16 Days Ancient Levant & Beyond Journey

Über das Reiseziel: Beirut ist die Hauptstadt des Libanon und das Tor zum Land. Sie ist multikulturell und verbindet erfolgreich die Leidenschaften des Ostens mit der Verfeinerung des Westens. Modern und alt, liberal und traditionell, bietet Beirut hervorragende Restaurants, ein erstaunliches Nachtleben, exzellentes Shopping und Hotels aller Preisklassen. Sie ist auch reich an Geschichte und architektonischem Erbe, das mehrere Jahrtausende und Zivilisationen umspannt, mit Spuren des römischen und phönizischen Erbes, die bis heute sichtbar sind. Beirut ist auch ein großartiger Ausgangspunkt, um den Rest des Libanon zu erkunden, der einen krassen Kontrast zur wohlhabenden Hauptstadt mit einer westlichen Silhouette bietet, alles innerhalb von nicht mehr als einer zweistündigen Fahrt. Mit ihrer schönen Architektur und Landschaft, köstlicher Küche, aufregendem Nachtleben und beeindruckender Geschichte ist Beirut ein Reiseziel, das man nicht verpassen sollte.

Über das Reiseziel: Damaskus ist die Hauptstadt Syriens und die zweitgrößte Stadt des Landes. Damaskus gilt als die älteste kontinuierlich bewohnte Stadt der Welt und hat die vielen Reiche überdauert, die sie erobert haben. Alte Ägypter, Griechen, Römer, Perser, Araber, Mongolen, Türken und unzählige andere haben die Stadt auf die eine oder andere Weise geprägt. Das Ergebnis ist ein Damaskus mit mehreren Schichten von Zivilisationen, die übereinander gebaut wurden und oft bis heute sichtbar sind. Die ummauerte Altstadt besteht aus einem Labyrinth enger Gassen, durchbrochen von rätselhaften Türen, die in angenehme, grüne Innenhöfe und schmucklose Häuser führen. Die Altstadt hat immer noch ein authentisches mittelalterliches Flair und ist nach wie vor das religiöse und soziale Zentrum der Stadt. Die Altstadt, mit ihren labyrinthartigen Gassen, ist äußerst faszinierend und bietet eine enorme Anzahl schöner historischer Gebäude zu besichtigen und große Souks zu entdecken. Bei weitem das bemerkenswerteste architektonische Wunder ist die Omayyaden-Moschee, die selbst mehrere Besuche wert ist.

About the destination: Amman, considered by some the cultural capital of the Middle East, is the capital of Jordan. Situated on a hilly area between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley, Amman today is a modern and cosmopolitan city full of ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, art galleries and boutiques but you can see evidence of the city’s extensive past everywhere. The heart of all the town is the Citadel with Romans and Ammonites ruins. From the top of the Citadel you can see a wonderful landscape over the hills of the city. Whilst the city we see may not be very old, on the hill of the Citadel there is evidence of the ancient history of the city that was Greek Philadelphia. There is an interesting Archaeological museum worth visiting. Nearby, there is the Roman theatre and some museums with interesting displays of mosaics, jewelry and costume. A walk around the city brings you to mosques and a surprising variety of churches, souks and shops. Amman is a busy city where the modern and the traditional coexist side by side. Moreover, Amman is the perfect starting point if you want to visit all the area around this town. From Amman is very easy to reach Jerash, Ajlun, Pella, the Dead Sea and the Desert Castles.

About the destination: Petra, the fabled "rose red city, half as old as time", is a well-known ancient Nabataean city in the south of Jordan. Due to its breathtaking grandeur and fabulous ruins, Petra was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. The first major excavations of the site were in 1929 after the forming of Trans-Jordan. Since that time, Petra has become by far Jordan's largest tourist attraction. The site was included in the Steven Spielberg movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989 and was chosen in July 2007 as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The entrance to Petra is a long, winding sandstone canyon known as the Siq. There are minor carvings spotted here and there throughout the Siq, but the most impressive sights are the colorful and unusual sandstone patterns in the rock walls. There are also remains of terracotta pipes built into the sides of the canyon that were used in Roman times to carry water. Upon exiting the Siq, visitors can view the jaw-dropping grandeur of the Treasury (al-Khazneh in Arabic). Be sure to note the urn atop the Treasury structure. It has been rumored that the urn contained a Pharaoh's hidden treasure, and the urn bears the bullet pock marks where Bedouin travelers throughout the years have tested the theory. Past the next bend is the outer Siq or Street of Facades, a large canyon lined with the facades of various tombs. At the end of the Street of Facades is the 7000-seat Roman Theater. The theater was created by the Nabateans but later enlarged by the Romans. It is still used for occasional performances. On the side of the valley opposite the Roman Theater and a short walk up the hill, are the Royal Tombs. The name was given because they are quite grand in scale compared to the others in the area, but it is unclear for whom the tombs were originally constructed. The Monastery (ad-Deir), the largest carved monument in Petra, dates back to the 1st century AD. The interior, like that of the Treasury, is puny in comparison to the facade. The more than 800 steps up to the Monastery can take over an hour. Petra by Night happens on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 20:30. It is only made of candles, you'll hear a short play of Bedouin music and be served some tea in plastic cups while you sit on mats at the Treasury. It's best to see this before you see Petra by day, as it becomes far less impressive if you already walked up to the Treasury during daytime. It's not amazing, but it's something nice to do during nighttime.

About the destination: Tel Aviv, located on the Mediterranean coast, is the second largest city in Israel. Tel Aviv is Israel’s center of entertainment and it has everything you need, wonderful beaches, luxury restaurants and small trendy cafes, interesting architecture, theaters, museums, shops and lots of great clubs and bars. Roaming Old City of Jaffa and the beautiful parks and gardens around it, is probably one of the more authentic things there is to do in this city. The Old City of Jaffa is near the Jaffa Port, claimed to be the oldest port in the world. Today there are restaurants, galleries and shops and street festivals in this picturesque port. One of the major landmarks of Tel Aviv is the rise of the Old City of Jaffa with the spire of St Peter's Church. The promenade from the northern beaches to the walls of Machmoudia Mosque runs along the shoreline and it is one of the must-do of any time in Tel Aviv. Whatever the weather and whatever the time of the day, with the Mediterranean on one side, this is a superb walk. If cosmopolitan life, interesting cafes and restaurants, hip clubs, beautiful beaches and stunning deserts are your thing, then Tel Aviv is definitely your place.