New Year in Jordan

27 December: Rome Fiumicino /Amman
Departure by direct scheduled flight to Jordan. Arrival at Amman airport. Clearance of customs formalities. Meeting with local staff. Transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight.

28 December: Amman / Jerash / Ajloun / Amman
After breakfast we leave for Jerash, the Pompeii of the East. You enter through the South Monumental Gate and find yourself inside a real Roman city. You walk through the Oval Square surrounded by columns, visit the Roman Theatre and the Byzantine Churches with mosaic flooring. You stroll along the main street of Jerash, called the Cardo, and visit the Nymphaeum. You will be surprised by the wonderful acoustics of the theatre, the stage for the Jerash Music Festival held here every year. You will observe how the Romans built the earthquake-proof columns of the columned road. After the visit, we depart for Ajloun, an Islamic military castle used by Saladin's Islamic troops to protect the region against the Crusaders. Afterwards return to Amman. Dinner and overnight at a hotel in Amman.

29 December: Amman / Madaba / Mount Nebo / Kerak / Petra
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart Amman for the enchanting city of Madaba, home to the most famous Byzantine mosaics. Visit the largest and most significant of all the city's treasures, the marvellous mosaic map of ancient Palestine, located on the floor of the Greek Orthodox Church of St George. The 6th century AD map, considered to be the oldest in existence, was depicted for the benefit of pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land, as it also represented the surrounding regions. The Nile River, the Jordan River, Lake Tiberias and the Dead Sea are easily identifiable on this map, as well as many cities such as Bethlehem, Gaza and Jerusalem. One can clearly distinguish the walls, towers, gates, streets and buildings of the Holy City of Jerusalem, especially the main colonnaded street or Cardo, and the domed Church of the Holy Sepulchre. On the way, stop at Mount Nebo, which dates back to the time of the prophet Moses, around 12th
century BC and is believed to be the burial place of the prophets and the point from which the Holy Land was seen. At the top of the hill, housed under a protective structure built by the Franciscans, are the ruins of a beautiful little church, built by early Christians in the 4th century AD. Inside, there are the remains of mosaic floors with breathtaking designs featuring hunting and pastoral scenes. From a platform in front of the church, a visitor can see a bronze memorial of a serpent on a cross, symbolising the serpent raised by Moses in the desert, as well as the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Continue through the spectacular canyon of Wadi el Mujib to Kerak, where you will visit its impressive Crusader castle built in 1142 AD. Visitors will be amazed by the network of dimly lit vaulted rooms and corridors, connected by heavy arches and doors. You then proceed to your hotel in Petra for dinner and an overnight stay.

30 December: Petra
After breakfast we set off for Petra. No visit to Jordan is complete without seeing the capital of the ancient Nabataean kingdom, Petra. The lost city of Petra, carved entirely by man amidst the pink and red mountains, really challenges the human imagination. The natural riches of the mountains combine here with the culture and architecture of the Nabataeans, who carved their theatres, temples, facades, tombs, monasteries, houses and streets in the pink rock. No wonder UNESCO has listed the city as a World Heritage Site! You enter Petra through the Siq, a deep and narrow gorge, which finally leads to Petra's famous monument: alKhazneh or the Treasury. You may recognise it from the final scene of the film 'Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade'. But the Treasury is only the beginning: as you walk and climb, you will see hundreds of buildings carved into the rock, eroded by the passage of time, with fabulous multi-coloured walls. After the guided tour, free time for independent sightseeing and return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

31 December: Petra / Little Petra / Wadi Rum
After breakfast we set off for Little Petra. Unlike Petra, where the Nabataeans lived and buried their dead, Little Petra was designed to accommodate the caravans coming from Arabia and the East, heading as far as Syria and Egypt. To enable them to stop there after crossing Wadi Rum, the Nabataeans first dug small caves in the sandstone rock, and then built huge ones for the huge number of caravan drivers who stopped there. We then continue on to Wadi Rum, an ancient place of passage for the caravans that, laden with precious goods, travelled northwards from the Arabian Peninsula to reach the Mediterranean ports. Its beauty is characterised by mountains marked by time, the beds of ancient lakes that have now dried up, and high, deep red dunes. In these places, an Italian researcher, Professor Borzatti, has found some remains of the oldest known alphabet, the
Tamudico, which dates back 6,000 years. There are also numerous engravings and rock paintings carved into the rocks of the famous 'valley of the moon'. Excursion in a 4×4 Jeep for 2 hours. Accommodation at the tented camp, dinner and overnight stay under the desert stars.

01 January: Wadi Rum / Dead Sea / Amman
After breakfast, depart north in the direction of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, at 423 metres below sea level. A few hours of free time at the Dead Sea, which lies right on Jordan's western border. The salt water, unusually rich in minerals, mud and thermal mineral springs, is a real cure for body and soul. We then continue on to Amman. Dinner and overnight stay in a hotel.

02 January: Amman / Desert Castles / Amman City tour
After breakfast, visit the eastern desert. The Romans were not deterred by the desert climate and built a chain of fortresses along the Arab limes, the borders of their new Arab province. The caliphs built most of the castles that can be visited today during the Umayyad period. Some are decorated with exquisite mosaics, frescoes, stone and stucco sculptures and illustrations. They stand as a silent and impressive testament to Jordan's rich history. Today you will see three of the best preserved deserts. Qasr alKharaneh is the largest and most richly decorated Umayyad castle in Jordan. It is a large square fortress, surrounded by walls with circular towers on each side. Qusayr Amra, its interior walls and ceilings are covered with vivid frescoes and two of its rooms are paved with colourful mosaics. Qasr al-Azraq is built of black basalt. Afterwards, transfer to explore the capital and the
Jordan's largest city. It is the political, cultural and commercial centre of the country and one of the best known cities for thousands of years, which was called Rabbat Ammoun, Here you will visit the Citadel, the Roman ruins and the Roman theatre in the city's most active centre. Dinner and overnight at the Amman Hotel.

03 January: Amman / Rome
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Amman airport. Clearance of customs formalities. Departure by Royal Jordanian direct scheduled flight. Arrival in Rome

The fee includes:
➢ Rome/Amman/Rome, with direct scheduled Royal Jordanian flights in economy class;
➢ Transfers to/from Amman airport by minibus with English-speaking driver;
➢ Tour by bus or minibus with Italian-speaking guide during the 6-day tour as per programme;
➢ 7 nights in a 4* hotel in standard rooms;
➢ Half board (excluding drinks); New Year's Eve dinner included in Wadi Rum;
➢ Entry visa;
➢ Insurance for cancellation, medical expenses reimbursement (up to 50,000 Euro) and luggage;
➢ Airport taxes (to be reconfirmed at the time of booking);
➢ Registration fee

The fee does not include:
➢ Meals and drinks not mentioned, tips and extras
➢ Possible single supplement € 300
➢ Possible full board supplement € 135
Documents required: Individual passport with a minimum residual validity of 6 months from the date of departure and free entry visa.