Madaba was first mentioned in the Bible at the time of Exodus, about 1200 BC.  Modern Madaba is built on an artificial mound that conceals the remains of much earlier sites.  This “City of Mosaics” showcases hundreds of mosaics from the 5^th through the 7^th centuries that can be seen at Madaba’s churches and homes including the 6^th century Mosaic Map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land in St. George’s Church.

Madaba is a small town and one can walk or catch a taxi to the places of interest such as the Madaba Archaelogical Museum, Madaba Folklore Museum, Shrine of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, an Iron Age Fortification Wall, and the Dolmens at Al Fayha. 

Your Madaba visitor guide will tell you that, like the town itself, the restaurants embrace different cultures and tastes; look forward to Jordanian hospitality and delicious food.

Day trips can be made by taxi or bus to nearby places of interest such as Mount Nebo, where the bible says Moses went to see the Promised Land; one can also see the Dead Sea, Jericho and even the hills overlooking Jerusalem.

Also nearby is Wadi Jadid, a field of dolmens, some of which are 5,000 years old and the thermal mineral springs of Hammamat Ma'in.  Several buildings, churches and stone arches still stand in the walled ruined city of Umm Ar-Rasas; however the main attraction is outside the city walls at the Church of St. Stephen where you will see a perfectly preserved mosaic floor dating back to 718 AD.