The visit to Amman was made on a press trip together with Jordan Tourism Board and Royal Jordanian Airlines, but all thoughts and opinions are, as usual, my own.
I land on a late spring evening in Jordan's capital, Amman. Darkness lies like a black sheet over the landscape and the first impression of the city is definitely somewhat limited. It is not until the next morning when I pull back the hotel's thick curtains that I first catch a glimpse of the city in daylight. The warm sunlight pours gently in from the east over a hazy cityscape of low apartment buildings and mosques. It's Ramadan and although the streets are still empty, the day for most Jordanians began much earlier. The suhoor meal, taken before sunrise, is a hearty meal to complete the day's fast. Many go to bed and rest again after eating suhoor, but the roads are now slowly filling up with cars on their way to work.
At our hotel, there is an abundance of breakfast as usual for us tourists who do not fast, but I also replenish my energy stores with breakfast today. Because it takes a lot of energy to cope with a long day of intense experiences and sights in Jordan's largest city.
Jordan's capital, Amman, has many of the characteristics that a classic Middle Eastern city often offers. Jordan is a kingdom and King Abdullah II has been the country's reigning monarch since 1999. During the king's time, the country's development has progressed rapidly and much has been modernized. Here in Amman, today's modern Jordan can be seen a little extra clearly. Here, ancient ruins from Roman times meet modern street art and prayer calls meet art galleries. Amman is bursting with life and movement around the clock, a mix of cultures, religions and forward thinking.
Even though we start the day early, there are already queues and traffic. Row after row of string lights and colorful lights hang across the streets, just waiting to be lit when darkness falls and the fast is broken. It will be a long day in Amman, filled with both history, culture and food. A full day to Amman's ten most interesting places and experiences.
Ten sights in Amman – from temples to mosques
1. The Citadel
We start the morning at one of Amman's biggest attractions – the Citadel. Amman is built on seven large hills that gently sweep through the city and its streets and on one of the hills is the Citadel. It is difficult to find a place on earth where so many civilizations have set foot, as here at the Citadel in Amman. Greeks, Romans, Persians, Assyrians, Babylonians and Umayyads have left traces here for almost 4000 years. Over the years, the site has had several variations of protective walls, temples, palaces, churches and bathhouses, but each new civilization has left its mark on the site and very little remains of the creations of the original builders.
The most notable buildings that remain and can still be visited are Temple of Hercules from 100century and The Umayyad Palace from the 7th century. An incredibly fascinating place with a sweeping view of Amman.
Read more about the Citadel in Amman on my site The Citadel of Amman - Among Romans and Ruins - Jordan.
2. The view and the big flag
On the hill of the Citadel you will find one of the city's best vantage points. The sand-colored skins climb closely along the hills and on the horizon the flag of Jordan waves, seemingly far too slowly. But the wind is not slow, but everything is an illusion. The Raghadan flagpole is, with its 126 meters, the world's second highest flagpole, and the distance is deceiving. The flag itself is 60 by 30 meters, as big as half a football field.
3. Amman's Roman Theater
At the foot of the Citadel lies Amman's Roman Theatre descended from 100-century after Christ. Here in the former city of Philadelphia, 6000 residents could meet and watch cultural events, but also listen to politicians and get news and information.
Like most Roman theaters, social class seems to have governed the seating of residents in the theater. At the bottom sat the city's royalty and regents and in the middle the military and nobles. At the top there was room for ordinary people. But it didn't do much to get a seat high up in the theater. The acoustics are still impressive today and the entire theater is built so that the audience does not get the sun in their eyes.
4. King Abdullah I Mosque
Three kilometers from the Citadel is one of Amman's most beautiful buildings. The Great Blue Mosque with the round blue mosaic roof. The mosque was built in the 1980s in memory of King Hussein's grandfather Abdullah I and can accommodate over 7000 visitors during services. There is no service when we visit the mosque, but there are always men moving in and around the mosque. A very lively place that takes you right into the daily life of Amman's 4 million inhabitants.
The mosque is the only one in Amman that allows visits by tourists and non-Muslims. Entry is free and we women can borrow full-covering dresses with hoods (abayas) for our visit for free. Men do not need to borrow clothes if they have long trousers. For those interested, there is a small museum here where you can learn more about the Jordanian royal family and modern Islamic architecture. An interesting stop that is recommended.
5. Visit markets
Amman has not just one souk, but several. There are markets for every day of the week and the different souks have different themes and offerings. Narrow little stalls are lined up in the narrow alleys and the sellers try to attract buyers. We tourists are not particularly busy, quite the opposite. We can walk around in peace and window shopping in the hustle and bustle.
Gold chains hang in thick rows in the shop windows, the spices are beautifully arranged like exotic sugar peaks and the suspended oranges spread their sweet scent over the car exhaust. Street food can be found on every corner and if you're not already hungry, you'll be soon when you see the honey-topped pastries with chopped pistachios. But now during Lent, there are no queues at any eating place yet. It will be different after dark. Many families seem to be out shopping for gifts for Eid. Expectant children point to teddy bears and candy stores prepare for the weekend's shopping. A visit to Amman's souks can easily take several hours and it is easy to get lost in the area's small alleys and secret back streets.
6. Try Jordan's best falafel and kunafa
Portraits of the royal family hang on the wall. Some portraits are official photos, but one image stands out. It's the royal family in civilian clothes eating falafel. And it's not so strange. At Hashem, everyone has eaten.
Hashem in downtown Amman is a bit of a falafel institution. Open 24 hours a day and with a history as one of Amman's oldest restaurants, this is a place where you can taste the real Jordan. The round and freshly fried falafel smokes in my hand and the surface is just as crispy as one can only dream of. Some claim that falafel comes from Egypt, but the Jordanians probably don't agree. This is deep fried perfection.
Not too far from here you will find another of Amman's famous eateries – the dessert shop habibah. We order each Kunafa on a paper plate and stand us outside in the alley and taste. It is sweeter than sweet, but at the same time a little sweet-salty. Like a cheesecake with a crispy honey surface, topped with pistachios. Had I had another coffee, I would have been able to eat the whole thing for sure, but without a drink it was a challenge.
7. Rainbow Street
Rainbow street is a popular tourist street filled with lots of restaurants, cafes and shopping. It's trendy and modern, with umbrella-covered roads and braided street lamps in all the colors of the rainbow. The area is well worth a visit for the atmosphere, but if you are looking for a traditional dinner, you will find more authentic restaurants down in the centre. Here you will find more hip hamburger trails and expensive bars. Maybe there is more atmosphere here in the evenings, but I find it hard to believe that Rainbow street will ever be cozier than the alleys of downtown Amman.
8. The Duke's Diwan
One of Amman's most interesting museums is one of the city's oldest residential buildings. The Duke's Diwan - "The Duke's welcoming house" - has been both a hotel and a post office over the years. Today it is a museum of culture, history and art.
Old portraits and photographs hang on the walls, and the ceiling unabashedly flakes above my head. The whole building is a dream to photograph and the bright colors look especially beautiful against the worn cracks and skewed paintings. But I can't put my finger on whether this is a museum or a time capsule of ancient Amman. Regardless, it's very charming.
9. Eat mezze
A lunch in Amman can be a simple falafel from a street kitchen, but at the same time, lunch is a good opportunity to really try Jordanian cuisine. The word "mezze" comes from the Persian word for "to taste", which really describes this meal. Pickled vegetables, hummus, labaneh, skewers, moutabel, beans and chicken wings – a bit of each in an abundance of flavors and textures. No one ever leaves hungry after a mezze. With this, drink a mint-lime juice in a large glass, the perfect non-alcoholic option that you can never have too much of.
10. Find Amman's street art
Street art can be political, revolutionary, provocative and irritating. But in Amman, most of the street art tells a beautiful story – about culture, people or about our environment. Graffiti barely exists and it is clear that the artists who painted the walls have done it with a thought.
Today, there are over 500 documented street art works in Amman and you don't have to look for them to experience them, even if some works feel a little secret.
Hotel: Fairmont in Amman
After a long day on foot in the alleys of the souks and in the paths of the Citadel, it is nice to finally crawl down and rest your feet in a cool and quiet hotel room. The Fairmont in Amman meets all the requirements for a great night's sleep and also invites you to swim in the hotel's rooftop pool and enjoy delicious breakfasts in the restaurant.
