No matter what people have heard about Petra, nothing quite prepares them for this stunning city with its dazzling colors and rock formations. One of the world’s great wonders, this ancient city is a jewel in Jordan’s crown. This unique settlement was carved out of a sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who came here more than 2,000 years ago, establishing it as an important junction for silk, spice and other trade routes.