Attraction
Amman Citadel
Amman's oldest inhabited hill, crowned by the Roman Temple of Hercules, an Umayyad palace, a Byzantine church and wide views over Downtown.
Jordan packs an extraordinary range of experiences into a small country. The capital, Amman, combines Roman ruins, museums and a lively food scene, and it makes a good base for day trips to the Roman city of Jerash, the mosaics of Madaba and the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on land. Further south, the rose-red Nabataean city of Petra and the desert landscapes of Wadi Rum are among the most memorable sights in the Middle East, while Aqaba offers diving and snorkelling on the Red Sea. Jordanians are known for their hospitality, and the country is easy to travel around by car, with or without a driver.
Attraction
Amman's oldest inhabited hill, crowned by the Roman Temple of Hercules, an Umayyad palace, a Byzantine church and wide views over Downtown.
Attraction
A 2nd-century Roman theatre cut into the hillside of Downtown Amman, seating around 6,000 people and still used for concerts and festivals.
Attraction
Jordan's national museum in Ras al-Ain, telling the country's story from prehistory to today, with the Ain Ghazal statues and Dead Sea Scrolls.
Attraction
Amman's blue-domed landmark, completed in 1989 as a memorial to King Abdullah I and open to non-Muslim visitors outside prayer times.
Attraction
A contemporary art centre for the Arab world, set in six restored 1920s and 1930s houses with gardens and ancient ruins overlooking Downtown.
Attraction
Jordan's national gallery in Jabal al-Luweibdeh, with thousands of modern and contemporary works from Jordan, the Arab world and the Global South.
Café
The original Downtown kunafa counter, serving Habibah's famous warm Nabulsi kunafa in its alley since 1951, with queues of locals at all hours.
Café
The Amman speciality coffee roaster founded by three brothers in 2014, with branches including Weibdeh and The Boulevard, known for single origins and pour-overs.
Café
A bright corner café in the heart of Jabal al-Weibdeh, with big windows, a busy terrace and a following among artists, students and locals.
Café
A family-friendly Downtown café-restaurant in a historic building, known for Turkish coffee, shisha, mezze, clay-pot dishes and live music in the evenings.
Café
A pioneering café, bar and bookshop just off Rainbow Street since 1997, with a terrace overlooking the Old City, books in several languages and cultural events.
Café
A cultural café in a 1933 house on the Al-Kalha stairs between Downtown and Weibdeh, with a quiet courtyard, tea and regular talks and music.
Hotel
A five-star hotel on Fifth Circle, high on one of Amman's seven hills, with a spa using Dead Sea ingredients, a seasonal pool and La Capitale…
Hotel
A five-star hotel on Fifth Circle with 227 rooms and suites, indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and eight places to eat and drink, from Italian…
Hotel
A large five-star hotel on Fifth Circle in Abdoun, with 316 rooms and suites, seven restaurants and bars, a spa and a seasonal outdoor pool.
Hotel
A long-established five-star hotel on Islamic College Street, with six restaurants from Lebanese to Indian and Mexican, indoor and outdoor pools and a spa.
Hotel
A modern boutique hotel of spacious suites near Second Circle, a five-minute walk from Rainbow Street, with a rooftop terrace, pool and gym.
Hotel
A 50-floor five-star tower in Abdali with 411 rooms, city views, an Italian restaurant, a terrace lounge and easy access to The Boulevard.
Bar
An izakaya-style wine bar hidden behind 13C, Amman's largest wine and spirits shop, pairing flights, cocktails and small plates on a cosy patio.
Bar
A Rainbow Street gastropub with an Italian-leaning restaurant below and an open-air rooftop bar above, looking across to the Citadel.
Bar
Fairmont Amman's rooftop lounge, with skyline views, signature cocktails, a resident DJ and late opening until 03:00 at weekends.
Bar
A rooftop lounge from the Buddha-Bar group on top of Hilton Amman, serving Mediterranean and Asian food, herb-infused cocktails and DJ sets.
Bar
A quirky rooftop bar on Rainbow Street decorated with recycled car parts, with a restored Volkswagen van on the roof and views over East Amman.
Bar
Jordan's first microbrewery, founded in 2010 in the Blue Valley near Fuheis just west of Amman, offering brewery tours, samplers and outdoor grills.
Restaurant
An elegant Levantine restaurant in a restored Jabal Amman villa, open since 1997 and known for its kibbeh, mezze and attentive, old-school hospitality.
Restaurant
A Rainbow Street favourite in an early 20th-century villa, serving generous Jordanian home cooking such as mansaf, clay-pot dishes and freshly baked bread.
Restaurant
Chef Ali Ghzawi's modern Jordanian restaurant near First Circle, reworking childhood flavours into creative tasting dishes with views over the city.
Restaurant
Amman's long-running classic Italian restaurant, opened in 1979, serving traditional four-course lunches and dinners in a formal dining room with a terrace.
Restaurant
A restored villa with a leafy courtyard serving seasonal Jordanian home cooking from breakfast to dinner, alongside a design shop, grocery and natural-wine bar.
Restaurant
Chef Sara Aqel's Mediterranean restaurant and wine shop in a restored 1958 villa, with a garden terrace, regional wines and Jordanian-accented weekend brunch.
Thing to do
One of Amman's oldest streets, running east from First Circle through Jabal Amman with cafés, rooftop restaurants, craft showrooms and city views.
Thing to do
A day trip from Amman to ancient Gerasa, about 48 km north, one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the region, with colonnaded streets and theatres.
Thing to do
A half-day trip from Amman to Madaba, the City of Mosaics, to see the sixth-century mosaic map of the Holy Land in the Greek Orthodox Church…
Thing to do
The hilltop where Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land, with a Byzantine memorial church, fine mosaics and views over the Jordan Valley.
Thing to do
The UNESCO-listed site on the Jordan River identified as Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John baptised Jesus, visited with a shuttle and local guide.
Tour operator
A cook-and-dine experience in a family home in Jabal al-Weibdeh, where local hajjehs teach guests to prepare and share a seasonal Arabic meal.
Tour operator
A women-led food tour company running small-group and private walking tours of Downtown Amman's markets and street-food stalls, plus cooking classes.
Tour operator
A community-tourism company whose new four-hour Amman City Tour walks from Jabal Amman to Downtown, alongside day trips and stays in northern Jordan.
Tour operator
A Jordanian adventure travel specialist based in Jabal al-Weibdeh, running canyoning, hiking, cycling and tailor-made trips from Wadi Mujib to Petra and Wadi Rum.
Tour operator
An Amman-based destination management company, founded in 1994, arranging private day tours from the capital and tailor-made itineraries across Jordan.
Renting a car or hiring a driver gives the most flexibility; JETT buses link Amman with Petra and Aqaba, and organised tours cover the main sites.
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) bring the most comfortable temperatures for sightseeing and hiking; summer is very hot, especially in the south.
Petra, Wadi Rum, Jerash, the Dead Sea, Madaba and Mount Nebo, and Aqaba on the Red Sea are the most popular, with nature reserves such as Dana for hiking.