Amman to Umm Qais and Pella day trip

Pella is a little village about 130 kilometres north of Amman and one of the most significant sites of ancient ruins in Jordan. The University of Sydney in conjunction with the Jordanian Department of Antiquities, have been uncovering relics since 1979. There is evidence of continuous settlement for 6,000 years, and artefacts have also been found from almost all periods including as far back as the Stone Age.  Pella is centred on a large tell overlooking the Jordan Valley. Its location at the crossroads of major trade routes in the Middle East, along with its fertile lands and its attractive climate, explains its long history of occupation. 

Umm Qais (meaning ‘Mother of Qais’), or as it was known in ancient times ‘Gadara’, is a cultural centre and home to several philosophers and classical poets including founder of the rhetorical school, Theodourus; and the esteemed Hellenistic Greek poet, Meleager. By the third century BC, the town was a cultural hub and was referred to as “a new Athens” by one poet, with its colonnaded streets, theatres, and terraces. It is perched upon a splendid hilltop overlooking the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan Valley at the borders of Jordan, Israel, and Syria. Since the foundation of the state of Israel in 1948, Palestinians that have left their hometown frequently visit Umm Qais as it provides breath-taking views over the Sea of Galilee.