Stand on the platform of the old Hejaz railway station and you are standing at the reason Zarqa exists at all. The settlement was founded in 1902 by Chechen immigrants displaced by the wars between the Ottoman and Russian Empires, and it was the railway station built in the new settlement that turned a small riverside community into an important hub.
Zarqa sits in the Zarqa River basin in northeast Jordan, on the international highway that links Saudi Arabia with Syria and on the Amman–Baghdad highway. It is Jordan's industrial centre, and it is a conservative city with a large Palestinian population. This guide is for travellers who are passing through the Amman area and want to see a working Jordanian city rather than a resort, and who are willing to plan around the fact that the Wikivoyage coverage of Zarqa is thin.
What follows is deliberately short. The source material names only one specific attraction in the city, so this guide lists that one rather than padding the list with places that cannot be vouched for. Use the one-day plan as a frame and fill the rest of your time with the city itself.
Top things to do in Zarqa
1. The global village of the animal (القرية العالمية للحيوان)
This is the one named attraction in the Wikivoyage entry for Zarqa, and it is a zoo. Expect confined spaces with little to no landscaping or stimulation for the animals, which is worth knowing before you decide to go. On the other hand, there are pretty lions and lots of monkeys, and the animals may well enjoy watching the people as much as the people enjoy watching them.
If you go, go in the knowledge that this is not a conservation-style visit. The listed contact number is +962 7 9997 4889, so it is worth calling ahead to check that it is open before you travel out.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at the global village of the animal (القرية العالمية للحيوان). Call +962 7 9997 4889 first to confirm it is open, then give the zoo your morning while it is still cool.
Afternoon. Zarqa has no other named attraction in the source material, so spend the afternoon on the city itself: walk the centre, look for the railway heritage that made Zarqa a hub, and take in the everyday life of Jordan's industrial centre.
Evening. Zarqa lies on the road between Amman and the north, and the city forms a continuous urban area with Russeifa and Amman, so an evening return to Amman or a onward leg toward the north is straightforward. Eat before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Zarqa?
Zarqa is in the Zarqa River basin in northeast Jordan, 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Amman. It lies on the international highway connecting Saudi Arabia with Syria, and the international Amman–Baghdad highway passes through the city.
How do I get to Zarqa?
The city sits on the main highway routes north and east of Amman, and it forms a continuous urban area with Russeifa and Amman. Historically, from 1908 to 1920 the Hejaz railway connected Zarqa to Amman in the south and Ottoman Syria to the north.
What is there to see in Zarqa?
The Wikivoyage entry names one attraction: the global village of the animal (القرية العالمية للحيوان), a zoo with lions and monkeys. Beyond that, the city's interest lies in its own history as a railway hub and its role as Jordan's industrial centre.
When is the best time to visit?
Zarqa has a cold semi-arid climate, with around 182 mm of precipitation falling annually, mostly in the winter months. Plan around the winter rain and the summer heat, and start outdoor time early in the day.
Check the zoo's number before you set out, then build your own day around the city that the railway built.