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.
The things to do in Amman range from Roman ruins and royal museums to rooftop cafés and some of the best home-style cooking in the Middle East. Jordan's capital spreads across a series of steep hills, or jabals. Downtown, known as Al-Balad, holds the Roman Theatre, the souks and the oldest restaurants, with the Citadel on the hill above. Jabal Amman, around Rainbow Street and First Circle, is the place for evening strolls, restaurants and bars, while Jabal al-Weibdeh has galleries, small cafés and a creative, neighbourly feel. West Amman, including Abdoun and the circles further out, is home to the large hotels.
Food is a highlight. Start with falafel and hummus Downtown, try mansaf, the national dish of lamb in a fermented yoghurt sauce, and finish with warm kunafa. Amman also has a growing number of acclaimed contemporary restaurants. Two or three days are enough to see the main sights of the city, and many visitors add day trips to Jerash, Madaba, Mount Nebo, the Baptism Site and the Dead Sea before heading south to Petra and Wadi Rum.
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.
Two to three days cover the Citadel, the Roman Theatre, the Jordan Museum, Rainbow Street and Jabal al-Weibdeh; add a day or two for trips to Jerash, Madaba and the Dead Sea.
Jabal Amman is central and close to Rainbow Street, Downtown suits budget travellers who want to be near the Roman sites, and Abdali and Fifth Circle have the large international hotels.
Most visitors take a taxi, a ride-hailing car or a pre-booked transfer from Queen Alia International Airport; there is also an airport bus service to the city. Allow around 40 minutes to an hour depending on traffic.
Street food, local restaurants and taxis are good value, while international hotels, bars and alcohol are relatively expensive; the Jordan Pass can reduce costs if you plan to visit several major sites.
Amman is generally considered a safe and welcoming city for visitors; take the usual precautions with valuables, dress modestly at religious sites and check your government's travel advice before you go.