In the rush to Petra, Amman is often overlooked, but this is a pity because a day or two in Jordan’s capital reveals a wealth of historical sites, most of them dotted throughout the city, part of the daily life of the inhabitants.
The city has a well preserved Roman Theatre, a colonnaded street and a Nymphaeum: the juxtaposition of the very ancient and the modern looks perfect. No painting in garish colours is allowed in Amman so the whole is soothing to the eye.
Amman is built on seven hills and you should take a taxi to the most ancient part of the city, Jabal al-Qal’a which translates as ‘Citadel Hill’. The most famous ruins here are the Roman Temple of Hercules, the Byzantine Church and the Umayyad Palace. The gigantic sandstone blocks of this Roman Temple, part of a vast complex erected in 1200 BC by the Ammonites who gave Amman its name, are being put back together by a team of international archaeologists. An extra bonus are the magnificent views across downtown Amman from the hill which is one of the highest points in the city.
In the nearby Archeological Museum, you’ll find the 3rd century Dead Sea Scrolls, rectangles of kidskin sewn end to end only discovered in 1947 by some Bedouin shepherds.
From a 3000 year old culture to modern nightlife, there’s something for everyone in Amman. You’ll find that the vendors are busier with their worry beads than with their calculators, and whether you shop in ancient souks or state of the art shopping malls, you will find no pressure on you to buy anything – a delightful change from Cairo.
What you will find is a pocket of traditional Arab hospitality and a people who want to extend the hand of friendship, for Jordan is a peace-loving nation and welcomes all visitors. Amman seems to be more of a collection of adjoining villages rather than one entity with downtown having a constant rumble of traffic, markets, and bustling people. Its highlight is the Roman Theatre where the seats are chiselled out of the mountain.
And as for food, I can only say “Go try for yourself”. I never had a bad meal in two weeks in Jordan and I tried many different restaurants.
MARI'S TRAVELS WITH HER CAMERA 
I hope you’ve solved the problem of not receiving my Posts. Maybe try re-following? I had missed you but presumed you were busy elsewhere. Meantime, I hope you catch up with my Aqaba and Wadi Rum Posts, I think they would appeal to you as well. Incidentally, I haven’t seen one from you lately, either. Are you having a ‘time-out- period?
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For some reason, I no longer get your posts and am the poorer for that. This visit to Amman really makes me want to go there and the photography is stunning.
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That amphitheatre looks enormous! I could spend time in this city 🙂 🙂
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Thanks for that hint. I’ll remember that.
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The young man who guided us lived in Aqaba … but said Amman came a close second in his affections!
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The more I think about it, the more I want to go back to Jordan. I think I could give Petra a miss this time but I’d love to see Jerash – and other places. I’ve been tinkering with a post on Aqaba and one on Wadi Rum which I hope to get up today or tomorrow, but that’s all I’ve seen in the country. I’ve got a lovely image of a bikini-clad westerner next to a fully covered Jordanian woman on Aqaba beach but I think it might not be prudent to put it up!
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My advice for Jerash would be the same as for Petra …. it’s not a place to spend half an hour, take a couple of pictures and get on the coach to the next attraction. It is (or rather WAS) a city! Even if you spent all day there, it may not be enough. A good alternative might be ‘Little Petra’ (I can’t remember the Arabic name) … nothing like as crowded, and (I think) free!
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