Back in Victorian times, a man called John William Burgon (bet you’ve never heard of him!) wrote a poem whose final line is 
much, much more famous than its author. The line is, “a rose-red city, half as old as time”: nine words which have lodged themselves in many a mind, been quoted many a time, and inspired many a traveller to visit the place they describe – the magical ruins of Petra in the Jordanian desert.
Petra was pretty hard to reach in Burgon’s day, and he never did get there. These days, it’s a much easier prospect, but the arrival is just as dramatic as it was in the the poet's time (and probably much as it was in the 6th century BC, when the “rose-red” city was built) because reaching Petra is no straightforward thing. The ancient site is linked to the outside world by a dark, winding slit through the heart of the towering sandstone hills that surround it – a Siq (pictured right) almost one kilometre long, and passable only on foot, horse, donkey or camel.
The Siq leads in from the Valley of Moses, twisting and turning until suddenly you see the very thing Burgon was writing about: a rose-red city, carved – miraculously and mind-bogglingly – from the soft stone of a narrow valley. It’s an overwhelming sight, and one you will never, never forget. And it’s just the beginning: there is much, much more.
Last year, Petra was named as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and it's unlikely that anyone who’s ever been there would disagree. In truth, it is very nearly indescribable. It’s one of those places you really must to see to believe. I can’t hope to do it justice; all I can do is urge you, as strongly as I know how, to go there.
Petra is around 3 hours from Amman, the capital of Jordan, and closer still to the country's only port: ancient Aqaba on the Red Sea. Plenty of tours are available, including (very, very) full-day visits from Israel. Oh, and if you’re spending time in the region, visit spectacular Wadi Rum, made famous by of Lawrence of Arabia. But that’s a whole different story … and you'll need a whole new day.
Photos by amerune