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7 Most Instagrammable Spots in Petra, Jordan's Rose-Red City
Carved directly into rose-coloured sandstone by the Nabataeans over two thousand years ago, Petra pairs its famous Treasury with a canyon approach, hilltop tombs and a night-time candlelit version of itself.
Sep 24, 2026 · BigTravel.in
Petra was carved directly into the sandstone cliffs of southern Jordan by the Nabataeans, an Arab trading civilisation that made the city their capital from around the 4th century BC, and the rock's natural banding of pink, red and orange gives the site its enduring nickname, the rose-red city. Reaching most of its monuments on foot, often along the same routes cut by the Nabataeans themselves, is part of what makes Petra photograph so differently from a typical ruin. Here are seven spots worth the walk, each with a direct map link.
1. The Treasury (Al-Khazneh)
Petra's best-known monument, a 40-metre-tall facade carved into a cliff face, appears suddenly at the end of the Siq and is most dramatically lit in the early morning, when the sun reaches the facade directly while the surrounding canyon stays in shadow.
2. The Siq
The narrow, winding canyon that forms Petra's main entrance stretches over a kilometre, its walls closing to just a few metres apart in places, and offers a changing sequence of framed views as it curves toward the Treasury.
3. Ad-Deir (The Monastery)
Larger than the Treasury but further from the entrance, reached by a steep climb of roughly 800 rock-cut steps, the Monastery rewards the effort with a much quieter setting and a wide viewing area cut into the rock opposite its facade.
4. The Royal Tombs
A row of large facades cut into the cliff face along Petra's eastern side, including the Urn Tomb and the Palace Tomb, the Royal Tombs catch the afternoon light and give a wide-angle view back over the site's central valley.
5. High Place of Sacrifice
A climb up a rock-cut staircase leads to this hilltop ritual platform, used by the Nabataeans for ceremonial purposes, with panoramic views back over the valley and, on the descent, a different vantage point onto some of the Royal Tombs.
6. Petra by Night
Held several evenings a week, this ticketed event lines the Siq with candles and ends with the Treasury lit by candlelight to the sound of live music, a very different, quieter register from the site's daytime crowds.
7. Little Petra (Siq al-Barid)
A smaller, quieter satellite site a short drive north of the main entrance, Little Petra has its own miniature siq and carved facades without Petra's crowds, and is a common half-day add-on for travellers staying nearby.
Traveller tips
- Petra is a large site with significant walking and, for the Monastery and High Place of Sacrifice, steep climbs; wear proper walking shoes.
- Arrive at opening time to photograph the Treasury before tour groups fill the Siq.
- Petra by Night operates on a limited weekly schedule and requires a separate ticket booked in advance.
- Amman is the nearest major international airport, roughly a three-hour drive from Petra.
Where this is
Petra, Jordan