The Valley is typically Mediterranean, with mild winters and hot summers. In ancient times, the Jordan Valley was one of the most fertile places in the Middle East, and some of the world’s oldest civilization sprang from this soil. The Valley also has profound meaning for religious travelers. The Jordan River is known as the place Jesus was baptized and near where John the Baptist lived. The Dead Sea has a historical and spiritual legacy of its own. It is believed to be the site of five biblical cities: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zebouin and Zoar. As the name suggested, the sea devoid of life due to an extremely high content of salts and minerals. But it is these natural elements which give the waters their curative powers, recognized since the days of Herod the great, more than 2,000 years ago. The Dead Sea is normally as a millpond with the barely a ripple disturbing its surface. Try as one may, it is impossible to sink in the thick brine which is four times as salty as regular seawater.