its boycott of Jordan.
• 1999 Death of King Hussein. His son Abdullah becomes King of Jordan.
• 2000-2006 A series of terrorist attacks in Amman tarnishes Jordan's reputation as a... calm country, open to tourism.

Policy

Inextricably and in many ways linked to the destinies of Israel and Palestine, with which it borders, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan faces choices in many respects. It began its existence as the mandate emirate of Transjordan under the rule of Emir Abdullah (from the Khaishmite clan) in 1921 and achieved independence in 1946 when Britain withdrew its mandate. During its short but turbulent history, the country has experienced many crises, most of which were caused by the influx of Palestinian refugees from the West Bank, who now make up 40% of the country's population.

Parliamentary system

An elected parliament debates and approves legislation issued by the king and his government, but real power still rests with the king. Democratization has advanced significantly - 19 political parties are registered in the country. The last elections were held in 2003 under the constitutionally established “one person, one vote” system, with quotas for women, religious minorities and ethnic groups.

Relations with Israel

In 1994, Jordan signed a historic peace treaty with Israel, in which the parties agreed to remove economic barriers and cooperate on security and water issues. The consequence of the agreement was large-scale assistance from the United States and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)- Their economic plan included stabilizing the country's finances in order to reduce its dependence on subsidies that had wreaked havoc on food prices. In 1999, Jordan formally renounced its claims to the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Relations with Israel are now quite tense, but they can be called completely pragmatic - in 2002, both countries developed a joint rescue plan Dead Sea, providing for the construction of a pipeline from the Red Sea. The project cost US$800 million and is the largest joint project ever undertaken in the world. In 2005, Jordan reopened its embassy in Israel (ambassador was recalled in 2000, following a riot by Palestinian rebels). Relations became strained again when King Abdullah II gave an anti-Israel speech in the United States in the summer of 2006 after the Israeli army attacked Lebanon.

The problem of Arab unity

First King Abdullah of Jordan (1882-1951) gave a graphic description of the difficulties experienced by the Arabs in 1945 during the formation of the Arab League. It was, he said, “like a bag with seven heads sticking out of it.” (seven first Arab countries), tied with the ropes of alien power and Arab impotence. You can breathe in this state, but any attempt to move is tantamount to suffocation.”

Choosing the future

The death of King Hussein in 1999 after 46 years of rule left the country in an uncertain position. The new king, Abdullah, Hussein's eldest son from his English-born second wife, Toni Gardiner, was faced with a struggle for stability while attempting to introduce a series of political, economic and social reforms. His wife, a Palestinian, Rania, helps him in this, but the country's close ties with the United States are unpopular among the people, especially among the Palestinians, and implementing reforms has not been easy. Another challenge for the country is restoring its image as a safe region after al-Qaeda attacks on hotels in the capital in late 2005.

Culture

Amman was chosen as UNESCO's Capital of Arab Culture in 2002. The city's contributions to short fiction and poetry have also been celebrated, although Jordan also boasts many internationally recognized contemporary artists. The country also has a highly developed craft culture with the most popular destinations- embroidery and jewelry making. Folk arts and crafts are supported by numerous public organizations and foundations, such as the Queen Nur al-Hussein Foundation and the Jordan River Foundation. Music and dancing are not very popular - musicians and dancers can only be seen and heard at folk festivals such as the Jerash festival.

Literature

Until the 1970s, literature in Jordan was sparsely represented; Cairo and Beirut were considered recognized centers of education and literature. But in the mid-1980s, poet and artist Salma Khadra Jayousi founded the PROTA Foundation to support translations from Arabic, and works by Jordanian authors began to appear in English.

Jordan originally had a tradition of oral literary creativity: singing poetry to the accompaniment of musical instruments and stories about the history of tribes. Until now, this folklore has only been translated into European languages ​​to a small extent, so only Arabic scholars can become familiar with it. But the Palestinians have a rich literary tradition that goes back hundreds of years, so the works of such authors as Heidar Mahmoud, Mahmoud Darwish and Ibrahim Nasrallah, for example, are better known in the world.

Modern Art

Cultural life in Jordan is developing very actively with the support of the Amman House of Arts (Darat al-Funun), widely known as one of the leading centers of contemporary art in the Arab world.

Modern art emerged in the region in the 1880s, during Ottoman rule, when officers of the Ottoman army were required to be taught the basics of drawing and surveying.

The first significant Jordanian artist was former Ottoman army officer Ziyadin Suleiman, an impressionist whose first solo exhibition in Amman was held in 1938. The royal family patronized him and other artists who began working at that time, buying their works and thus setting an example of patronage for other wealthy people. families.

After 1948 and the first Arab-Israeli war, many Palestinian artists found themselves in Amman as refugees and joined the cultural life Jordan.

In the 50s of the XX century. a remarkable galaxy of Jordanian women artists emerged in the country, including the famous Afaf Arafat, the first Jordanian citizen to study abroad, in English city Bata, on a state scholarship.

The Six-Day War of 1967 stalled Jordan's cultural development for several years, and many Palestinian artists emigrated to the United States and Europe. By the late 1970s, with the emergence of the Royal Society of Fine Arts, founded in 1979 as a non-profit organization, culture in the country began to revive. The first museum appeared - the National Gallery of Fine Arts.

In the 1990s, the Shoman Charitable Foundation, founded by artist Suha Shoman, created Darat al-Funun, a remarkable exhibition center. Several galleries sponsored by leading Jordanian banks and companies have sprung up in Amman.

Starting out as predominantly impressionist, Jordan's contemporary art does not have a distinct direction. Sometimes national motifs are used, for example Nabataean, but the general nature of the work is deeply personal and experimental.

Festivals and holidays

In the summer, folk concerts and performances take place in Amman, at the Roman Amphitheater and Odeon, as well as in the cities of Salt and Fuheis. But the main cultural event of the year is the festival in Jerash.

The festival lasts about two weeks at the end of July - beginning of August. Established by Queen Hyp in 1981, it began as a six-day festival but has since become longer. The program always includes costumed folk dances, performances by Jordanian military bands with bagpipes, Arabic plays and even performances by gymnasts and trapeze acrobats. A Western girl in a bikini, hanging upside down from a trapeze suspended from the ceiling, and a woman wrapped from head to toe in black admiring her is a very interesting sight. Most concerts take place in Jerash's two theaters and the Oval Hall, and the traditional venue for official events is the Amman Royal Cultural Center. Special children's events are held at the Haya Cultural Center. Some events are also celebrated in the theaters of Umm Qais and Mount Nebo.

Religious holidays

Muslim religious holidays have floating dates, as they are associated with lunar calendar and therefore shifts by 11 days every year. The Muslim calendar begins in 622 AD. e., the year when the Prophet Muhammad moved from Mecca to Medina, where he founded the first mosque. This year is considered the first year of the Hijri (translated from Arabic as “relocation”). Saudi Arabia is the only Arab state that still uses this chronology; the rest switched to the standard Gregorian system, the same as we have in the West.

There are two main religious holidays celebrated in all Arab countries, and the main one is the national holiday of Eid al-Adha, a four-day festival of sacrifice; Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac is noted. The second holiday is Eid al-Fitr, a three-day holiday of breaking the fast after the end of fasting, celebrated at the end of the month of Ramadan.

Both holidays are marked by visits to relatives and friends, eating sweets together, washed down with coffee, and other tasty things. Children are given new clothes and other gifts.

Ramadan

In Ramadan, paradoxically, people eat more than on any other day of the year, especially meat and sweets; This is due to the fact that Muslims fast all day and begin to eat only after sunset. Government agencies and commercial firms are cutting back hours and working at half capacity - not because of fasting, but because of lack of sleep caused by a sleepless night spent eating and entertaining.

Ideally, a visit to Jordan should take at least a week, but in practice most tourists spend much less time there, combining a visit to this country with a trip to Israel, Syria or Egypt. A thorough trip would take two weeks - the country is small, the roads are good, and there are practically no traffic jams outside Amman.

You won't need a SUV to visit most attractions, although Wadi Rum may be an exception. There are practically no railways in Jordan, but there is a bus service (JETT) perfectly developed. Renting a car is easy; this will give you greater freedom of movement along the suggested routes. Within Amman, it is better to use a taxi - you can catch one anywhere and it is inexpensive. In winter, the days are short: it gets light at 6.30 and gets dark at 17.00 - take this into account when planning your movements. Traveling by bus will take you a little longer.

Long weekend

• Day 1. Arrival in Amman.
• Day 2. Visit the citadel of Old Amman with its Roman temples, museum and recently excavated Umayyad ruins. Then, moving north, explore the large Roman city of Jerash with its two theatres, oval forum, cobbled streets, temples and churches. Spend the night at the Dead Sea.
• Day 3. After swimming in the Dead Sea, head to Petra. Stay overnight in Petra.
• Day 4. Spend the entire day exploring Petra. It will take you several hours to climb the paths carved into the rocks. A good level of physical fitness is preferred.
• Day 5. Return to Amman and flight home.

One week

Two weeks

When to go

The most convenient time of year to visit Jordan is March, April, May; You can also go in the fall - in September, October or the first half of November. But best month- April: it’s not too hot yet and everything is in bloom. Christmas and New Year They are also very popular in Jordan. If you plan to travel at a specified time, book a hotel room in advance, especially if you are going to a place where the number of hotel rooms is limited, in particular to Petra or to a nature reserve, such as Dana or Azraq - if there is no free house for you, there will be more to stay there's just nowhere.

Diversity of natural conditions

Despite the fact that the country's territory is small, the climate here is very diverse. The main determining factor is altitude above sea level. The central plateau, at 1000 meters altitude, experiences cool breezes in summer and icy winds in winter; Snowfalls are frequent. The lowlands around the Dead Sea are much hotter and more humid; in July and August it is simply unbearable: the temperature rises to 40°C and even higher.

In Southern Jordan, in the area of ​​Aqaba and the Red Sea, the climate is milder: in winter, when it snows in Amman, you can swim in the sea here.

Aqaba

Jordan's resorts located on the Red Sea have become popular destinations winter holiday and are keen to keep up with their closest rival, Eilat in Israel. In January, the average temperature here is about 20°C, so it is quite possible to swim, although it is best to come to these resorts in spring and autumn. In summer, sea water has the temperature of a very warm bath.

Petra

At the height of summer, it is better not to come to Petra - it will be very difficult for you to climb the mountain under the scorching sun; however, you can do this at dawn or just before sunset.

It’s nice here in winter, especially if it snows, then everything looks just fabulous.

Don't forget to take a warm sweater with you - it will come in handy in the evenings.

Daylight hours

Jordan has short daylight hours, so it's best to start any trip or excursion early. See the sights in the morning before the crowds of tourists arrive. Below are the sunrise and sunset times - this table will help you plan your day.

	sunrise	sunset
21 March	5.40	17.45
21st of June	5.30	19.45
September 21	6.30	18.30
21 December	6.30	16.30

Transport

Public transport in Jordan is primarily a very well developed bus system linking the main cities. If you want to travel away from settlements, for example to visit Jerash, Pella, desert castles or Umm Qais, go by car - this is the best choice.

By bus

Comfortable, air-conditioned buses operate from Amman, from central bus station Abdali, in the majority major cities Jordan, and also to Damascus. The national bus company is called JETT (Amman, Al-Malek Al-Hussein Street, Shmeisani. Tel: 06-566-4146) and provides excellent passenger service.

To travel to Damascus, it is better to choose a Challenge bus (Abdali bus station. Tel: 06-465-4004)- it runs twice a day, the journey takes 3-4 hours, including crossing the border, and such a trip is inexpensive, about 12 dinars.

The comfortable bus will offer you sweets and carbonated drinks. At the border, you can go out and stretch your legs, go to the toilet and buy something to eat, or visit a duty-free store.

By car

Major car rental companies such as Avis, Hertz and Europcar have offices in Amman and at the airport; there are also many local businesses. The minimum rental period is two days, the driver must be at least 21 years old. An international driver's license is not required; A license issued in your country with a photograph is sufficient. The services of large companies will cost much more, especially when ordering a car in advance through a website. On the spot, you will most likely be given significant discounts. A small car will cost you about 25 dinars per day with unlimited mileage; a 4x4 jeep is almost twice as expensive. Carefully read the terms and conditions of the insurance - its total amount is often higher than indicated; it must be included in the contract as a separate clause. If you plan to seat someone in the rear seats, check that the seat belts work. Child seats are rare here - you're unlikely to get them.

You can rent a car with a driver if local conditions scare you - the prices for such a service are quite reasonable, about 25 dinars per day, so that the driver can pay for food and overnight accommodation. Some drivers are also trained to provide guides and interpreters, which can be very helpful.

You can use a credit card for payment. Rented cars have green license plates, private cars have white plates, and government cars have red plates.

By your own car

You can enter Jordan with your car if you have a customs import permit from the Car Owners Association (AA) or the car club of your country of residence. Such a document gives permission for temporary import vehicle into the country for a period of no more than three months. Insurance (for a third of the amount) bought at the border. International rights are desirable, but not required.

Road network

In general, the roads in Jordan are good - some of the best in the Middle East; highways and two-lane roads link Amman to Aqaba in the south; Irbid and the Syrian border in the north. Outside of cities, traffic is usually very calm. The secondary roads are maintained in good order, the surface is smooth, without holes or potholes, so driving on them in remote areas is a real pleasure. Driving at night is more difficult, so try to calculate your route so that by nightfall - remembering that night comes early here, especially in winter - you can reach your accommodation for the night.

By Middle Eastern standards, drivers in Jordan and Amman are relatively competent and well-mannered - not least because licenses are difficult to obtain and impossible to buy. Even your eyesight has to be checked every time you “renew” your license, that is, every 10 years.

Gasoline, by European standards, is cheap. Unleaded gasoline is very rare and can only be obtained in Amman. Be careful not to let your tank get more than a quarter empty when away from cities - the distances between gas stations here are sometimes very long, especially in desert areas such as Azraq, where there is only one gas station outside the city, on the Iraqi Highway.

By plane

Domestic flights are operated only between Amman and Aqaba by Royal Wings, subsidized by Royal Jordanian. Flights are daily, the flight takes 45 minutes, the ticket price is 40 dinars one way; it's much faster than going the same way along the Desert Highway (the journey will take you 4-5 hours, and most of it will be quite boring).

From your window seat on the way to Aqaba, you'll get a bird's-eye view of the desert scenery and mountains around Wadi Rum.

By taxi

There are yellow taxis in big and small cities - they are comfortable and the prices are reasonable - you can get to almost anywhere in Amman for 1 dinar. Taxi drivers do not expect tips. In addition, there are "route" taxis - usually large cars like Peugeots or Mercedes with seven seats for passengers - that stop at certain points within the city. Traveling by them is no faster than by bus; they are less convenient and more expensive. They do not run according to a schedule, leaving the stop when they are filled with passengers.

By train

The only passenger railway line, from Amman to Damascus, was once part of the Damascus-Hejaz railway, built at the beginning of the 20th century. Turkish soldiers to transport pilgrims from Damascus to Mecca. This Railway functioned fully throughout its entire length until 1914, when it was bombed; she helped pilgrims reach their destination in three hours - and before they rode camels for 50 days! The section from Amman to Aqaba is now used only for the transport of goods, mainly phosphates.

Accommodation

In Jordan, you can find accommodation to suit every taste, from five-star international luxury hotels to one-star hotels; You can also stay at a camp site in the reserve, among wildlife. There is a YMCA in Amman (YMCA), and desert camping is possible anywhere except the Wadi Rum protected area or nature reserve. In small towns such as Madaba, there is practically no place to stay - keep this in mind when planning your trip. Outside of Amman, Petra and Aqaba, hotels can be found in Irbid, Ajloun, Azraq, Pella, the Dead Sea, Zarqa Ma'in, Kerak and Wadi Rum.

Top class

Four and five star hotels in Jordan meet all international standards; chains such as Kempinski, Intercontinental, Marriott and Movenpick are represented here, and the ultra-luxury Dead Sea hotels are recognized as some of the best spa complexes in the world. Prices are high, but due to the glut of high-end hotels, especially in Amman, you can always count on significant discounts, making a stay in a luxury hotel cost as much as three-star accommodation in Europe. Always inquire about discounts and book in advance to get the maximum discount.

Middle class

There are no more old, luxury hotels in Jordan; the latest, the Philadelphia Hotel, built in the 1920s opposite the Roman Forum, was bulldozed in the 1980s. Preference is given to glitz and glamor; the “oriental atmosphere” is not in favor these days. There are a few exceptions - the Taybet Zaman hotels in Amman and Petra, where they try to recreate the traditional village ethnic atmosphere, and camp sites in nature reserves, where the atmosphere of simplicity is created by the very proximity to nature - but accommodation here is surprisingly expensive.

Budget class

There is no shortage of cheap housing in Jordan; Few people like showers and toilets “on the floor”, so, as a rule, only students and backpackers stay here. Women traveling alone should avoid such places.

Seasonal options

The high season here usually lasts from March to May and from September to October inclusive. At this time the hotels are full because the weather is wonderful. Of course, after terrorist attacks, mass travel cancellations begin, and this can be used to get exceptional conditions. Arab tourists from the Persian Gulf usually arrive in July-August, when their countries are especially hot, but they prefer to stay in self-catering guesthouses, so they do not affect hotel occupancy.

Aqaba has a particularly high influx of visitors to hotels in winter, as well as from October to April, while the low season here runs from May to September, and discounts on accommodation can be obtained during this time.

Rooms in luxury hotels on the Dead Sea must be booked in advance, as various conferences are often held here and tourist groups stay; In addition, rich people from Amman constantly come here on weekends.

Food and drink

Food is the main event of any Islamic holiday. Sharing a meal with someone means making friends, it's almost a ritual. Eating for satiation is a personal matter, it is combined with relaxation and happens at home. Therefore, until recently, eating in restaurants was considered bad manners here.

Breakfast

Breakfast in hotels is usually served from 6.30 to 10.00; standard breakfast is a buffet with standard European dishes, such as cereals, toast, juices, yoghurt, fresh fruit and dried fruits; Hot dishes such as boiled eggs, omelettes, fried sausages and mashed potatoes are also served.

A typical Arabic breakfast consists of foul (cold beans) in olive oil with white cheese, olives and pita (Arabic bread flatbread). You will also be offered tea and coffee. Arabs don't drink tea with milk, so you'll have to specifically ask for it or add milk from the milk jug reserved for cereal. Usually there is also an assortment of pastries and croissants.

Dinner and supper

Lunch is usually served in Amman restaurants from 13.00 to 15.00, and dinner after 20.00. In other cities, the schedule is more flexible. The cuisine in most restaurants is international; in some places you will be offered Middle Eastern and Jordanian national dishes. Below we will talk about some of them.

Daoud Pasha

It is a ball of rice stuffed with onions, pine nuts and tomatoes.

This meat dish is taken only with the right hand from a common dish while sitting on the floor. The meat - lamb, sometimes camel - is boiled, coarsely chopped and laid out on a dish with rice. Sometimes pine nuts and spices are added to it for flavor and topped with a sauce made from whipped yogurt and lamb fat for juiciness.

This is a traditional Bedouin food and is prepared on special occasions such as weddings or religious holidays. Don't be surprised if conversations fall silent over this dish. An Arabic proverb says: “When the food is served, the conversation stops.”

Makluba

This Jerusalem dish is meat with vegetables, usually eggplant and cauliflower.

These are snacks, cold and hot, very varied, some of them can completely replace the second one. Lebanon has the best mezze, with Jordan a close second.

Here are some standard cold mezze: hummus (chickpeas with sesame sauce); Baba Ganui (eggplant sauce); mutabbal (eggplant sauce with pea paste); tahina (sesame paste); tabbuleh (chopped tomatoes, mint and croutons) and labneh (creamy yogurt with walnuts).

Hot dishes are kibbeh (minced meat balls with nuts, onions and crackers), fatair (triangular pastry with cheese or spinach) and falafel (pea balls fried in oil).

Muluhiya

This is a meat dish (usually lamb) with vegetables like spinach. It is sometimes served in cafes located along the Desert Highway. Actually, this is an Egyptian dish.

This dish is prepared in the West Bank. It consists of chicken fried in olive oil, onions and sumac; All this is mixed, placed on bread and topped with onions.

Vegetarian dishes

In Jordan, as in all Arab countries, it is not difficult to be a vegetarian, as there are many easy-to-prepare cold dishes made from fresh vegetables, chickpeas and sesame seeds. They are very varied, and as a second course you will be offered an omelette. Cheese is rarely served - usually it is a liquid substance like homemade cheese, or melted triangles (Penguin or La Vache Qui Pit), or melted sandwich slices. But there is an abundance of fresh fruit everywhere.

Fast food

The Middle East has its own, wonderful fast food - these are trays that stand in city centers and other crowded places. Usually they sell falafel in pita bread with salad - this is a standard cheap snack; shawarma (similar to Turkish doner kebab)- lamb, planed from a rotating and gradually frying piece; it is also wrapped in pita with salad. In Amman and Aqaba, and now in Petra, you can also buy a hamburger and Kentucky fried chicken - American fast food is more expensive than traditional Arab food, but is nevertheless popular among wealthy local youth.

Alcohol and soft drinks

The local wines are quite good - non-vintage reds, whites and rosés, all produced in the West Bank. Good restaurants serve imported wines, but they are very expensive. Local beer "Amstel" is also quite expensive. Arak, an aniseed spirit that turns cloudy when diluted with water, is the national drink throughout the Levant. It has an ABV of 40% and is smoother than ouzo, its Greek counterpart. If you drink it with ice and water, it goes well with lamb and other fatty meat dishes. Alcohol can be bought at any store and supermarket.

IN Lower town Amman and some not big cities you will come across street stalls where you will be offered freshly squeezed juices: orange, pomegranate, strawberry and banana; It’s very nice to refresh yourself with this juice on a hot day.

Still mineral water is cheap and sold everywhere - it's better to drink than tap water. It is produced by several companies, and usually the water bears the name of the source from which it is extracted. It tastes almost the same.

Where to buy food and drinks

Picnic supplies can be purchased at mini-supermarkets in Amman and most major cities. The easiest way is to stock up on bread, cheese, tomatoes and various fruits - bananas and oranges, as well as nuts and salty chips (there is a large selection of them here). For drinks, buy a large bottle of Coca-Cola or Seven Up. There are also health food stores here, but there are far fewer of them in Jordan than in other Middle Eastern countries.

Tips

In all high-end restaurants, 10% of the order value is automatically added to the bill. In luxury restaurants, it is also customary to round up the bill amount.

In ordinary restaurants and cafes, it is not customary to tip and nothing is added to the bill.

Entertainment

People don’t come to Jordan for entertainment and nightlife- in this sense, she has practically nothing to offer. Apart from the folk music and dance festival in Jerash, there is nothing outside the capital. you will not find entertainment - except for holidays in large hotels in Aqaba and Petra, which are mainly dedicated to food.

Entertain yourself

There are many opportunities to have fun on your own in Jordan. Locals They go to visit each other and sometimes get together in restaurants - on special occasions. Of course, many people have satellite television at home and are thus aware of everything that is happening in the world. In large cities there are CD and DVD rental shops.

Cultural life in Amman

At the reception of any big hotel You can borrow the free monthly Jordan Today magazine, which contains a schedule of all the cultural events taking place in the city. These events are also covered in the English weekly Jordan Times.

Movie

Amman has several modern cinemas showing the latest in world cinema. Foreign films are always shown in the original language with Arabic subtitles. Tickets cost about five dinars. Cinemas in the Lower City often show films about martial arts, such as kung fu, dubbed into Arabic. Local youth, full of “fighting spirit,” flock to see such films, so Western tourists, especially women, should not go to such cinemas.

Concerts and shows

Jordanian and foreign cultural centers performances by musicians and artists are regularly organized in Amman; they usually take place in conference rooms of large international hotels.

Exhibitions and musical evenings

Amman has two cultural centers that stage concerts and performances, usually in Arabic; foreign cultural centers also organize exhibitions, musical performances and lectures, inviting artists from their countries. Amman also has a modern exhibition center and a fine art gallery.

Night clubs

Almost all the capital's night clubs and disco clubs are located in large hotel buildings. They are often visited by wealthy Arabs, so we do not advise women to go there alone - it may be misunderstood.

Buy an apartment

An unconventional way to have fun in Aqaba is to buy an apartment here. A few hours flight from Europe, all year round It’s warm - the average temperature is 20°C even in January, and property prices here are the lowest in the region. So if you're looking for a place in the sun, this is worth considering. Jordan has liberal property laws that allow foreigners to buy property here, so you can buy an apartment in the city itself or in one of the growing seaside suburbs. Some enterprising people have already appreciated the benefits of this opportunity to relax at any time and escape from winter. There is an airport in Aqaba from where you can fly to Egypt and any country on the Persian Gulf coast.

Purchases

Although Amman cannot be compared with Damascus, Jerusalem, Aleppo (Aleppo) and Cairo, where there are wonderful oriental bazaars, traditional Bedouin and Palestinian folk crafts also exist here, and in the capital of Jordan there are many places where you can buy such products. Plus, gold is surprisingly cheap here.

Souvenirs

All large four- and five-star hotels have souvenir shops, but the prices in them are much higher than in the shops of the Lower Town; Besides, no matter how many things you buy here, you won't get a discount.

In big cities such as Petra and Jerash, stalls sell local crafts, most of which are outright kitsch, such as leather camels, colorful bottled sand and onyx animal figurines.

It is worth paying attention to Bedouin silverware and Palestinian clothing embroidered in red on a black background. You can also find antique products made of copper and brass here - when purchasing, it is worth haggling to achieve an acceptable price.

In the Amman area, the best place to buy souvenirs is in the village of Kann Zaman, near the airport. You can get there from the city center in 20 minutes. This is a reconstructed village from the 19th century. The cobbled streets are lined with shops and boutiques selling high-quality goods; you can see how carpets and jewelry are made. There are also cafes and restaurants serving freshly baked traditional bread.

Another good place in Amman - Jordan Design and Trade Center (Jordan Design and Commerce Center) opposite the Amman Orchid Hotel in Shmeisani (open: Sat-Thu 8.00-19.00). Hand-woven carpets, high-quality ceramics, embroidery and handmade paper are on display here for sale. All this is the result of Queen Hyp's charity campaign, aimed at reviving ancient crafts and creating jobs for thousands of women from remote areas. There are branches of the store in tourist centers Petra and Jerash, in Aqaba opposite the fort and in Madaba on Haret Jdoudna street.

Gold

There is a gold market in the Lower City of Amman (bitch); There are shops selling gold in every major city in Jordan.

Gold is sold here by weight, and its prices are among the lowest in the world. Outside Jordan, products of the same quality and purity are sold for three to four times more expensive. You will not find samples, look for a stamp indicating the contents pure gold in 1000 g: 875 is equivalent to 21 carats, 750 is equivalent to 18 carats. Upon purchase, you will receive two receipts - one indicating the weight of the product, the other the cost of work. Gold traders value their reputation very highly, so do not be afraid - you will not be deceived.

As for precious stones, they are very expensive in Jordan as they are imported from abroad and are not worth buying here.

Market (bitch) in Amman. Near King Faisal St, in the maze of streets between Cairo Amman Bank and Arab Bank. Open: Sat-Thu 8.30-19.00.

Sports and recreation

There are plenty of activities in Jordan extreme species sports such as rock climbing and camel rides in Wadi Rum, as well as hiking in nature reserves. Applications for participation in such events must be submitted in advance through local travel agencies such as Wild Jordan, or through local guides directly at the reserves. The Red Sea Aqaba has everything you need for water sports and diving - check with your hotel for details. There are many spa complexes in the Dead Sea, where you will be offered a full range of treatments, from massage to skin care.

Football is a national spectator sport. The Premier League Championship lasts six winter months. In addition to the ubiquitous football, such spectacular sports as camel and horse racing, held at the only Amman hippodrome, are popular here. Most major competitions, including the Pan Arab Games, take place in big stadium"Sports City" in the north of Amman. Two road and desert rallies are organized annually: the 700-kilometer Jordan International Rally and the 50-kilometer Amman-Dead Sea Marathon. (www.deadseamarathon.com).

Air sports

Royal Aerosports Club (Royal Aero Sports Club) located at Aqaba airport (tel.: 06-487-3261. www.fly.to/rpacj). This is one of the leading clubs of its type in the Middle East. The two-seater light airplane takes you on a range of excursion flights, from a simple 20-minute along the coast for 25 dinars to a flight to Wadi Rum (300 dinars for five passengers), during which you will get a unique experience, seeing mountains and desert from above. You can also fly a tandem paraglider from a height of 3000 meters, and also take an hour and a half flight on hot-air balloon filled with hot air over Wadi Rum.

There is also a hang gliding club in Amman (Royal Jordanian Gliding Club) (tel: 06-487-4587), based at Marka Airport; here you will be offered flights over the capital for 20 dinars per hour.

Rock climbing enthusiasts can make some serious climbs in Wadi Rum, where there are steep cliffs and deep canyons. All the details are in Tony Howard's book “Hiking and Climbing in Wadi Rum” (Tony Howard. Treks and Climbs in the Wadi Rum. Cicerone, 1994)- in it the ascents are ranked by degree of difficulty. You can climb here all year round, so it is very convenient to come here when the climbing season in Europe is over.

Experienced local instructors are available to guide you. The easiest climbs, such as the Burda Rock Bridge, can be done without special training, however, a certain level of physical fitness and dexterity will be required.

Walks and Hiking

Thanks to the Royal Conservation Society (Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature) (PO Box 1215, Amman, 11941. Tel: 06-533-7931. www.rscn.org.jo) Walking and hiking have become popular pastimes in Jordan.

The Dana and Wadi Mujib reserves have signposted trekking routes ranging from short hikes of a few kilometers to full-day hikes. The Wadi Rum Protected Area also has marked desert walking routes, from hour-long to overnight treks and camel rides, from hour-long to two- and even seven-day, for those who want to fully experience the “desert” experience. life.

Water sports

All types of scuba diving are based in Aqaba - there are several professional diving centers located along the 27 km coastline between Aqaba and the border Saudi Arabia. The hotels in Aqaba have everything you need for water skiing, windsurfing, as well as catamarans for riding along the coast.

Children

Just like all Arabs, Jordanians love children; they will be welcome in hotels and restaurants. Local children are allowed to sit late at night with their parents in restaurants, and by Western standards they may seem spoiled, but here it is rare to see a cranky or irritable child. As for food, children receive small portions of the same dishes that their parents order - there is no special “children's table” for them - thus, there are no problems with food, and there are simply no children here who are picky eaters.

About the little ones

Small children are carried in special backpacks on their backs, and they can be fed with dry formulas diluted mineral water from a bottle.

A variety of juices are sold everywhere, and they can also be diluted with water to the desired concentration.

About children who can walk

Children who can already walk are a bit of a problem, as they are not able to travel long distances, which is necessary, for example, to explore Petra or Jerash, and the road surfaces here are not suitable for strollers. So, if you have such a child, you better limit yourself beach holiday in Aqaba or the Dead Sea.

The older the better

The best age for a child to take with you to Jordan is over 10 years old. Children at this age have the strength and energy to hike long distances and will have a lot of fun climbing cliffs to Crusader castles and riding camels around Wadi Rum. And these children will remember their impressions, unlike kids. They will also enjoy looking at ostriches and musk oxen in the Shaumari nature reserve, and sitting by candlelight at the camp site in the Dana nature reserve.

Children who love water will enjoy coming to the Dead Sea and riding on a catamaran or boat, and in Aqaba, those who are younger will admire the coral reefs through the transparent bottom of the boat, and those who are older will be able to snorkel or scuba dive.

Hotels

Many hotels offer rooms with three beds, so children can live with their parents.

As for breakfast, most large hotels offer a buffet, so the child can choose food to his liking and, if desired, get a supplement. Large hotels have swimming pools, and some also have tennis courts and playgrounds.

Precautions

The most important thing is to protect a child of any age from overheating.

Make sure your child is well protected from the sun, as 80% of skin damage occurs before the age of 20. Use it sunscreens with a high protection factor. It is best to keep children out of direct sunlight between 11:00 and 15:00.

If you are traveling by yourself, by car, always have an adequate supply of water and carbonated drinks, as well as nuts or chips that do not spoil, so that the child can have a snack at any time.

Arrival

By plane

There are two in Amman international airport: Queen Alya, which handles all intercontinental flights, and Marka, for shorter flights within the Middle East. You can purchase a visa upon arrival, it's quick and easy.

Queen Alia Airport has two terminals on both sides of the highway. Terminal 1 is used primarily by Royal Jordanian and Terminal 2 by other airlines.

There are many taxis waiting for passengers outside the airport building; an acceptable metered price for travel to the city center should be 15-18 dinars (beware - they will try to charge you 25 or more!). Check that the meter reads zero when you drive off. You should not be charged extra for luggage.

To avoid problems, you can go to the airport taxi office - on the left in the arrivals hall - and pay the official rates; you will be given a ticket, which you hand to the taxi driver. Several fleets have offices here, so shop around for the best price.

Royal Jordanian arrivals and departures. Tel.: 06-445-3200; www.rja.com. Other fleets - tel.: 06-445-2700.

By sea

Two ferries sail daily from the Egyptian port of Nuweiba to Aqaba on the Red Sea. The faster one will get you there in an hour, the slower one in 4-5 hours.

Avoid coming here by sea during Hajj (Muslim pilgrimage)- December (December 2008 will be especially “hot”), when the ferries are packed with pilgrims returning from Mecca to Egypt. If you want to leave Jordan this way, Egyptian visas can be purchased at the entrance to the ferry.

Arab Bridge Maritime Company. Tel.: 03-209-2000. www.abmaritime.com.jo.

By land

There are two checkpoints on the border between Syria and Jordan, and both operate quickly and smoothly. Border formalities will take you from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the workload of customs, which is unpredictable.

Fridays and bank holidays are usually the busiest days. Border checkpoints operate around the clock.

Comfortable air-conditioned international buses owned by two companies: Jordanian JETT and Syrian Challenge; the latter are cheaper: buying a ticket from Amman to Damascus in Jordan, you will pay 12 dinars, in Syria - 8 dinars.

The trip will take about 4 hours, including crossing the border and related formalities; You will be offered free soft drinks and sweets. Two buses depart every day, usually at 8.00 and 15.00.

Another type of transport by which you can come to Jordan by land is a “service taxi” (minibus taxis). They run from the Abdali bus station around the clock, as they fill up. The prices for them are slightly higher than for buses, but they also travel a little faster, and you will cross the border faster, because there are fewer passengers in the car, and everyone will go through customs control faster.

Challenge. Abdali Bus Station, Amman. Tel.: 06-465-4004. Fax: 06-465-4005. JETT (Jordanian Express Travel & Tourism). Al-Malik Al-Hussein St, Shmeisani, Amman. Tel.: 06-566-4146.

By train

Few people now travel along the old Heijaz railway line to Syria, since trains here run very slowly and only twice a week; so there is no need to book tickets in advance.

Trains depart from the beautiful old station on King Abdullah I Road, 2.5 km east of Raghadan Station in Amman.

Cash register. Tel.: 06-489-5413. Open: from 7.00.

Departure

You will see "To the Airport" signs everywhere in the center of Amman. The airport is located 35 km south, just off the Desert Highway. The cost of traveling there by taxi is approximately 15 dinars, the trip will take about 45 minutes.

If you are flying with Royal Jordanian, you can use the City Terminal for check-in and security. (City Terminal), located on the 7th circle (open: 7.30-22.00). Here you can deposit your suitcases for a period of 3 to 24 hours before departure and even get permission to carry an additional 15 kg of luggage. From there a private bus goes directly to the airport every half hour, you will have to pay only 3 dinars; and upon arrival at the airport, you will walk along the “green corridor” directly to the passport control counter. After passing through passport control, you can take the escalator up to the duty-free shop, which sells a wide variety of goods, from sweets to traditional ceramics and rosaries; All this can be bought if you haven’t prepared gifts for everyone yet.

When leaving Jordan by bus across the Syrian border, you will have to pay a customs fee of 5 dinars. The air ticket price includes this amount.

Customs regulations

You can import 200 cigarettes, 1 liter of spirits and 2 liters of wine into the country duty-free. Expensive items may be subject to customs duties, but only if customs officers suspect that you are going to sell them in Jordan. Anything containing pornography (magazines, DVDs), will be confiscated.

There are no restrictions on the import and export of any currency.

Electricity

The network voltage in Jordan is 220 V, the current frequency is 50 Hz, as in Europe. Power outages are rare and the supply is stable. In new houses and large hotels, the sockets are square, with three holes; in older houses - traditional round ones with two holes, so take a universal adapter with you to avoid problems.

Email and Internet

Internet cafes are everywhere - go in, check your email and send emails if you have a Hotmail or Yahoo account. Larger hotels have business centers where you can also access the Internet, but prices may be higher and access is limited to business hours. If you have a laptop with you, also take a UK-US adapter.

In large five-star hotels, Internet access is available in every room.

Etiquette and body language

Dress as conservatively as possible, especially if you are a woman: cover your arms and shoulders, as well as your legs to the knees - and you will have no problems, no one will pester you on the street. Keep eye contact with men to a minimum - otherwise you may be misunderstood and mistake your sociability for encouragement. Women should not be the first to extend their hand for a handshake - this is considered immodest.

If a Western woman demonstrates accessibility through her behavior, she will certainly become the object of harassment from Arabs.

Public displays of emotion between men and women are considered indecent here, regardless of whether they are married or not. You shouldn't even hold hands - it will be considered an inappropriate demonstration of intimacy. Homosexuality is prohibited, although there is a small gay community in Amman, but it is not comparable to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Cairo. However, public displays of affection for members of the same sex are considered acceptable in Arab culture: men can walk holding hands and kiss when they meet; the same applies to women.

Neither men nor women are recommended to point at anything with their fingers - it is believed that this way you can jinx them. You should not show the soles of your feet when you are sitting - this will shock others. You can eat from a common plate only with your right hand, the left is intended for ablutions.

Money

Jordan seems like an expensive country compared to Egypt and Syria, but compared to Israel or Europe it can be considered quite cheap. The biggest expense that awaits you is the cost of entry tickets in such popular places like Petra (21 dinars) and Jerash (8 dinars). Accommodation prices in Petra are also very high compared to other cities in the country.

Currency

The country's currency is the Jordanian dinar. (abbreviated JD - Jay-D).

1 dinar is equal to 1000 fils, or 100 piastres, but these words, like money itself, are not usually used.

Banknotes in circulation are in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 dinar; They have Arabic inscriptions on one side and English on the other, so you won't confuse them.

As of 2014, 1 dinar is approximately equal to 55 Russian rubles or 1.1 Euro.

Avoid 50 and 20 dinar notes - they are difficult to change anywhere except in hotels and expensive restaurants. Four coins are also considered common: half a dinar (golden heptagon with a silver circle in the middle); quarter dinar (same, but smaller and without silver insert); coins of 10 and 5 piastres (both thin, round, silver). All coins are marked with their denomination in English, but very small, and these inscriptions are difficult to find.

Currency exchange

Jordanian currency can be purchased at any Western bank before traveling; You must have at least 50 dinars with you to purchase a visa at the border and take a taxi to the hotel. If possible, it is better to change the entire required amount in advance to avoid paying local commissions (they are quite high) and do not change money in a hurry at the airport upon arrival. There are no restrictions on the import and export of currency, so do not be afraid to exceed the limit.

Theft is extremely rare in Jordan, so don't be afraid to carry large amounts of cash on you.

Banks operate on strict schedules, but in large cities there are currency exchange offices, and the exchange rate there is usually higher. Unlike other Middle Eastern countries, where dollars circulate freely and local sellers often prefer American currency, in Jordan preference is given to the national currency.

Traveler's checks are an expensive way to store currency; In addition, in Jordan, the procedure for exchanging them for dinars may take a long time, and the rate will most likely be lower than if you were exchanging cash.

ATMs

All banks in Amman and other big cities have ATMs that operate 24 hours; they are very easy to use. Typically, the daily limit for issuing money is from 100 to 300 dinars.

Make sure your PIN is valid abroad before relying entirely on this method of receiving money.

Credit and debit cards

In Jordan, credit cards are freely accepted in large hotels, licensed restaurants and supermarkets, most widely - VISA cards. However, you may find that the bank is charging you tax and that the exchange rate is not what you would like.

Don't pay credit card For advance payments made through an ATM, you will have to pay a very high tax.

Opening hours

Archaeological sites are usually open daily from 8:00 until dusk.

Banks are open from 8.30 to 12.30 and sometimes from 16.00 to 17.30. They are closed on Fridays.

Government offices are open from 8.00 to 14.00, closed on Fridays and Saturdays.

Museums are open from 9.00 to 17.00 and closed on Fridays.

Shops in the city center are open from 8.00 or 9.00 to 20.00 or 21.00, but most of them close for two hours a day on Fridays - during the midday prayer.

Passports and visas

It is best to keep your passport with you at all times in case of checks and other unforeseen circumstances. Also make a photocopy of your passport in case it is lost or stolen.

All foreigners entering Jordan must obtain a visa - this can be purchased at the border crossing if arriving by land, or at the airport if arriving by plane.

Your passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry. The standard visa price is 10 dinars or the corresponding amount in foreign currency; You can also pay via ATM. However, the exchange rate in this case will be unfavorable, so it is better to change a small amount in advance than to change more at a bank in the city center.

All tourist visas are valid for 30 days; if you want to stay in the country for a longer period, you must register with the police to extend your visa for up to three months. There is no additional cost and can be done in a few minutes. If you arrive in Aqaba, you are given a free 30-day visa, but it is more difficult to renew.

Pharmacies

There are many of them in all cities, and they have a large selection of toiletries and hygiene products. Prescription medications can be purchased over the counter after consultation with a pharmacist - all of whom are usually very knowledgeable English language. Items such as condoms, tampons and pads are sold freely.

Mail

Postcards and letters sent by airmail usually take a very long time to travel from Jordan to Western Europe - about two weeks, and to the USA or Australia - up to a month. Stamps cost between 300 and 500 fils and can usually be bought in stores along with postcards at a small premium, and there are always long queues at the post office.

It is best to send letters from the hotel, since mail is rarely taken out of mailboxes on the streets.

Public holidays

Day off is Friday. On this day, excavation sites, parks and nature reserves are crowded with families going on a picnic, as well as groups of schoolchildren.

During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, shops, museums and institutions operate with shortened working hours and usually close at 14.00 or 15.00. Large tourist sites, such as Petra and Jerash, operate on a regular schedule, but at smaller sites, guards may simply pack up and go home.

Annual public holidays:

• January 1 - New Year January 30 - King Abdullah's birthday
• March 22 - Arab League Day
• March/April - Good Friday
• May 1 - Labor Day
• May 25 - Independence Day
• June 9 - King Abdullah's accession day
• June 10 - Army Day and anniversary of the Arab Revolt
• November 14 - King Hussein Memorial Day
• December 25 - Christmas

Smoking

Arabs smoke a lot, this habit is deeply rooted in the Arab mentality, therefore, despite the fact that smoking in public places is officially prohibited, this ban is constantly violated. Everyone smokes everywhere - for example, in minibus your neighbor may well be smoking and blowing smoke right in your face.

If you do not smoke, it is preferable for you to travel in an air-conditioned bus where smoking is not allowed.

Extra charges

A 16% surcharge is added to the bill in hotels and restaurants of medium and high class; in prestigious institutions the markup is 10%.

Such markups can shock an unprepared person who sees that the bill amount has increased by 25%.

Phones

The telephone network in Jordan is monopolized by Jordan Telecom, which recently privatized it. To call Jordan from Europe, dial the country code (962) , then the local area code (without 0 at the beginning), then the local number. Within the country, all local lines have a two-digit local code and a seven-digit number. There are only four local codes: 02 - North Jordan; 03 - South Jordan; 05 - Jordan Valley and east of the country; 06 - Amman area.

To call from Jordan to Russia, dial 00, then 7 (Russian code), area code, subscriber number.

Useful phone numbers

• Internal information service: 1212 or 06-464-0444.
• International information service: 1213.
• Operator 1322.

Cell phones

Mobile phone numbers in Jordan are eight digits with a prefix of 07. If your mobile phone works on the GSM system, it will work fine in Jordan, and all you need to do is ensure that you have international roaming. SMS is the best and most cheap way stay in touch with friends and family because calls will cost you too much.

If you come for a long time or plan to visit Jordan regularly, we advise you to purchase a Jordanian phone at Fastlink or MobileCom - it will cost you only 50 dinars; Here you can purchase a SIM card, get a Jordanian number and make an advance payment in accordance with the chosen tariff.

Time

Time in Jordan is 1 hour behind Moscow; transition to summer time, due to the discrepancy between the transition dates in Jordan and Russia, the “lag” may be 2 hours.

Toilets

IN small towns Public toilets are rare, but tourist sites have them, usually at the entrance. In big cities, you can easily use restrooms in restaurants.

When using public restrooms, you will find that they are not so bad if they are staffed with toilet paper or paper towels. Usually there is a choice between a “hole in the floor” and a comfortable seat, but in any case, do not forget to throw the used paper into a bin and never into the drain - otherwise it will become clogged.

Information for disabled people

Jordan is not well-equipped for tourists with disabilities, so it is best for people with disabilities to travel as part of groups whose members are aware of the problem and are willing to provide the necessary assistance. There are virtually no wheelchair ramps in hotels, restaurants and public buildings, and pavements in cities are narrow, uneven, and have high sidewalk edges.

Petra is perhaps the only place that a disabled person can visit - he will be taken by cart along the Siq to Qasr Al-Binta, and from there, subject to prior agreement, you can take a car and return to the hotel along Wadi Turkmaniyeh (Wadi Turkmanyeh) through the checkpoint.

Consent to the processing of personal data

I hereby, being the Customer of tourist services included in the tourism product, and the authorized representative of the persons (tourists) specified in the Application, give consent to the Agent and his authorized representatives to process my data and the data of persons (tourists) contained in the Application: last name, name, patronymic, date and place of birth, gender, citizenship, series, passport number, other passport data indicated in the passport; residence and registration address; home and mobile phone; E-mail address; as well as any other data relating to my identity and the identity of the persons specified in the Application, to the extent necessary for the implementation and provision of tourism services, including those included in the tourism product generated by the Tour Operator, for any action (operation) or set of actions ( operations) performed with my personal data and the data of the persons specified in the Application, including (without limitation) collection, recording, systematization, accumulation, storage, clarification (updating, changing), extraction, use, transfer (distribution, provision, access), depersonalization, blocking, deletion, destruction of personal data, as well as carrying out any other actions provided for by current legislation Russian Federation, using automation tools, including in information and telecommunication networks, or without the use of such tools, if the processing of personal data without the use of such tools corresponds to the nature of the actions (operations) performed with personal data using automation tools, that is, it allows for in accordance with a given algorithm, searching for personal data recorded on a tangible medium and contained in file cabinets or other systematized collections of personal data, and/or access to such personal data, as well as transfer (including cross-border) of this personal data to the Tour Operator and third parties - partners of the Agent and Tour Operator.

The processing of personal data is carried out by the Agent and his authorized representatives (Tour Operator and direct service providers) for the purpose of fulfilling this agreement (including, depending on the terms of the agreement - for the purpose of issuing travel documents, booking rooms in accommodation facilities and with carriers, transferring data to consulate of a foreign state, resolving claim issues when they arise, submitting information to authorized government bodies (including at the request of courts and internal affairs bodies)).

I hereby confirm that the personal data provided by me to the Agent is reliable and can be processed by the Agent and his authorized representatives.

I hereby give my consent to the Agent and Tour Operator to send me emails/information messages to the email address and/or mobile phone number I have provided.

I hereby confirm that I have the authority to provide personal data of the persons specified in the Application, and undertake the obligation to reimburse the Agent for any costs associated with my lack of appropriate authority, including losses associated with sanctions of inspection authorities.

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This Consent is an annex to this Application.

JORDAN

(Kingdom of Jordan)

General information

Geographical position. Jordan borders Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, and Israel to the west. The most fertile region of the country is the Jordan Valley. The West Bank, including Jerusalem, was annexed by Jordan in 1950 but was occupied by Israel in 1967 as a result of the Six-Day War. The Eastern Bank plateau is dissected by gorges cut by tributaries of the Jordan. Here are the main cities and attractions of Jordan. Further to the borders of Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, almost 80% of the territory is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts with rare oases. Jordan is the only Arab country that does not have maritime borders, with the exception of a few kilometers leading to the Gulf of Aqaba of the Red Sea, where the country's only seaport, Aqaba, is located. Square. The territory of Jordan occupies 98,000 square meters. km.

Main cities Administrative division. The capital of Jordan is Amman. Largest cities: Amman (1,000 thousand people), Az-Zarqa (500 thousand people), Irbid (320 thousand people), Al-Aqaba (60 thousand people).

Administrative-territorial division of the country: 8 provinces (governments).

Political system

The head of state is the king. The legislative body is a bicameral parliament.

Relief. In terms of relief, the country is a plateau, rising from east to west and cut by the deep tectonic depression of Ghor and its continuation, Wadi al-Arab. In this depression flows the Jordan and lies the Dead Sea, the most deep depression on the ground. The lowest point of the Dead Sea bottom is 793 m below sea level, and it contains 7.5 times more salt than ordinary sea water. The depression is bordered by limestone and sandstone mountains and lava fields. The most high mountains: Ram (1,754 m) and Bakir (1,592 m) in the southwest. To the north of Jordan stretches from Syria mountain range El Druz.

Geological structure and minerals. The subsoil of the country contains reserves of phosphorites and potash.

Climate. The climate in Jordan is subtropical and dry. Summer is dry, with rain falling from October to May. In the west, the average January temperature is +8°C (in the Jordan Valley + 14°C), the average July temperature is +24°C (in the Jordan Valley +30°C). In the east, temperature differences are greater. The greatest amount of precipitation (600-650 mm per year) falls in the northwest in the area of ​​Es Salt and Ajloun. In the east it is about 100 mm, in the south 55 mm in the Maan area and even 24 mm per year in the Al Jafra area.

Inland waters. Jordan River, Dead Sea.

Soils and vegetation. In deserts and semi-deserts, grass cover appears only during the winter rainy season. Orchards and olive groves grow in oases, and shrubs grow in the north-west of the country. Agricultural crops include wheat, barley, corn, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Animal world. The fauna of Jordan is not much richer than the plant life. Predators include jackals, wolves, striped hyenas, steppe lynxes, desert foxes; other animals include wild boars, gazelles, oryx (saved from extinction in nature reserve Shaumari), African jerboas, badgers. Lots of reptiles. Nomads breed camels, goats, sheep, and donkeys. Bird species are few, but during migration, Azraq Nature Reserve becomes a resting place for many migratory birds. The Gulf of Aqaba is home to many species of tropical fish.

Population and language

More than 4 million people live in Jordan, mostly Arabs, of whom more than a million (according to one estimate) and almost two-thirds of the population (according to other estimates) are Palestinians from the territories occupied by Israel. Official language- Arabic; colloquial - the Syrian dialect of Arabic among the settled population, and Arabian among the nomads. Thanks to the British Mandate rule, English is a second language and is taught in public and private schools. Most of Jordanians live in the capital Amman and smaller cities and towns. Thanks to high level More than 50% of the population are children under 15 years of age. The population of Jordan is divided into two large groups - the sedentary population and the nomads, and the third small group is made up of semi-nomads.

Religion

82% of Jordanians are Sunni Muslims. Jordan is also home to Christian Arabs and Christian nomads who consider themselves descendants of the Crusaders, about 80 thousand Circassians and 10 thousand Chechens. Among the national minorities are Greeks, Armenians, Kurds, Turkmen and others. Christians live mainly in Amman, Kerak, Madaba and Es-Salt. Most Christians belong to the Greek Orthodox Church.

Brief historical sketch

Traces of human activity from the Mesolithic era (the transition period from the ancient Stone Age, Paleolithic, to the new Stone Age, Neolithic, for the Middle East this is 9-12 thousand years ago) were found near the ancient city of Petra and on the West Bank of the Jordan River. In the VI-V millennia BC. e. Tribes of the Canaanites (Amorites) lived on the territory of Jordan, but the first historical evidence about them dates back to the 2nd-1st millennia BC. e., when the early slave-owning principalities of the Ammonites and Moabites appeared in the eastern part of Jordan with their capitals in Rabat-Ammon (Amman) and Kir-Haresht (Kerak). Then Jordan was conquered by the Hittites, Philistines, and Assyrians; it was part of the New Valonian kingdom and Achaemenid Iran, and in the 1st millennium BC. e. part of the country was part of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. In 332 BC. e. Jordan was part of the state of Alexander the Great, and after the death of Alexander, it was part of the Ptolemaic Empire.

Around the 2nd century. BC e. the nomadic Arab tribe of the Nabataeans appeared south of the Dead Sea. Taking advantage of the hostility between the Ptolemies and Seleucids, they settled in eastern Jordan, assimilated with the Moabites and Ammonites and created the Nabatean kingdom with its capital at Petra around 169 BC. e. The Nabataean kingdom controlled part of the trade route from the Red Sea. The Nabataean kingdom flourished, even formally becoming part of the Roman Empire. In 106 AD e. Roman Emperor Trajan captured Petra, abolished the Nabataean kingdom and transformed it into a Roman province. As for northern Jordan, since the 70s AD. e., after the burning of Jerusalem by Roman troops, in a new Roman province called Palestine (after the Philistines), a community of trading cities (Decapolis) arose, which included Gerasa, or Gerasa (Jerash), Philadelphia (Amman), etc.

In 1250, the Ayyubid dynasty was overthrown by its own creation - an army created from specially selected slaves, perfectly trained and equipped at the expense of the Sultan - the Mamluks. The Mamluks, who conquered the territory of modern Jordan, managed to stop the Mongols, who ravaged Baghdad and the Abbasid Caliphate in 1258, Damascus and Aleppo in 1260. The Mamluks not only retained power, but by 1291 they finally expelled the crusaders and captured all their fortresses. From the beginning of the 16th century. The Mamluks, who by that time still retained their political influence, gradually ceded power to the new force, and until 1918 Jordan was part of the Ottoman Empire, which collapsed as a result of the defeat of Turkey in the First World War.

After World War I, the League of Nations gave the mandate to govern Transjordan, as the country was then called, to Britain. The head of the Emirate of Transjordan was Emir Abdallah from the Hashemite dynasty. The independence that Jordan achieved in 1946 was formal. British troops remained in the country. In April 1950, the West Bank was annexed to Transjordan, and the country became known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Under the influence of the national liberation movement, parliamentary elections were held in the fall of 1956, in which the national front won, and then a national government was formed. At the end of 1956, Jordan annulled the enslaving agreement with Britain. Diplomatic relations with the USSR were established in 1963.

In 1964, with the participation of Egyptian President Nasser, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was created, one of the groups of which was led by the young Yasser Arafat. PLO guerrilla bases also appeared in Jordan. In May 1967, Jordan, Iraq and Syria massed troops to Israel's borders, and on June 5, Israel launched a pre-emptive strike on Egyptian airfields in the Sinai, destroying Egyptian aircraft on the ground. Israeli Prime Minister Levi Eshkol called on King Hussein not to involve Jordan in hostilities. When it became clear that Jordan would not stop bombing Israel, the Israelis took East Jerusalem by June 7, and on June 9 all parties involved in the war agreed to a ceasefire. Israel emerged from the Six-Day War, having conquered the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip from Egypt, the Golan Heights from Syria, and the West Bank from Jordan. After the 1967 war, most Palestinian refugees ended up in Jordan. Friction began between the government and the PLO, which created bases in Jordan to attack Israel. In response to one of the raids, the Israeli army attacked the Jordanian city of Karameh.

In 1970, King Hussein's patience ran out. Serious armed clashes occurred between Palestinian guerrillas who fought against Israel from Jordanian territory and government forces. As a result of military operations carried out by the Jordanian army in September 1970, the bases of Palestinian partisans in Jordan were eliminated. Palestinians call September 1970 “Black September.” In October 1974, 20 Arab countries declared that the PLO, not Jordan, was the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinians, and under their pressure, King Hussein was forced to agree to this insulting statement to Jordan. In the summer of 1988, King Hussein stopped making claims to the West Bank. In 1990-1991, after the Gulf War, Jordan's economy suffered a severe blow. First, a quarter of Jordan's exports were to Iraq, and in August 1990 the United Nations imposed a trade embargo on Iraq. Secondly, many Jordanians and Palestinians worked in the Gulf countries before the war, and by early 1992 they had all returned to Jordan.

In 1992, King Hussein approved a law allowing political parties, which had been banned in 1957. The first multi-party elections since 1954 were held in November 1993, and in 1995 the first woman was elected to parliament. In October 1994, a peace treaty was signed between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein of Jordan, which greatly increased Jordan's prestige in the eyes of the entire non-Arab world. Palestine is now fighting for the withdrawal of Israeli troops and settlers from the West Bank. So far, an agreement has been signed between Palestinian President Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to which on January 17, 1997, Israeli troops liberated 80% of the city of Hebron in the West Bank and transferred patrolling to the Palestinian police.

Brief Economic Sketch

Jordan is an agricultural country. They cultivate fruit trees, grapes, and olives. Animal husbandry. The main industries are under state control. Extraction and processing of phosphates. Paper, textile, steel rolling enterprises. Export: mineral fertilizers, phosphates, detergents, vegetables and fruits, pharmaceutical and other industrial products.

The monetary unit is the Jordanian dinar.

Brief sketch of culture

Art and architecture. Amman. Roman Amphitheater (built under Antony Pius (138-161 AD) and accommodated up to 6,000 spectators); Folklore Museum; Museum of Folk Traditions; ruins of the fortress and temple of Hercules (built by the Jewish king Herod in the 30s of the 1st century BC); Archaeological Museum; al-Husseini Mosque (1924); King Abad Allah Mosque; Abu Darwish Mosque; Jordanian National Gallery; Military Museum.