A Day in Amman, Jordan

The capital of Jordan isn’t known for being one of the country’s highlights. For most people, Amman is just the gateway to greater attractions like Wadi Rum, Petra and the Dead Sea.

Well, you heard it here first: I really liked Amman!

Once called Philadelphia under Roman rule, there are still plenty of Roman ruins scattered around the city. Combine that ancient history with good food and what I can only describe as a “cool vibe”, and voila! You have the perfect city to explore between Jordan’s bigger adventures.

Amman is also one of the most liberal cities in the Middle East, so it’s a good introduction to the region. I even found the capital noticeably more liberal than the rest of Jordan, which is perhaps why I liked it so much!

Like everyone else, I was guilty of spending very little time in Amman, but I did manage to see quite a lot of the city. Even in one day you can get a good feel of the history and organised chaos that Amman has to offer.

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What to see & do in Amman

The Citadel

I had planned a chilled evening for my first night in Amman. However, as my taxi driver from the airport navigated Amman’s winding streets, he pointed out ruins of the Roman Citadel. They looked so enticing, I couldn’t resist heading out to explore as soon as I’d put my bags down.

Located on top of one of Amman’s original seven hills, the Citadel is a big, open complex that now stands in ruins. The site has seen so much history, since it’s been standing since about 1800 BCE! Because of its vantage point, it’s a great place to watch both sunrise and sunset. Wandering around the Citadel ended up being my favourite thing I did in Amman.

Places to see in the Citadel:

ruins of the Temple of Hercules
the hand of Hercules
Umayyad Palace
Jordan Archaeological Museum
ruins of a Byzantine church

Opening hours: 8 a.m. – 6.30 p.m. (summer) or 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (winter). Times differ on some Fridays and during Ramadan.

Cost: 3 JD for non-residents (about £3.30; cash only) or free with the Jordan Pass

Time spent here: 1.5 – 2 hours

Duke's Diwan

Tucked out of sight in central Amman, the Duke’s Diwan is an old, architectural hidden gem of the city. The house has been perfectly preserved as it was in the early 1900s. It consists of only five rooms, all painted a chipped and faded, pastel turquoise. There are little displays about the house’s original purpose and how it’s changed hands over time.

Yet to call the Duke’s Diwan a museum would be to massively undersell it. It may be preserved but, unusually, visitors are encouraged to interact with the space.

When I arrived, some photographers had moved one of the tables to stage a photo shoot. Two musicians were discussing sheet music over a violin; there was a group drinking tea round an old table; some tourists were huddled around a map in the breeze on the balcony. There was even a parrot singing for attention in a large, metal cage.

Following their lead, I took a seat in an original chair from the 1900s. The heat and smog from the cars outside seeped in through the open balcony doors, but I soaked up the atmosphere of the creatives around me.

Opening hours: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Cost: free

Time spent here: 30 mins

Jordan Museum

I was worried I would run out of time to visit the Jordan Museum, what with how much I had planned in the rest of Jordan. However, I found myself with a couple of hours spare just as the heavens opened and it began to pour with rain. It so rarely rains in Amman that I decided it must be a sign. The rain clouds were definitely prompting me to head through Amman’s slippery streets to the museum.

If you’ve any interest at all in biblical history, the Jordan Museum has to be on your Amman itinerary. After all, it’s home to the Dead Sea Scrolls, the remnants of the only known original biblical texts that existed before 100 A.D. Imagine how much history and power is bound up with these scrolls!

Opening hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays.

Cost: 5 JD for non-residents (about £5.50; cash only)

Restrictions: there are security scanners on the way in. They asked me to leave my rucksack in the cloakroom (for free) because it had my tripod in.

Time spent here: 1 – 1.5 hours

Roman theatre

Amman’s Roman Theatre is another remnant from the city’s time as Roman Philadelphia. Though it’s nearly 2000 years old, the massive, open-air Theatre, built entirely of stone, was restored in the 1950s. Unlike the Citadel, the Theatre is thus complete. It gave me an amazing idea of what Amman must have looked like under Roman rule.

I think I enjoyed my visit to the Theatre even more for the most amazing sunset I witnessed there. It had been raining heavily all afternoon but cleared up just before dusk. Nevertheless, heavy storm clouds lingered in the sky and the setting sun lit them up in an amazing array of colours.

Opening hours: 8 a.m. – 6.30 p.m. (summer) or 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (winter). Times differ during Ramadan.

Cost: 2 JD for non-residents (about £2.20; cash only) or free with the Jordan Pass

Time spent here: 30 mins – 1 hour

King Abdullah Mosque

With blue mosaics and bright, white minarets, the King Abdullah Mosque is one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. Chances are that if you’re driving from the airport to downtown Amman, or arriving into the Abdali Jett Bus Station, you’ll pass the mosque’s blue-tiled roof.

My Amman schedule was so full that, although I’d passed the mosque many times, I nearly ran out of time to visit it properly. Luckily, I asked my taxi driver to swing by on our way to the airport, and he was kind enough to wait while I dashed out to see the mosque up properly.

The blue tiles were even more intricate up close. It always amazes me how much effort, skill and patience must go into decorating something like that. I also enjoyed talking to the mosque’s security guards, who were all very kind and amusing. They clearly enjoyed talking with me too, and were happy to take my picture with the beautiful mosque in the background.

Opening hours: open to non-Muslims from 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. – 2 p.m. Closed on Fridays. However, I’ve heard rumours that as long as you avoid prayer times and ask nicely you should be allowed in. I used this site to double-check Islam prayer times before my visit.

Cost: 2 JD (about £2.20; cash only)

Dress code: arms and legs must be fully covered, as well as your head if you’re a woman. They provide head scarves and abayas (long robes with a hood) just in case.

Restrictions: though there were guards outside, I had no issues with my rucksack or taking photos. However, I was constantly mindful that the mosque is a working place of worship.

Time spent here: 30 mins

How to get around Amman

The majority of places to see in Amman are located quite centrally, including most the locations on this list. It’s therefore pretty easy to walk to most of them. But beware: Amman is very hilly!

Otherwise, Jordan’s public transport system is practically non-existent, and driving in Amman seemed to be a bit of a nightmare. Taxis are definitely the best bet within the city. I know Amman has Careem, a taxi hailing app, but I had no problems using Uber. I even found there was a “normal taxi” option in the Uber app that often quoted a lower price than an Uber cab. If you do hail a taxi on the street, don’t pay more than 3 JD (about £3.30) for a journey within Amman.

On that note, I strongly recommend that you do not hail a cab if you’re a petite, 5’4”, fair, young woman on her own that also happens to live life doling out the benefit of the doubt—you WILL be scammed. But that’s another story(ies)!

Where to stay in Amman

Downtown AKA central Amman is definitely the best neighbourhood to stay in, especially for a short visit. Although getting off the beaten track while travelling can be nice, I often find that if all the other tourists are staying somewhere, it’s normally for a good reason! In Amman, most tourist attractions are in the downtown area, as well as some of the best places to eat in the city.

I was using central Amman as a base for travelling around the rest of the region, so I was in and out of the city a few times. Below are the three hotels I stayed at whilst in Amman. I’d definitely recommend Farah Hotel for something slightly cheaper. It has the best value for price whilst also being perfect for solo female travellers, so it had everything I was looking for. Alternatively, see all accommodation in Amman.

Farah Hotel

Pros:

central location
WiFi reaches bedrooms
group tours
other solo travellers
great value for price

Cons:

breakfast was a bit sparse

RAFI HOTEL

Pros:

central location
really nice bathrooms (the best I had in Jordan!)
WiFi reaches the bedrooms

Cons:

more of a hotel than a hostel so not great for solo travellers
accessibility not great (lots of stairs and no lift)

Jordan Tower Hotel

Pros:

central location
the free breakfast is actually really good
group tours every day
other solo travellers

Cons:

overpriced
very noisy from traffic

It might be dusty and hilly, but Amman has a lot going for it. Even in a short space of time, it’s possible to explore the ancient Roman ruins and soak in the atmosphere of modern Jordan. Somehow managing to accommodate tourists without sacrificing Jordanian culture, Amman is the perfect introduction to Jordan and the Middle East.

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1 Comment

James Stanfield · 02/16/2021 at 7:44 PM

Thaks for sharing your adventures, thoughts, photos. I enjoyed the time spent with your content..!

A Day in Amman, Jordan