Which one to choose in Jordan
Two ancient sites in Jordan. Amman Citadel has 7 tickets and tours to book; Petra has 184 tickets and tours to book. The table and the two notes below put them side by side; the full pages have what to see, the ticket and the timing for each.
Amman, Jordan
The Amman Citadel crowns Jabal al-Qal'a, the L-shaped hill above downtown Amman that has been lived on since the Bronze Age. Its main sights are the Roman Temple of Hercules, a Byzantine church and the domed Umayyad palace of the 8th century, with a small archaeological museum. The views over the Roman Theatre and the old city are the best in the capital.
Wadi Musa, Jordan
Petra is the rock-cut capital of the Nabataeans in southern Jordan, reached through a narrow gorge more than a kilometre long that opens on the carved facade of the Treasury. Beyond it a valley of tombs, temples and a theatre spreads over several kilometres of red sandstone, and a climb of some 800 steps leads to the Monastery.
| Amman Citadel | Petra | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Ancient City | Ancient City |
| Civilisation | Near Eastern | Near Eastern |
| Founded | 1800 BC | 350 BC |
| Visitors | — | 1.1 million a year (2019) |
| Entry | JOD 3; included in the Jordan Pass | JOD 50 for one day, JOD 90 without a night in Jordan |
| Hours | From 8 am; closes about 7 pm Apr–Sep and about 4 pm Oct–Mar; earlier in Ramadan | 6 am to 6 pm March to September, 6.30 am to 5 pm in winter; Petra by Night some evenings |
| Time needed | 1.5 to 2 hours | A full day; two days to see it well |
| Booking | Pay at the gate or use the Jordan Pass; no booking needed | Pay at the visitor centre or use the Jordan Pass; no timed slots |
| UNESCO | — | yes |
| Tickets and tours on GetYourGuide | 7 | 184 |
| Official website | — | yes |