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City in Madaba Governorate, Jordan
Photo: Niels Elgaard Larsen - (WT-en) Elgaard at English Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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Local information and free, clean toilets.
The famous map of the Middle East, plus a bunch of mosaic portraits. Buy ticket from the interpretive centre to the side, although why waste time on a lecture when you can just go and look at the map.
The highlight of Madaba, this is where to see many of the ancient mosaics discovered.
A few more rooms of mosaics, pottery and jewellery. Also includes an outside courtyard area with ancient statues.
Small church with nice, large mosaics on the floor. Not inside the Archaeological Park but further off.
Interesting 19th-century church which has underground rooms hosting a museum, and a church bell tower to climb to see a full view of Madaba. Regarding the beheading see also Machaerus below.
2 rooms filled with oil paintings and watercolours from Madaba artists.
This wadi is a field of dolmens (Burial Chambers or large stone memorials), where you could see more than 40 dolmens (12 of them standing in a very good condition) and the rest are damaged probably by earthquakes. Also there are several menhirs, cupholes and stone alignments as well. These dolmens dating to around 3000 BC, from the Early Bronze Age I. The locals there believed that dolmens are the houses of ghosts, they called it in Arabic Bit Al Ghula.
This historic site provides a panorama of the Holy Land, and to the north, a more limited one of the Jordan River Valley. The excavated remains of a church and a monument commemorating the biblical story of Moses and the bronze serpent stand atop the mountain. This is the spot where the Hebrew Bible says that Moses stood and witnessed the "promised land". Visit before sunset to take in the Franciscan Monastery and Church located here. Visitors can plan to spent less than half an hour at the site.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site which contains ruins from the Roman, Byzantine, and early Muslim civilizations. The majority of the site has not been excavated. The most important discovery on the site was the mosaic floor of the Church of St Stephen. It was made in 785 (discovered after 1986). The perfectly preserved mosaic floor is the largest one in Jordan. On the central panel hunting and fishing scenes are depicted while another panel illustrates the most important cities of the region (including Kastron Mefaa, Philadelphia, Madaba, Esbounta, Belemounta, Areopolis, Charac Moaba, Jerusalem, Nablus, Caesarea and Gaza).
Mukawer
This is the biblical Machaerus, the fortress of Herod the Great, where his son Antipas imprisoned and later executed John the Baptist, for whom a shrine was built in Madaba.
A remarkable series of natural hot springs and waterfalls, some of which have been channeled into pools and baths. A spa resort is in the vicinity of the waterfalls.
مطعم دارنا
A schwarma and pizza place that's above average and fairly priced. Tourists can expect to pay the price in the register receipt.
One of Madaba's finest eateries and is in the centre of the city along the main street. Within a restored Late Ottoman house, this restaurant features the best of Jordanian fare along with a cozy atmosphere that is welcoming at all times of year. Offers excellent Lebanese-style mezze, Arabic-style barbecue "Mashawi", and Italian pizzas. The restaurant also offers shishas. Sit on the rooftop patio at sunset for an enchanting experience watching the sun go down as you listen to the call to prayer from the numerous minarets nearby.
A very nice new rooftop restaurant is on the top floor of this hotel. They do open buffet dinner for 8 JD and the view to the city is very nice. Also they have a pool-side bar they serve sandwiches, wine and beer. You don’t have to be resident of the hotel to use the restaurant or the bar.
Highly rated on hotel website.
Another decent option, but not as highly rated as Moab Land Hotel.
Nice and fair place but with signs of use and missing maintenance of the rooms and the building itself. The breakfast is straight but nothing special. A classic two-star hotel but with very friendly staff, 57 rooms and a large outdoor swimming pool. Does arrange airport pickups for a fixed price of 12 JD - call ahead or send an email.
Clean and well-maintained.
In a fringe area of the tourist street, mostly quiet but the owner struggles with certain members of his staff against the street. Excellent rooms, new aircon and TV, near museums, close to the market where local people buy things they need. Avoid the typical tourism hazards while getting a true experience of the street.
The Black Iris Hotel has clean non-smoking rooms. Offers tours to nearby areas including Mt. Nebo and the Dead Sea.
By bus
Madaba is about 1 hr from Amman.20 JD (Oct 2018).
By taxi
A taxi is a good option, especially if you're in a group. The cost depends on your bargaining abilities but it can go from 8-12 JD. Or you go by meter, which is about 12 JD. from northern Amman.
By car
The very centre of town has narrow, crowded streets, but just a few hundred metres away, you can find wide roads with plenty of parking.
Madaba is a very small city, so one can easily get around by on foot, although a taxi from downtown to the bus station is a good idea (1-2 JD).
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