Amman

Jordan's capital, with old-town food alleys below the Citadel and Roman Theater, and day trips to Jerash, the Dead Sea, Madaba and the desert castles.

Amman is Jordan's capital and largest city, with a population of about 4 million. Built on rolling hills (jabals), it was anciently called Philadelphia and was one of the Roman Decapolis cities. The city centers on the old downtown, Al-Balad: the Temple of Hercules and Umayyad Palace on Citadel Hill, the Roman Theater and Husseini Mosque at its foot, and, to the west, the Rainbow Street area, an old street full of cafés and rooftop restaurants. With Amman as a base, you can make four classic day trips: north, Jerash, Ajloun Castle and Umm Qais; southwest, the Madaba mosaic map, Mount Nebo, the Baptism Site on the Jordan River and floating in the Dead Sea, with Wadi Mujib canyoning added in summer; east, the Desert Castles loop (Qasr Harrana, Qusayr Amra, Azraq Castle); and the old town of As-Salt to the northwest takes just half a day. Climate: March–May and October–November are the most comfortable. In summer Amman, at about 30°C, is tolerable, but the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley can exceed 40°C; in winter Amman occasionally sees snow, while the Dead Sea area stays warm for floating. Getting there: Queen Alia International Airport is about 35 km from the city, with an airport bus. In the city and surrounding area, taxis, Uber/Careem or chartered cars are the main options; public transport is inconvenient, so renting a car or hiring a driver is recommended for the sights. Recommended stay: 3–4 days. Note: the Jordan Pass waives the visa fee and includes admission to more than 40 sites, including Amman Citadel, the Roman Theater, Jerash and Petra; a stay of 3+ nights qualifies for the visa fee waiver, making it very good value. Dress conservatively, and women need to cover their heads when entering mosques. Friday is the weekly day off, and some shops do not open in the morning.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries