Amman is the gateway to Jordan, and many travellers pass through for one night before Petra. That is a pity: the city, built across its hills, has a citadel with the Temple of Hercules, a Roman theatre in the middle of downtown, a lively souk, cafés on Rainbow Street and several easy day trips (Jerash, Madaba, Mount Nebo, the Dead Sea). Allow one full day for the city, two with the nearby sights. The city is spread out and hilly: distances on the map look short on foot but the climbs are steep, so take taxis (Uber or Careem) between districts.
Highlights
The Citadel and the Temple of Hercules
On Jabal al-Qala'a hill, the columns of the Roman temple (2nd century) overlook the city, with a small museum and the Umayyad palace; see Amman Citadel.
The hills of Amman
The city spreads over several hills (jabals); the best view is from the Citadel or from the terraces of Jabal Amman at sunset.
The Roman Theatre
About 6,000 seats cut into the hillside, in the heart of downtown; allow an hour with the neighbouring Odeon. See Roman Theatre in Amman.
Downtown (Al-Balad)
Souks, falafel, pastries and the Al-Husseini Mosque: the most authentic district, see Downtown Amman souks.
Rainbow Street
The street of cafés and terraces on Jabal Amman, best in the evening: Rainbow Street.
The Jordan Museum
A good introduction to the country's history (Ain Ghazal statues, Dead Sea Scrolls): Jordan Museum.
Practical info
Tips
- The Jordan Pass (buy it before you travel, from about 70 JD) includes the visa if you stay at least two consecutive nights, plus entry to the Citadel, the Roman Theatre, Jerash, Ajloun and Petra: see Jordan Pass: price and is it worth it. Without the pass, the Citadel costs 3 JD for non-Jordanians and the Roman Theatre about 2 JD. To plan your stay, read Amman in 1 day; if you are short of time, an Amman city tour combines the Citadel, the theatre and downtown. The three easiest outings from Amman are Jerash and Ajloun (about 48 km and 75 km), Madaba and Mount Nebo (about 30 km and 40 km) and the Dead Sea (about 1 hour by road); see Jerash, Madaba and Dead Sea. Petra is about 3 hours by road: see Petra. Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered) when visiting mosques and traditional districts.
How to get there
Queen Alia International Airport is about 35 km south of the centre; see From Queen Alia airport to Amman. In the city, yellow taxis and apps (Uber, Careem) are cheap; buses are impractical for visitors.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
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