On the slopes of Jabal Al-Madbah, this city is in a basin amidst the mountains which form the eastern border of Arabah gorge that runs from the dead sea to the Gulf of Aqaba.
As per assumptions, Petra was colonized as early as 9000 BC and probably in the fourth century BC it was established as the capital city of Nabataean Kingdom.
Since 1985, this city has been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2007, it has been voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Petra now is the symbol of Jordan and is the most visited tourist attraction of the country, with nearly six lakhs tourists having visited this site in the year 2017.
It may take three days to explore all the attractions Petra city has to offer, but for the time-constrained traveller, it will be possible to visit these attractions within a short period.
Tour operators like Petra Tours from Amman have different itineraries to explore Petra within a short time, and there are also other tours available where a full Petra day trip is merged with a visit to other places like Wadi Rum, Little Petra, Dead Sea, Mt Nebo, Al Shobak Castle, Dana and Al Mujib Natural reserves.