Stand at the viewpoint near the Amman Citadel as the muezzin call rises over the city below, and you get an acoustic impression of Amman that no photograph carries. The whole city lies before you, hill after hill, and the sound arrives from every direction at once.
Amman suits travellers who want a base as much as a destination. The capital of a diverse kingdom, it is not packed with sights, which makes it a good gateway to explorations further afield. Two days is enough to see what the city itself holds.
This guide covers the historic core, the museums and galleries, the streets worth walking, and a few places around the city. It closes with a one-day plan and answers to common questions.
Top things to do in Amman
1. Amman Citadel (Jabal al-Qal'a)
A national historic site at the centre of downtown Amman, where settlement extends over 7,000 years and the remains of successive empires sit on one hill. Entry is 3 JD, or free with a Jordan Pass.
If you do not want to walk the whole way back to the entrance when leaving, try the southern end of the fence at the very west of the citadel complex. The site holds several separate monuments, covered below, so allow time for all of them in one visit.
2. Umayyad Palace
In the northern portion of the Citadel, the Umayyad Palace offers a great view of Amman. It is one of the monuments within the Citadel complex, so you will see it on the same ticket.
Combine it with the Temple of Herakles and the Jordan Archaeological Museum, both also inside the Citadel, rather than making separate trips.
3. Temple of Herakles
Roman period remains inside the Citadel. They are part of the same complex and the same entry fee.
Pair this with the Byzantine Church, which dates to the 5th-6th centuries and also stands within the Citadel.
4. Jordan Archaeological Museum
In the citadel, this museum hosts a small but interesting collection of antiquities from all over Jordan. Fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls which used to be housed here are now being transferred to The Jordan Museum.
Visit it as part of your Citadel walk, since it sits within the same site.
5. Roman Theater
Built during the reign of Antonius Pius, 138-161 AD, this impressive theater could seat up to 6,000 people. Next to it are a folklore museum and a popular culture museum which the entrance fee also covers. Entry is 2 JD, or free with a Jordan Pass.
Next to it is the Odeon theater, a smaller theater built at the same time. The two small museums, Folklore and Popular Traditions, are to the right and left as you enter.
6. The Jordan Museum (Jordan National Museum)
A modern and well-preserved museum on Ali Ben Abi Taleb St. 10, right next to Palm Square. Many of the artifacts from the citadel have been moved here, and it gives a great summary of Jordan's history. Entry is 5 JD, 1 JD for locals, and the Jordan Pass is not valid.
The entrance can be hard to find as the pedestrian entrance is sometimes closed, so you must enter through the parking entrance. The current Google Maps location is slightly inaccurate: the museum and entrance are just south of the mosque.
7. Rainbow Street
Near the 1st Circle in Jabal Amman, this is an interesting area to walk around and explore. It is named after the old Rainbow Cinema, which is now out of use, but the area has experienced a revival with many of the old houses restored and put back into use.
In the area there are cafes and bars including Books@cafe and Wild Jordan, both with great views, a Caribbean restaurant, an Indian restaurant, a sushi joint, and an ice cream shop. There is a hammam, and the Royal Film Commission, which sometimes holds outdoor screenings on its patio, plus some interesting small shops. Across the street from the British Council on Rainbow St., there is the Turtle Green Tea Bar, where everything is in English and you can borrow a laptop to access the internet while enjoying your snack.
8. Darat al Funun (The Khalid Shoman Foundation)
The 'small house of the arts' in Jabal el Weibdeh, overlooking the heart of Amman, is housed in three adjacent villas from the 1920s, along with the remains of a sixth-century Byzantine church built over a Roman Temple. It has a permanent collection and also holds changing exhibitions.
In the same area there are other small art galleries and the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, so you can combine the two in one outing.
9. Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts
On Hosni Fareez St., near King Abdullah I Mosque, the gallery is situated in two separate buildings with a public park of sculptures in between. It shows international, contemporary art with a focus on regional work. Entry is 5 JD, and it is open Wed, Thu and Sat-Mon, 09:00-17:00 in winter and 09:00-19:00 in summer.
Its position near King Abdullah I Mosque makes the two easy to see together.
10. King Abdullah I Mosque
An impressive new mosque, with a church opposite. Together, they give an interesting view. Entry is 5 JD.
Combine it with the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, which is nearby on Hosni Fareez St.
11. Abu Darwish Mosque
On Abu Darwish St. in Jabal, this mosque was built in the 1920s by a private donor called Hasan Mustafa Sharkas. Situated on a hill, it impresses through its black and white striped walls.
It is one of the city's religious buildings worth seeking out for the exterior alone.
12. Al Bishara Greek Orthodox Church
A church in the city listed among its places of interest. It is worth including if you are already exploring the central area's religious buildings.
Pair it with the other churches and mosques in the same part of your day rather than making a special journey.
13. Roman Nymphaeum
A partly-preserved Roman fountain in the city. It is a short stop rather than a long visit.
Fit it into a downtown walk alongside the Roman Theater and the Citadel.
14. Ammonite Watchtower (Rujm Al-Malfouf)
A circular watchtower built by the Ammonite kingdom some time between 500-1000 BC. The ruins consist of a stone watchtower used to ensure the protection of their capital, with several store rooms to the east.
It suits travellers interested in the city's earliest layers, and can be worked into a day that includes the Citadel.
15. Cave of the Seven Sleepers (Kahf ar-Raqīm)
These caverns are part of a Byzantine necropolis 10 km east of the city centre, on Al-Kahf St in al-Rajib. In legend they contained the Seven Sleepers, persecuted true believers hiding or immured here circa 250 AD, who emerged 300 years later to find Christianity the official religion. The same legend attaches to seven sites from China to Tunisia, but this one is described in the 18th Surah of the Qur'an and has an adjacent mosque. Entry is free, and it is open daily 10:00-17:00.
Because it lies outside the centre, treat it as a half-day excursion rather than a stop on a downtown walk.
16. Royal Automobile Museum
A collection of cars, from the 100-year-old royal dynasty vehicles, to modern sports cars, to the Rover from the movie The Martian.
A good option if you are travelling with people who prefer vehicles to archaeology, and it can be paired with other stops on the western side of the city.
17. Wadi al-Seer
A region to the west of Amman, it is a small valley leading down towards the Dead Sea. Nearby is the al-Bassa Springs, the source of the valley's river, and above the spring is the al-Deir monastery.
It is a 20-minute climb up to the monastery. To reach Wadi al-Seer, head to the minibus station on al-Quds Street, just south of al-Husseini Mosque.
18. Iraq Al-Amir and Al Qasr
15 km from Wadi al-Seer, the 18 Caves of the Prince, close to Al Qasr, are southwest of Amman and are great for a day tour. Entry is 1 JD.
Combine it with Wadi al-Seer in a single day out, since the two lie in the same direction from the city.
19. Desert Castles: Amra, Kharaneh and Azraq
Day trips can be done to the Desert Castles Amra, Kharaneh and Azraq in the east, about 30-50 km from Amman around the nearby city of Azraq.
These are a full day out from the city, so plan them as a separate excursion rather than an addition to a downtown itinerary.
20. Downtown Amman (Balad) and the souq
Visitors desiring a more exotic and traditional experience should explore Old Amman, the central downtown, or Balad, which features many souqs, shops, and street vendors. It is also known as the Souq, with traditional sights and smells of the spice market, where you can shop for authentic souvenirs.
Take a walk through the narrow alleyways and corners and negotiate the price with friendly vendors. It is a maze of streets with everything from a fruit market to spices, souvenirs, clothes and hardware. Drink a cool glass of sugar cane juice, watch the talented young men make artistic sand designs inside glass bottles, and smoke a shisha in any of the numerous street cafes. Enjoy some tasty falafel in the famous Hashem cafe, a mansaf dish at Jerusalem restaurant, or a slice of kanafe from Habibeh sweets.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Amman Citadel, where settlement extends over 7,000 years. Within the same complex, see the Temple of Herakles, the Byzantine Church, the Umayyad Palace in the northern portion with its great view of Amman, and the Jordan Archaeological Museum.
Afternoon: Walk down to the Roman Theater, built during the reign of Antonius Pius, 138-161 AD, and use the same ticket for the Folklore and Popular Traditions museums to the right and left as you enter. Continue to the Roman Nymphaeum, then head to The Jordan Museum on Ali Ben Abi Taleb St. 10, entering through the parking entrance if the pedestrian entrance is closed.
Evening: Go to Rainbow Street near the 1st Circle in Jabal Amman to walk among the restored old houses, with cafes and bars including Books@cafe and Wild Jordan, both with great views. If time allows, return to the viewpoint near the Citadel to hear the muezzin call over the city.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you need to see Amman's sights?
Allow a maximum of two days to see the items of historical and cultural interest in the city. Amman is not packed with things to see, which makes it a good gateway to explorations further afield.
Is the Jordan Pass valid at Amman's sights?
It is free with a Jordan Pass at the Amman Citadel and the Roman Theater. It is not valid at The Jordan Museum, where entry is 5 JD, or 1 JD for locals.
Where can you see the sunset in Amman?
See the sunset from the viewpoint near the Citadel. Pay attention also to the time of the muezzin call: listening to it from the viewpoint, where the whole city lies before you, gives an unforgettable acoustic impression.
What can you do around Amman rather than in the city?
Head to Wadi al-Seer, a small valley leading down towards the Dead Sea, with the al-Bassa Springs and the al-Deir monastery a 20-minute climb above the spring. Iraq Al-Amir, with the 18 Caves of the Prince close to Al Qasr, is 15 km from Wadi al-Seer and great for a day tour. Day trips can also be done to the Desert Castles Amra, Kharaneh and Azraq in the east, about 30-50 km from Amman around the nearby city of Azraq.
Decide which of these fits your days, check the opening times for The Jordan Museum and the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, and start planning your trip to Amman.