Epic things to do in Amman Jordan; full guide

Here are the best things to do in Amman Jordan. Everyone should make a pit stop in Amman, even if it’s just for a day. I think of Amman as chaotically beautiful, buzzing with life, smoke, noise and people. Expect to find bustling markets, vibrant falafel restaurants, ancient Roman temples and queues lining up for the famous Habiba Sweets.

It’s certainly a diamond in the rough, but well worth the visit. All travellers to Jordan never really mention it; they go straight to Petra, the Dead Sea, or Wadi Rum, but it’s worth a visit in its own right. Amman, and indeed Jordan is an absolute gem in the Middle East; it’s serene, calm, welcoming and there’s no instability or turbulence in terms of the people. Here is the full travel guide for visiting Amman!

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Quick links for things to do in Amman Jordan

There are plenty of tours that run from Amman to destinations such as Aqaba, the Dead Sea, Petra or Wadi Rum; I always compare tour prices on both Viator and Get Your Guide.

Is Amman safe to visit?

Yes, 100%. We were told by plenty of people at our hotel and on the flight it’s safe to walk around the city at night at 2am. I didn’t do this, I was definitely too tired though. I was also told by a local that no one in Jordan cares what religion you are or where you come from, they welcome tourists from everywhere.

Bear in mind it is still a conservative country when it comes to dress, so I wore longer skirts and trousers and covered my shoulders. Men should refrain from wearing shorts as it is seen as disrespectful and wear longer trousers instead.

Cheap Flights to Amman, Jordan

We booked off season and managed to find flights for £15.99 (no frills) with Wizz Air from London Luton Airport. This was in January. We ended up paying more than £15.99 because we treated ourselves to priority boarding and a flexi ticket!

How many days do you need in Amman?

We stayed 3 nights and 3 days in Amman before we moved on, ideally you would spend at least 2 days here. If you just have the one day, it is possible but you will be very busy!

Hotels to stay in Amman

Have a look at hotels in Amman here. We stayed at Layali Amman for £30 for bed and breakfast per night in the off season, and met the owner herself who was lovely. The breakfast here was good, and the hotel generally was very comfortable, however, some of the bathrooms smell strongly of petrol. Smell aside, it was comfortable and we were able to go to the rooftop to watch spectacular sunsets as one of the things to do in Amman Jordan.

There are plenty of tours that run from Amman to destinations such as Aqaba, the Dead Sea, Petra or Wadi Rum; I always compare tour prices on both Viator and Get Your Guide.

Is it worth buying the Jordan Pass?

But before I explain further about Amman, I wanted to mention the Jordan pass. The Jordan pass includes the cost of your visa. To enter Jordan, you can either buy a visa, or pay for the Jordan pass (same/similar price). If you’re planning on going to Petra for even one day, then it’s worth it, as the cost of the Jordan pass is cheaper/the same as the visa, so it makes sense to get it.

The Jordan pass includes most historical sites and attractions across Jordan, so we used this well for lots of of things to do in Amman Jordan.

Things to do in Amman, Jordan

There are plenty of things to do in Amman in one day, but if you have more time, there’s plenty of options for you to pick from!

Visiting the Ancient ruins of the Citadel, Amman

I recommend visiting the citadel in the afternoon, make sure you stay for sunset for incredible views of the city. Entry is free with the Jordan pass, or costs about 2JD (£2.50). Cheap as chips, as they say.

The citadel has wonderful views of the city and surrounding suburbs, however the true gem of the citadel is the Temple of Hercules, where you can clamour on the ancient ruins and admire the views.

Don’t miss the Byzantine church as well, wonderfully preserved with its impressive domed architecture.

Make sure you stop for lunch at Dar Ne’meh (more details below in the foodie guide) inside the Citadel for panoramic views of the city as one of the things to do in Amman Jordan.

There are plenty of tours that run from Amman to destinations such as Aqaba, the Dead Sea, Petra or Wadi Rum; I always compare tour prices on both Viator and Get Your Guide.

Visiting the famous Blue Mosque in Amman

We also took a trip to the blue mosque, also known as King Abdullah II mosque. The entry fee is about 2JOD (£2.50) and they give you Abayas for modesty at no extra cost. I brought my own scarf which I could wrap round my head, and a lovely lady who worked at the mosque came and wrapped the scarf around my head in the true gracious and welcoming style of the King Abdullah Mosque. To be honest, the beauty is in the colour and the architecture; it is still a working mosque, with local residents coming in to pray. There is not a lot to see on the inside; whilst beautiful, we didn’t want to disturb people praying so we don’t have many pictures here.

We wandered around for a short while, and when it was time to go went back to return the Abaya – there’s also a number of souvenir shops. The lovely lady who helped me wrap my headscarf offered us some complimentary tea and offered to show us round as one of the things to do in Amman Jordan.

This is where our visit became extra intriguing. She showed us ostrich eggs that had been delicately painted for 200-500 hours by local women. This initiative is to ensure women have their own income and are not reliant on men or their families.

A great initiative, but sadly, as prices starting from 200 JOD and exceptionally limited room in our suitcases, this wouldn’t be something we can afford, funds wise or space wise. She also showed us gemstones local to Jordan; some spectacular ones which changed colour under different lighting fascinated me.

There are plenty of tours that run from Amman to destinations such as Aqaba, the Dead Sea, Petra or Wadi Rum; I always compare tour prices on both Viator and Get Your Guide.

Visiting the Roman Theatre in Amman

For a time, the Romans conquered Jordan back in 1000BC, and evidence of their presence here in Jordan can be seen in the temples, carvings and amphitheatres dotted around the country. Right in the centre of ‘old city’ Amman is the roman theatre. Included in the Jordan pass, or about 2JOD (£2.50) you’ll find the ancient amphitheatre which you’re allowed to climb. It also includes entry to the small museum, which was really interesting. Easily done in an hour or two as one of the things to do in Amman Jordan.

There are plenty of tours that run from Amman to destinations such as Aqaba, the Dead Sea, Petra or Wadi Rum; I always compare tour prices on both Viator and Get Your Guide.

Old City Amman

Head down to old city Amman for buzzing market stalls, bustling sellers, fun and chaos. Shop owners display their wares out onto the street, perfumeries offer you free spritzes of their perfumes and restaurant owners try to tempt you with breakfast lunch and dinner. It’s brilliant to walk down, try on clothes and eat new foods.

Rainbow Staircases

Make sure you keep an eye out for rainbow staircases which are dotted everywhere in Amman city, see if you can spot some. They are wonderfully colourful and are reminiscent of Hong Kong as one of the things to do in Amman Jordan..

I found many just walking along the street, but there are several around K. Hussein Street and by the Zara Shopping centre. Admire the fascinating street art that’s been splashed all around town!

The foodie’s guide to Amman

I was surprised by how many people told me to visit the below restaurants, for their fame, value and taste. ‘You MUST visit Hashem,’ they all told me. ‘Don’t forget to stop by Habiba Sweets!’ Here’s your guide.

There are plenty of tours that run from Amman to destinations such as Aqaba, the Dead Sea, Petra or Wadi Rum; I always compare tour prices on both Viator and Get Your Guide.

Eat like a King at Hashem

Apparently the King of Jordan eats at Hashem, as do the homeless, the locals and everyone else in between. Hashem was recommended by literally everyone we spoke to, at all hours of the day and night. We arrived from our flight at 1am, and our hotel recommended we walk down to Hashem at this time ‘it’s totally safe!’ they mentioned.

Well. The sign of a good restaurant is when they have 6-7 items on the menu and a high turnover of customers, because they do the food well, and customers keep coming back for more. Servers casually placed a plastic sheet on our table, chucked down 2 flat breads unceremoniously, as well as some pickled vegetables and lettuce and a tiny bit of paper and pencil for our order.

The main things I remember on the menu were houmous (hummus) with variations on flavours, moutabal (an eggplant dish) as well as falafels, stuffed falafels, flat breads and some sort of chicken dish. It’s very cheap, with most dishes costing about 1JOD (£1.20).

I ordered falafels, thinking I’d get maybe 2 or 3, and they bring out a plate of about 20. 3-4 dishes is easily enough for 2 people. Our bill came to around 4-5 JOD every time we went. One of the things to do in Amman Jordan is to certainly eat like a king!

Habiba Sweets in Amman

Another one literally everyone kept raving about. Mike and I wandered up and down the streets of the old city, and always noticed a huge crowd gathered around one of the street corners. We didn’t realise it was a queue down the block to Habiba sweets, and I made sure that we joined the back of the queue when we found out.

Not being able to read Arabic or have any idea what we ordered, we asked a guy (who we assume worked at the store) if this item on the menu was enough for 2 people. He nodded. It cost us 1.25JOD (£1.50).

Well, we were served sweet cheese. Not like cheesecake, or soft cheese frosting. Like actual melted, salty cheese, with a layer of some sweet, honey crust on top. Odd, but somehow, it worked? The cheese and the sweet combination actually paired well together. I was told by many on my Instagram that this was very common! Definitely one of the things to do in Amman Jordan is to eat like a king!

There are plenty of tours that run from Amman to destinations such as Aqaba, the Dead Sea, Petra or Wadi Rum; I always compare tour prices on both Viator and Get Your Guide.

Rainbow Street

I was told Rainbow Street is the best place in Amman city to lounge; sit down for a coffee, eat out in restaurants and sip cocktails. Plenty of restaurants up and down the strip have rooftop views of Amman, so pick one and watch the sunset go down. Apparently it’s absolutely buzzing in the evenings, but we only stayed for the afternoon at sunset.

Dar Ne’meh, with Panoramic views of Amman

Head to the Dar Ne’meh which is inside Amman Citadel for lunch with spectacular views of the city with their panoramic windows on all sides. As you’re at the top of a hill, you get views on all sides. We ordered the mezza (mezze) for 10JOD (£12.50), which officially included 5 dishes, plus bread, plus vegetables (7 dishes total) for 2 people. Delightful and delicious.

The bonus is that the café is supposedly run/owned by women, although we only saw male servers.

There are plenty of day trips that run to Petra from Amman (or from other destinations like Aqaba, the Dead Sea or Wadi Rum); I always compare tour prices on both Viator and Get Your Guide. Consider booking onto a Middle Eastern cooking class, the food here is utterly divine! They also have excellent street food tours! Prices will usually depend on the size of the group and whether it is private. One of the things to do in Amman Jordan, which you have to do.

Other places to visit in Amman Jordan if you have time!

If you have a little more time, why not explore some of the other attractions in Amman?

It’s worth having a look at the following Jordan museums galleries and activities which are meant to be excellent tourist attractions for first time visitors:

• Jordan National Gallery
• The Jordan Folklore Museum
• The Royal Automobile Museum
• Jordan Archaeological Museum
• Free walking tours
• Street food tours

You might find some of my other recent posts on Jordan useful:

• Inside Petra Jordan
• Amman, Jordan’s capital city
• Swimming in the Dead Sea
• Wadi Rum
• 7 day Jordan itinerary

Scams and things to look out for in Amman

Common taxi scam in Amman

A scam that nearly happened to us, if it weren’t for me being so stubborn and point black simply refusing to pay a ludicrous fee.

Some taxi drivers like to run up the meter before you get in the car, so you pay an abnormally large fee. Before you get into any metered taxi, check the meter starts at 0. As a safety measure, check the child lock is not on.

Make sure you know the approximate cost of your journey in advance. Before starting our journey, I asked our taxi driver 5 times to show me the meter but he said it wasn’t long enough to reach, so I couldn’t see it which should have been the biggest warning sign.

Our journey was 3 minutes and expected to cost about 2JOD (£2.50), and our taxi driver tried to charge us around 35 JOD (£40). Absolutely not – I refused to pay more than 5JOD, and we argued for about 20 minutes before the taxi driver conceded – I’m not sure if I shamed him into conceding, but it worked. Be polite but firm.

‘Where are you from?’

Not technically a scam, but we were constantly asked by everyone from shopkeepers, hustlers on the street, restaurant owners, children trying to sell you trinkets, doormen… ‘where are you from?’

If you said you were from a country that was perceived as ‘wealthy’ or well known (like England or America), it seems you’d be charged a lot more for wares and services.

When we said we were from England, we were given higher prices for food, clothes, entry into museums, etc.

When I started saying I was from Poland (not untrue), I was given a slightly different treatment; I was told to go into museums free of charge by doormen, and prices seemed a lot cheaper.

Be warned though, many of the shop keepers know a bit of Polish, French, German, Spanish and every language under the sun it seems, so don’t pretend you’re from somewhere you don’t speak the language. Thankfully, my Polish was a lot better than theirs so I was able to convince them I really was a Pole.

Take from this what you will, but by the end I only ever said I was from Poland because I couldn’t be bothered with the haggling.

There are plenty of day tours that run to Petra from Amman (or from other destinations like Aqaba to Petra); I always compare tour prices on both Viator and Get Your Guide.

Jordan Weather: When is the best time to visit Jordan?

The best time to spend a week in Jordan is definitely in the cooler months, Spring and Autumn are fairly warm whilst the winter season can be a little chillier at night. We went in winter, in January, and found that many of the days were 20°C during the day, which is still pleasant. At night, it can be a little colder, but when you’re tucked away inside, this wasn’t exactly a problem. In the summer, you’ll find quieter crowds but expect it to be very hot!

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in January:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 8-13°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 15-20°C
• Average Rainy Days: 8-10 days
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 10-11 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 6:30 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 5:00 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in February:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 9-15°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 16-21°C
• Average Rainy Days: 7-9 days
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 6:15 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 5:30 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in March:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 11-17°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 19-24°C
• Average Rainy Days: 6-8 days
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 12 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 6:00 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 5:45 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in April:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 14-21°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 22-28°C
• Average Rainy Days: 3-6 days
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 13 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 5:45 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 6:00 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in May:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 18-25°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 26-32°C
• Average Rainy Days: 1-3 days
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 14 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 5:30 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 6:15 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in June:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 21-29°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 29-36°C
• Average Rainy Days: Minimal to none
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 14 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 5:15 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 6:30 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in July:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 23-32°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 31-38°C
• Average Rainy Days: Rare
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 14 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 5:30 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 6:45 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in August:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 23-33°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 32-39°C
• Average Rainy Days: Uncommon
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 13 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 5:45 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 6:30 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in September:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 21-31°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 29-36°C
• Average Rainy Days: Rare
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 12 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 6:00 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 6:00 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in October:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 16-26°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 26-33°C
• Average Rainy Days: 1-2 days
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 11 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 6:15 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 5:30 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in November:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 11-19°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 20-27°C
• Average Rainy Days: 3-4 days
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 10 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 6:30 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 5:15 PM

Wadi Rum Jeep tours Weather Jordan in December:

• Average Temperature (Celsius):
  • Northern and Central Jordan: 8-14°C
  • Southern Jordan (e.g., Petra and Aqaba): 16-22°C
• Average Rainy Days: 6-8 days
• Average Daylight Hours: Approximately 10 hours
• Sunrise Time: Around 6:45 AM
• Sunset Time: Around 5:00 PM

There are plenty of tours that run from Amman to destinations such as Aqaba, the Dead Sea, Petra or Wadi Rum; I always compare tour prices on both Viator and Get Your Guide.

And that’s it! I hope you enjoy and have plenty of things to do in Amman Jordan when you go Let me know if you ever end up visiting. I’d love to hear from you!

You might find some of my other recent posts on Jordan useful:

• Inside Petra Jordan
• Amman, Jordan’s capital city
• Swimming in the Dead Sea
• Wadi Rum
• 7 day Jordan itinerary

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