Amman
Discover Amman
Amman (Arabic: عمان ʻammān) is the capital and largest city of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan with a population of about 4 million as of 2020. Amman forms a great base for exploring the country and does, despite popular belief, hold a few items of interest to the traveler. The city is generally well-appointed for the traveller, reasonably well-organized, and the people are very friendly. Although not seen as much when in the air over Amman, the city holds many surprises for the visitor. Anything can be found in Amman if one asks. Visit Amman's Roman Amphitheatre or stay in a luxurious hotel. Shopping malls are abundant in Jordan. With new construction in Abdali, in a few years the high-end traveller could eat in the most high-end restaurant, stay in a five star hotel or shop in massive malls, all a few metres from one another. Much less is being done to cater to the budget traveller, although urban beautification in the city centre (old town) is cleaning it up and making it more pedestrian-friendly.
Taste of Amman...
Amman features many different styles of restaurants, from traditional Middle Eastern fare to more familiar Western fast food and franchises. Prices range from ultra-cheap to moderate, depending on one's taste buds. For those on a budget, Arabic food is very affordable and can be obtained everywhere. Arabic food generally consists of several general basic groups. Meat dishes will generally consist of lamb or chicken; beef is more rare and pork is never offered. Shwarma, which is cooked lamb meat with a special sauce rolled in piece of flat bread, is a local favorite. Rice and flat bread are typical sides to any meal. Jordan's specialty, mansaf, is a delicious lamb and rice meal, typically eaten with your hands. Arabs serve plenty of cucumbers and tomatoes, many times accompanied by a white yoghurt sauce. Another favorite is chick pea-based foods such as falafel, hummus, and fuul. One of Amman's most famous local foods restaurant is Hashem in the downtown. This restaurant is one of the favourites of the Royal family and you will see a lot of photographs of the Royal family of Jordan dining in this literal hole-in-the-wall. See the listing below. In an alley off King Faisal St. is Habibah, which serves traditional east Mediterranean sweets such as baklava, but is most famous for serving a traditional dessert known as knafeh nabelseyyeh in reference to its origin from the Palestinian city of Nablus. 800 fils for a "half quarter kilo", which is enough for one person (Oct 2018).
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple Optionsfor comprehensive and complete visa details when entering Jordan in Aqaba or Amman, and possibilities to waive your visa fee. Early arrival: If you have an early arrival flight and don't want to pay a full-day hotel for just 4 or 5 hr staying there, you can wait in the baggage claim hall at the airport. There are some 50 seats or so available—not too comfortable but acceptable. Very occasionally, regional or charter flights use 31.972535.9913892 Marka Airport (ADJ ). , centrally located in east Amman a few kilometers beyond the railway station. You may also want to consider arriving and departing Aqaba airport and then continue with an intercity bus—in summer there might be cheap flights there. Also, you may be entitled to a free visa. Scheduled services within Jordan and to Damascus have been suspended by Hedjaz Jordan Railway, and they are unlikely to resume. Train excursions run occasionally, as do local services to Zarqa. Neither operate more often than once per week, if at all....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Some areas of Amman are not easily navigated on foot. Be aware when walking through areas of Amman that are not familiar to you because the walkable route might be inconvenient. Unlike other cities frequented by tourists, tools such as Google Maps may not provide an easily traversable route even when used in walking mode. In this case, a walk that appears to be only a few minutes on Google Maps my take half an hour or longer due to unforeseen obstacles. For example, in some areas of Amman you may encounter roads that quickly become highways/expressways, roads up very steep hills, roads that lack a functional sidewalk, roads that have sidewalks but not functional pedestrian crossings at busy intersections, parts of sidewalks that are heavily obstructed by vegetation, and crossings that require the use of an overpass that is far away. It is not impossible to walk in Amman, but some areas of the city are designed primarily for vehicle traffic and it is better to arrange for a ride.
Where to Stay
Amman has the full range of accommodation options from very basic 1-star accommodation to luxurious 5-star facilities. Compared with other capital cities, Amman is a very safe place to visit. Jordanian police and the military maintain a tight grip on law and order. Personal safety is high in Amman - it is safe to walk anywhere in the city at any time of day or night. Serious crime is extremely rare. In 2005, some major hotels were targeted by bombers (connected with the conflict in Iraq). Security measures at all major hotels were increased as a result. LGBTQ travellers: While laws criminalising homosexuality have long been repealed in Jordan, before even most of the West, Jordanian society at large remains broadly more socially conservative and LGBTQ acceptance is still rather low. No openly or officially gay bars or clubs exist in Amman as of 2023, and LGBTQ travellers are encouraged to exercise discretion. Many details can also be found here: https://www.embassypages.
Money & Budget
All ATMs charge a relatively high fee for withdrawing money. In Jordan you can withdraw money from your credit card in various currency exchange places. A reliable and low-priced currency exchange service is Alawneh Exchange. They have multiple locations in the city, including downtown. They charge a low percentage fee for withdrawing money from your credit card. Many locals use that agency. You need to show your passport. If it's shopping you're after, then the pedestrian 31.95711835.860741 "Sharia'a Al Wakalat" (Brands Street) offers a wide selection of international brand names to choose from. Furthermore, there are the 31.98052535.8379282 City Mall, Jordan's biggest shopping mall, the older and huge 31.97744735.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Compared with other capital cities, Amman is a very safe place to visit. Jordanian police and the military maintain a tight grip on law and order. Personal safety is high in Amman - it is safe to walk anywhere in the city at any time of day or night. Serious crime is extremely rare. In 2005, some major hotels were targeted by bombers (connected with the conflict in Iraq). Security measures at all major hotels were increased as a result. LGBTQ travellers: While laws criminalising homosexuality have long been repealed in Jordan, before even most of the West, Jordanian society at large remains broadly more socially conservative and LGBTQ acceptance is still rather low. No openly or officially gay bars or clubs exist in Amman as of 2023, and LGBTQ travellers are encouraged to exercise discretion. Many details can also be found here: https://www.embassypages.com/jordan The bus stop at the 7th circle is less than 100 m south of the circle. This stop serves the airport, Madaba (0.