12 Best Things to do in Amman
Explore Downtown Amman
Whether you are driving or walking, making your way through the hectic streets of Amman is an experience in itself. Since the locals in Jordan have a tendency to treat traffic rules as entirely optional, driving in a big city like Amman can be challenging and quite stressful at times. But if you are driving and planning to spend the night somewhere central - which I would definitely recommend - then you will have to do it at least twice…
Exploring the central area on foot is a much easier feat. Amman is a huge city, but the old district (called Al Balad or Downtown Amman) with its neighbouring hills is where you will find all of the attractions, and everything is walking distance. Downtown Amman has that classic Middle Eastern charm, mixing chaos with character and giving a sense of adventure at every step. As a foreigner, expect to standout from the crowd, however Jordanian people are very welcoming so at most you will be greeted with the occasional “Welcome to Jordan!”.
Visit the Citadel
Amman was originally built on seven hills, as too many other major cities like to claim (seriously though, there are so many). These hills are called jabals locally. The highest hill in Amman, Jabal Al Qala'a, has an altitude of 850m, while the rest of the downtown area stands at 700m above sea level. This is where you will find the Amman Citadel, which is the city’s most popular attraction.
The Amman Citadel is an archaeological complex, with several points of interest: The Temple of Hercules, the Byzantine Church and the Umayyad Palace, as well as the Archaeological Museum. The Temple of Hercules is the oldest surviving ruin and dates back to the 2nd century. Even though not much remains of the original structure, it has a very distinctive look and you will likely spot this from all around downtown before you get to see it up close. The entrance fee is 2 JD for the main site with an additional 3 JD for the Archaeological Museum, or free with the Jordan Pass.
Perhaps the best part of Amman Citadel is the beautiful view that it offers from its highest point, best enjoyed at sunset.
See the City at Sunset
With its narrow streets and its buildings spanning over multiple hills, the central district of Amman is a very photogenic place. For the best view, head up to a high point around sunset time and wait past the golden hour. With so many hills, you are spoiled for choice, but probably the best viewpoints can be found around Jabal Amman or Jabal Al Qala’a.
I marked my favourite viewpoints in Amman on my map of Jordan. If in doubt, the citadel is always a good idea for sunset (but make sure to allow some time for visiting before closing time).
Admire the Street Art
Amman has a vibrant street art scene, and you never know when you might come across yet another mural as you wander around. The terraced buildings of the capital are a blank canvas for talented local artists, who create beautiful artworks, rich in colour and cultural motifs.
Notably, there are some really spectacular murals covering the full height of some buildings, and these really stand out when seen from viewpoints, but there are so many more to be found all across the city.
Visit the Roman Theatre
The Roman Theatre is found at the base of Jabal Al Taj, the hill directly across from the Citadel. It is a large structure dating back to the 2nd century and very well-preserved. The theatre is worth visiting, but I would argue that the view of it from anywhere around the citadel is more worthwhile. The Roman Theatre also houses two small museums within its complex - The Folklore Museum and Jordanian Museum of Popular Traditions. The entrance fee is 2 JD for the main site with an additional 2 JD for each of the two museums, or free with the Jordan Pass.
Don’t expect much of the two museums, in fact I would recommend skipping them altogether - a series of tacky displays showcasing mannequins dressed in traditional attire and engaging in various local customs, that’s all there is. If you want to learn about Jordanian culture and history, there is a much better option out there.
Learn about Jordan at Jordan Museum
The Jordan Museum, along with the Petra Museum, were by far the best museums we visited during our stay in Jordan. Unlike most of the major attractions around Jordan, it is not included in the Jordan Pass, however the entrance fee of 5 JD is really worth it. The many small museums that are included in the Jordan Pass may be free, but none of them is even remotely impressive. The Jordan Museum is large, modern, informative, and well laid out. It also houses some important artefacts, including part of the Dead Sea Scrolls and 9,000 year old ‘Ain Ghazal plaster statues, some of the oldest human statues ever made.
If you only visit one museum while in Jordan, let it be the Jordan Museum in Amman.
Explore Jabal Amman
Jabal Amman is another hill that borders downtown Amman, and the main star here is Rainbow Street, with its trendy shops and hip eateries, some of the best in Amman. Despite the name and pictures you may find online, there really isn’t much “rainbow” to this street, aside from some colourful lanterns decorating one of the smaller side streets. For the most part, it looks like any other street.
But there is plenty to find there still. Try some Jordanian mezze at Sufra or grab a quick falafel sandwich at Al Quds Falafel. Check out the view at Cantaloupe Gastro Pub, one of the very best rooftop bars in Amman. Or visit the Wild Jordan Center - sit down for a drink or nice meal at their restaurant, admire the beautiful view, shop for souvenirs, or even spend the night there.
Go Shopping
In typical Middle Eastern style, the streets of Amman are bustling with shops selling spices, clothes, gold jewellery, and local handicraft. Several markets (souqs) can be found around the old district, such as Souk Mango, Souq Jara or Souq Al-Sukar.
Amman is the best place in all of Jordan for shopping. There is much more choice, and pretty much anything you can find around the various attractions in Jordan, you can also find in Amman. Things are also likely to be much cheaper than in tourist hotspots like Petra and Wadi Rum. If you plan to buy yourself a keffiyeh (traditional scarf), or take home some souvenirs, Amman is probably the place for it. Don’t forget to haggle.
Taste the Local Food
This entry probably deserves a post of its own, but here is a quick summary. The food in Jordan is amazing and there are so many things to try, some will be familiar, some will be new. As one would expect, Amman has by far the best choice of eateries in the country.
Some of the dishes we liked:
Hummus - amazing!
Falafel - also amazing!
Moutabal - eggplant dip similar to baba ganoush, but better
Labneh - strained salty yogurt usually served with fresh bread
Tabbouleh - fresh salad with parsley
Chicken Liver - best with pomegranate molasses
Kunafa - a sweet and salty cheese based desert. YUM.
Some of the places we tried:
Sufra Restaurant - great food, beautiful courtyard
Wild Jordan - great venue all around, beautiful view
Cantaloupe Gastro Pub - rooftop bar in Jabal Amman, beautiful view
Salah Adinn Bakery - takeaway sandwiches, very local, very cheap
Yafa For Herbal Drinks.- great for coffee or juice, nicely decorated
Habibah Sweets - THE place for Kunafa
Trying the local desert called Kunafa makes for an unexpectedly interesting experience when visiting Amman. Head to Habibah Sweets (make sure you go to this one, not the other one down the road - it’s more fun). Choose your size and pay at the kiosk, then use your receipt to get your desert inside. Everything is very fast paced, which is part of the fun. There is hardly any time to make any decisions, but before you know it, you are standing in the alley with a plate of delicious Kunafa in hand. This is a locals’ favourite spot, so there is always a queue, but that’s never an issue as it all happens so very quickly.
For other ideas of restaurants, have a look at my map of Jordan.
There are also some really interesting things to do outside of Amman, less than an hour drive away.
So here are some ideas for a day trip.
Visit the Roman Ruins of Jerash
North of Amman, you can find Jerash, an ancient city known for its Roman ruins, said to be some of the best preserved outside of Italy. The archaeological site is all there is to see in Jerash, but it’s a huge complex, so you could easily spend 3-4 hours walking around. The entrance fee is 12 JD, or free with the Jordan Pass.
See the Desert Castles
There are many so-called desert castles all around Jordan, some more accessible than others, some more impressive than others. Some of the finest examples are not far from the capital. South of Amman, you can find Qasr Al-Mushatta, right next to the airport. East of Amman, you can find three along the main road, all very easily accessible: Qasr Al-Kharranah, Qasr Amra, and Qasr Azraq. We visited two of these: Qasr Al-Kharranah, one of the largest and best preserved, and Qasr Amra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its frescoes dating back to the 8th century.
The entrance fee to the desert castles is 3 JD (combined ticket valid for all), or free with the Jordan Pass.
Relax at the Dead Sea
The Dead Sea provides the perfect escape from the chaos of the capital, and it’s only a 1h drive away. Swimming in the Dead Sea is a an experience unlike any other, very fun and also relaxing.
Or, if you are feeling more adventurous, you could spend half a day canyoning at Wadi Mujib.
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