A visit to capital Amman is a must on your Jordan trip. The ancient city on endless hills dates back to the distant prehistoric times. The oldest remnants found in Amman date back to many thousands of years before Christ. This makes Amman a fascinating combination of modern hotspots, classical architecture and archaeological finds. So what are the best places to visit in Amman? What are the most amazing things to do and visit? These are the best sights, highlights, hotspots and hotels in Amman.
Best hotels in Amman
- The House Boutique Hotel | $$$ | current prices and availability
Do you prefer to travel with all possible luxury and comfort? This is your spot! The popular Rainbow Street is just around the corner, so the location of this hotel is perfect. There is a swimming pool to cool off after a hot day in the city. - Art Hotel Downtown | $$ | current prices and availability
This basic boutique hotel is located in the heart of the city. Each room has its own mural, which gives the hotel a colorful vibe. The falafel of Hashem is just around the corner. The Darat Al Funun Museum with Modern Art is also one block away from this hotel. - Nomads Hotel Amman | $$ | current prices and availability
Near Rainbow Street and therefore popular with young backpackers. The common areas are colorful and modern, the rooms basic and bright. Nomads Hotel has dormitories and private rooms. - Gallery Guest House | $ | current prices and availability
Only a few steps down the street from the Art Hotel – so close to Hashem and the Darat al Funun as well – is the Gallery Guest House. The hotel has spacious, bright and comfortable rooms and has walls full of striking artworks by local artists. - Hostel The Cabin Amman | $ | current prices and availability
Around the corner of Art Hotel and Gallery Guest House is this backpacker’s favorite. The wood and light colors make you feel at home. It only has dormitories.
More hotels and hostels in Amman? Click below for the best options on Booking.com. Tip: you can almost always cancel or change your booking free of charge, just in case your travel plans change.
Best places to visit in Amman
#1 The Amman Citadel
One of the central hills of Amman is home to the Citadel. It offers a fantastic view of the city! But this is also the place where you can find the most important and coolest ruins in town. Especially the temple of Hercules and the old Palace are impressive to see.
Tip: the Jordan Pass gives free entry to the Citadel! We calculate how much money we saved by using this tourist pass in this blog. To give you a hint: by just visiting Petra and saving money on your visa, the pass is worth his money.
#2 The Roman Theatre
Another impressive building from antiquity! The Roman theatre is beautifully preserved and is still being used. With 6,000 seats, this is the largest theatre in Jordan from Roman times. You can take the stairs all the way up for a good view of the theatre. It is impressive how such a huge theatre has managed to last through ages. The theatre is also free to visit with the Jordan Pass.
#3 Eat hummus and falafel
Hummus and falafel is hard to miss in Jordan. It’s my food favourite, so I definitely was happy with the Jordan cuisine. But especially in Amman, a serving of falafel is a big must. From all over the city people come to restaurant Hashem. For a fair price this restaurant serves the best hummus with falafel in the country.
#4 The top Amman museums
In a capital like Amman you will of course find the best museums in the country. We visited the Jordan Museum, which gives a good insight into the rich history of the country. From the Nabateans to the Roman influences and much further back. Jordan is packed with interesting history!
#5 Rainbow Street, hotspots and coffee bars
Amman is often referred to as one of the most modern cities in the Middle East. We understand why! The city is full of modern hotspots. Popular with tourists is the Rainbow Street with all its cafes, smoothie bars and art galleries.
And did you know that you can find top quality espresso bars in Amman? Jordan people serve and drinke so much tea it is hard to picture any good speciality coffee in Amman. But there are so many cool coffee spots! And no, we don’t mean the instant coffee you get in other places in the country. Really. Good. Coffee.
Read more: these are the best coffee bars in Amman!
#6 A day trip to Jerash
Did you know that Amman is also the perfect base for a day trip to the ancient Roman city of Jerash? When you think of Jordan, images of magical Petra are likely to appear directly in your mind. But Petra is not the only ancient city in the country. Back in Roman times, Jerash was one of the most important cities in the Middle East.
You’ll still see evidence of this in the beautiful ruins of old Jerash. The main Jerash highlights? Hadrian’s Arch just after the entrance, the beautifully preserved theatre and the Temple of Artemis at the city’s highest point. The Jordan Pass also offers free entrance to Jerash.
#7 A trip to the Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is also a short drive away from Amman. We’d recommend you to book a hotel at the Dead Sea itself, but a day trip from Amman is also a great option. You can get day passes at most resorts, so you can use the swimming pools and the beach with all the facilities during the day. There is also a public beach, but we’ve heard pretty bad stories about it.
Read more: read all our tips for your visit to the Dead Sea
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