Jordan

Jordan offers breathtaking archaeological treasures -- Roman ruins, Moslem mosques and Crusader fortresses, for example. The rose-red city of Petra is a much-anticipated destination here. After traversing a narrow gorge, called a siq, you'll come upon the structures that were carved into the soaring sandstone walls by the Nabataean civilization. The well-hidden ruins were found in 1812 and include temples, tombs, baths, markets, the treasury and an amphitheater.

You may also travel to Jerash, a well-preserved Greco-Roman city; Madaba, where the mosaic map in St. George's church dates to A.D. 560; and the Dead Sea. Other stops can include the second-century Roman amphitheater in Amman, the Crusader Castle in Kerak, and Wadi Rum, where much of "Lawrence of Arabia" was filmed.