Perched on a cluster of rolling hills, this small country´s capital (pop. 4 million) is a city of contrasts — ancient and modern, relaxed yet electric, a place where Roman ruins meet rooftop lounges and where the call to prayer drifts over art galleries, cafés, and sun-warmed stone. Often overshadowed by Jordan’s showstoppers like Petra and Wadi Rum, "the White Pigeon" quietly reveals itself to those who linger: a city rich in hospitality, heritage, and surprising sophistication.
One of the world´s earliest continuously inhabited cities, Amman´s Its story stretches back nearly 7,000 years, founded aa Rabbath Ammon by a Semitic people called the Ammonites as the capital of the Ammonite Kingdom. Then millennia later it became the Greco-Roman Philadelphia. That long history is visible everywhere — in the citadel walls, the mosaics beneath your feet, and the rhythm of the souks. Yet Amman is far from a relic; it’s a living, breathing city that embraces change with warmth and style, where you can sip Arabic coffee in a 1950s café in Jabal Amman, then wander into a sleek gallery or rooftop bar with a sweeping city views. The city’s layout, spread across seven hills (and then some), can feel disorienting at first, but that’s part of its charm. Each neighborhood has its own rhythm: Downtown buzzes with energy, Jabal Amman oozes charm, and Abdoun hums with upscale dining and nightlife. The best way to explore it is on foot, but when necessary, taxis and ride-hailing apps are reliable and affordable. The best times to visit are in spring and fall, with warm days and cool evenings.
The Citadel and Roman Theater: Impressive Time Capsules
If there’s one spot that captures Amman’s soul, it’s Jabal al-Qal’a, the Citadel. Set high above the city, it’s a place echoing with civilizations past. Up here you can walk among the ruins of the Temple of Hercules, stand before a Roman hand carved in marble, and admire the remains of an Umayyad palace complex (above), its domed entrance framing a view of the valley below. As the late-afternoon light washes the city in gold, the Citadel is where Amman’s layered history feels most tangible. Have a look at the small but rich archaeological museum showcasing the Paleolithic era through the Byzantine and Islamic periods, watch the sun dip behind the hills, and listen as the muezzin’s call rolls from one minaret to another — it’s a moment of quiet grandeur that sums up the spirit of Jordan itself. And right opposite the Citadel, the 6,000-seat, 2nd-century Roman Theater is impressive indeed, and still used for concerts, festivals, and other cultural events; there´s a small (500-seat) theater right alongside it called the Odeon.
Jui-Chi Chan
Downtown Amman: The Pulse of Everyday Life
From the Citadel, follow the winding streets down into downtown (Wasat Al-Balad), where daily life hums around you in color and sound. Vendors call out from behind stacks of spices, copper lamps, and embroidered keffiyehs; the scent of cardamom, roasting nuts, and falafel fills the air. Stop by Hashem Restaurant, a local institution where politicians, taxi drivers, and travelers share plates of hummus and warm pita at outdoor tables. Around the corner, Habibah Sweets is famous for its gooey, crunchy kanafeh, a cheese-and-semolina dessert drenched in syrup — the perfect antidote to jet lag. Nearby, the Roman Theatre, built in the 2nd century, still hosts open-air concerts and cultural events. Standing on the top steps, you can see the modern city rising around it — a reminder of how Amman fuses past and present.
Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street: The City’s Creative Core
To see Amman’s contemporary side, head uphill to Jabal Amman, one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods and now its most bohemian. Its Rainbow Street (above, referred to in Arabic as "Sharí al-Rainbow") is lined with boutique shops, rooftop lounges, and cafés spilling onto the pavement. Pop into Wild Jordan Center for fair-trade crafts and a panoramic terrace café overlooking the city, or wander into Books@Café, a local landmark that doubles as a cultural hub. Here, artists, writers, and travelers gather over coffee, mezze, or cocktails — and the atmosphere is as welcoming as it is effortlessly cool. And the nearby Darat al Funun art center, housed in a restored cluster of 1920s villas tucked into a hillside, is Amman´s creative heartbeat, offering a quieter experience — contemporary Arab art set against ancient Roman ruins and gardens fragrant with jasmine.
Museums Worth Noting
Besides the Citadel´s archaeology museum, Amman is home to several others well worth a visit, starting with the Jordan Museum, housing over 2,000 artefacts, including the ʿAin Ghazal statues, some of the world’s oldest human figures, and parts of the Dead Sea Scrolls such as the Copper Scroll, the only one of the scrolls not written on parchment. Go a little more in depth in ethnography at the Jordan Folklore Museum, next to the Roman Theater (see above), which preserves traditional Bedouin costumes, musical instruments, pottery, as well as mosaics and handicrafts that reflect the cultural heritage from both rural and urban Jordan as well as the deep desert. The National Gallery of Fine Arts, meanwhile, is the city´s leading contemporary art space, with nearly 3,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs, and installations from across the Arab world as well as Africa, Asia, and Latin America; there´s also a sculpture garden and café. And finally, you don´t have to be a car nut to be impressed by the Royal Automobile Museum, showcasing the personal collection of classic cars and motorbikes of Jordan´s previous monarch, King Hussein; vintage Rolls-Royces, Aston Martins, and Cadillacs, abound, along with royal memorabilia.
Culinary Culture: From Street Food to Fine Dining
Jordanian cuisine is a tapestry of rich and aromatic Levantine flavors reflecting a blend of Bedouin tradition, Mediterranean influences, and centuries of regional culinary exchange, with olive oil, yogurt, cumin, sumac, and fresh herbs and spices at its heart (one notable spice is called za´atar, a distinctive, savory blend of dried herbs, sumac, and sesame and caraway seeds). There´s quite a bit of meat used, as well - mostly beef, chicken, and lamb, but you might also occasionally spot goat and even camel on menus. More than a few dishes are shared with other Middle Eastern countries, such as falafel, hummus, and labneh, but there are several local specialties, as well, such as the national dish, mansaf (above), consisting of tender lamb cooked in a tangy, fermented dried yogurt sauce called jameed, served over rice or bulgur, and garnished with pine nuts and almonds. Another is maqluba (meaning “upside-down”), a hearty casserole which layers rice, meat (usually chicken or lamb), and vegetables such as cauliflower, eggplant, and potatoes; the pot is then ceremoniously flipped onto a platter to reveal a dramatic, mosaic-like presentation.
And here in Amman, the food scene runs the gamut from humble street stalls to family-style diners, to elegant rooftops and upscale Levantine restaurants. For street-food authenticity, downtown´s70-year-old Hashem Restaurant is legendary: open 24/7, it’s beloved for its falafel, hummus, and fava beans. For a more refined traditional experience, Sufra Restaurant in a charming restored villa on Rainbow Street serves beautifully presented mansaf, makloubeh, and other heritage dishes. For upscale Levantine fare, Fakhreldin serves a refined menu of grilled meats, mezzes, and seafood in an elegant garden-terrace setting. And finally, don’t miss the city’s lively café scene — whether it’s the aroma of Turkish coffee, mint tea, or a rooftop espresso with a skyline view, cafés are the social glue of Amman.
For much more, check out VisitJordan.com!
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