Jerash, Ajloun Castle and Umm Qais Day Tour from Amman

Umm Qais, ancient Gadara on the northern edge of Jordan

Umm Qais stands on a ridge in the far north of Jordan, about two hours from Amman, where the land drops steeply to the Yarmouk River. In Roman times this was Gadara, one of the Decapolis cities, known as a centre of poets and philosophers. Today you walk among its black basalt West Theatre, the columns of a basilica terrace and a long colonnaded street paved in dark stone.

Above the ruins sits a village of honey-coloured Ottoman stone houses, partly restored. The terrace at the edge of the site gives one of the finest panoramas in the country: the Sea of Galilee, the Golan Heights and the green Jordan and Yarmouk valleys spread out below. Morning light, when the tour arrives, is the clearest for this view, and about an hour and a half is enough to see the main monuments.

Ajloun Castle in the forests of the north

Ajloun Castle, also called Qal'at ar-Rabad, crowns a hilltop above the town of Ajloun. It was built in 1184 and 1185 by an Ayyubid commander to watch over the Jordan Valley, protect the iron mines of the area and guard the routes between Damascus and the south. Later the Mamluks enlarged it, and it became part of a chain of fortresses that passed messages by fire beacons and carrier pigeons.

Inside you cross a dry moat into a maze of vaulted halls, stairways and towers, with a small display of finds from the site. From the upper levels the views reach over rolling hills of oak, pine and olive trees, among the greenest landscapes in Jordan. Allow about an hour; the paths inside are uneven, so comfortable shoes help.

Jerash: Hadrian's Arch and the Oval Plaza

Jerash, the Roman city of Gerasa, lies about an hour north of Amman and is one of the best-preserved Roman provincial cities in the world. A Jerash day trip from Amman usually begins at Hadrian's Arch, a triple gateway raised in AD 129 to honour an imperial visit, with the long Hippodrome where chariot races once took place beside it.

Through the South Gate you reach the Oval Plaza, an unusual oval forum framed by a ring of Ionic columns, and one of the most photographed spots in Jordan. From here the South Theatre climbs the hillside; its seats look back over the plaza and the modern town. The site is open daily from morning until late afternoon, with longer hours in summer, and the hours on site are the ones to follow.

The Cardo, temples and theatres of Roman Jerash

From the Oval Plaza the Cardo, the main colonnaded street, runs north for about 800 metres. Its original paving stones still show the grooves cut by cart wheels, and along it you pass the Nymphaeum, an ornate public fountain, and the steps up to the Temple of Artemis, the patron goddess of the city, whose tall columns still stand against the sky.

Is Jerash worth visiting? For anyone curious about the Roman world it is a must, and two hours lets you see the highlights without hurrying. The best time to visit Jerash is spring, when wildflowers grow between the stones, or autumn; in summer, carry water and a hat, since there is little shade. The tour ends here, and the driver takes you back to your hotel in Amman.