One of the most astonishing things about Petra is that its iconic structures weren’t built at all — they were meticulously carved directly into the towering sandstone cliffs that guard this once-lost city. Every façade, from the intricate columns of the Treasury to the grand entrances of ancient tombs, was sculpted by hand, chiseled layer by layer out of the living rock. The Nabataeans didn’t just construct a city; they transformed the desert canyon itself into a breathtaking masterpiece, leaving behind an architectural wonder that still feels almost unreal in its scale and craftsmanship.

The first glimpse of Petra took my breath away. As we walked two miles into the canyon, the towering red rocks rose around us like ancient sentinels. Along the way, we saw dams built to store water, part of a mind-blowing irrigation system that the Nabataeans had constructed as far back as 300 B.C. I couldn’t help but marvel at their ingenuity—how they managed to harness and preserve water in such a harsh desert environment, turning the canyon into a thriving city.

Astonishingly, Petra was far beyond anything I had imagined. Walking through the city felt like wandering two miles of secrets and delights, each twist and turn revealing something more magical than the last—and then retracing the same path back felt just as enchanting. We rode horses into Petra at first, letting the rhythm of their steps guide us through the ancient pathways. Later, to save time and energy for the Petra by Night experience, we hopped onto an electric cart, which zipped us along comfortably while still giving us glimpses of the canyon’s grandeur. Every moment felt like stepping into another world, where history, mystery, and sheer awe merged into an unforgettable adventure.

Learning about Petra’s history made my visit even more fascinating. I discovered that the city was home to the Arab Bedouin tribe, the Nabataeans, but there’s evidence that humans had been in the area as far back as 7,000 years ago! Petra rose to prominence as the Nabataean capital in the 2nd century B.C., becoming a bustling trading hub that brought immense wealth to its people. At its peak, the city’s population reached around 20,000, and though many groups tried to seize it over the centuries, Petra finally fell to the Romans in 106 A.D. Walking through the ruins, I could almost feel the echoes of that vibrant, thriving city and imagine the bustling life that once filled these canyons

Petra, often called the “Rose City,” earns its name from the warm pink hues of its sandstone cliffs. Once the thriving capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, it flourished as a major center of trade and culture. The Nabataeans carved their city directly into the rose-colored rock using a subtractive method that demanded extraordinary precision. With no room for structural error, builders had to visualize the entire design from the start, carving from the top down. Their mastery as engineers and artisans is evident in the intricate facades, monumental tombs, and sophisticated water-management systems they created. It’s truly mind-blowing to think that all of this was accomplished around 300 BC, long before the technologies we rely on today.

We were exhausted after a long day, but seeing Petra at night made it all worth it. The city transformed into a magical spectacle, with flickering lights illuminating the rose-colored cliffs and casting shadows over the ancient carvings. The storytelling added another layer of wonder, bringing the history of Petra to life in a way that was both enchanting and unforgettable.