A rose garden attached to the Zahran Palace in Amman was the setting for the official celebration of Crown Prince Hamzah's wedding to Princess Noor. The couple entertained their guests in a lavish evening reception on May 27 followed by a gala dinner the Jordanian capital the next evening.
Amman offers a fascinating blend of the new and the historic, with ancient ruins juxtaposed with modern architecture. The city is also frequently used as a base for visitors keen to explore Jordan's other treasures. Thirty miles south of Amman is Medaba, with its famous array of Byzantine-era mosaic floors. While north of Amman is the ruined city of Jerash, which includes buildings from the Byzantine and early Muslim periods, and the 12th-century Ajloun castle, which provides stunning views of the hilly surroundings.
The country's most famous tourism spot is, of course, the magnificent ancient city of Petra, carved out of towering pink cliffs three hours south of Amman. A UNESCO world heritage site which was used in the final sequence of Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, Petra is a rich mix of ancient tombs, temples, streets and baths. Other must-see spots are the Wadi Rum desert region where Lawrence Of Arabia was filmed, and the Siq narrow gorge, bordered by dramatic 150-metre-high cliffs.
