Things to Do in Amman, Jordan: How to Spend a Day in Amman

Jo Roberts

9 June 2026

Home » Things to Do in Amman, Jordan: How to Spend a Day in Amman

How to spend a day in Amman – Introduction

If you’re travelling to Jordan for an Arabian adventure and only have a day to sight-see around Amman, this is the perfect itinerary for you. This itinerary gives you a good mixture of history, culture, shopping and cuisine.

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What is Amman like?

Amman is a vast, hilly city with a population of over 4 million. It’s the capital of Jordan and very busy with traffic and people.

The light coloured buildings stretch as far as the eye can see and ancient monuments overlook the centre of Downtown Amman.

From the top of the Citadel, you can see skyscrapers in the modern part of the city, which is the economic hub.

The Jordanians are friendly and helpful to tourists and you’re made to feel genuinely welcome.

We arrived at night when the city is at its peak of activity. I have to say we were surprised at the amount of litter on the streets but by morning this had all been swept up after the crowds had gone to bed.

Where to stay in Amman?

If you’re planning to drive it’s best to stay on the outskirts of Amman and take transport into the centre because it’s extremely tricky to navigate. Even Jordanians find it difficult to drive through the centre. The traffic is always busy, there are lots of lanes and a lot of beeping!

The most luxurious hotels are located near the Jordan Gate in the modern part of Amman.

If you want to be fairly close to the main attractions but still enjoy a little luxury, the area around Rainbow Street has some very beautiful boutique hotels at reasonable rates.

The budget hotels in the Downtown area are close to all the historic sites and Airbnb style accommodation is available too.

We stayed in a budget hotel, Tower Arab Hotel in Downtown Amman so that we would be close to all the sites and to save some money on our accommodation costs. It cost us £30 per room including breakfast.

Check prices and availability for Amman hotels

Getting around Amman

There’s a bus service and taxis in Amman, but if you’re staying in Downtown Amman, the best way to get around is by foot. The Citadel and Roman Theatre are all close to each other and steps leading up to the main attractions have wonderful hidden art exhibitions, and fantastic street art.

If you’re going anywhere by taxi, make sure you agree a price before you get in.

Jordan Pass

The Jordan Pass includes your tourist visa and free entry to over 40 attractions in Jordan, including Petra, Wadi Rum, the Citadel and the Roman Theatre. See the link for more information.

Jordan Pass

How to spend a day in Amman: Best things to do

1 The Citadel

Wake up early and enjoy your hotel breakfast before heading up to the highest peak in Amman, Jebel Al Qala. Here you’ll find the Citadel. This UNCESO World Heritage site is a roman temple, called the Temple of Hercules, that was never completed.

To our surprise, you can actually clamber over it – something we weren’t expecting at all. It is an impressive site and worth the steep walk to reach there. There’s also an archaeological museum with fascinating roman artifacts on display.

After admiring the Citadel and the museum, see the Hand of Hercules, then make your way to the Umayyad Palace. This is largely a ruin but has a beautiful reconstructed dome of the ‘monumental gateway’. Wander around the ruins and take pictures of the panoramic views across the city.

When we visited in spring, the Citadel was surrounded by flowers, which made it look incredibly picturesque.

2. The Roman Theatre

After the Citadel, walk back down the hill and across the main road to the Roman Theatre. Here you’ll find a huge 6,000 seat theatre, which was built in honour of Emperor Antoninus Pius. The Jordanians still put on shows there to this day and you’ll see all the audio equipment and lights.

It’s very steep and the steps are worn so be sure to wear appropriate footwear. I am terrified of heights and basically bum-shuffled my way back down to the bottom!

If you prefer to have a local guide pick you up from your hotel, show you around the sights and tell you all about their history, you can book a tour using this link from only £31 per person:

Check availability and prices for private sightseeing tours

3. Hashem Restaurant

Following a long morning visiting the historic sights, you’ll have built up an appetite. One of the best things to do in Amman is to eat at Hashem Restaurant in Downtown Amman.

The restaurant was recommended to us by our driver and has been featured on the Travel Man show with Richard Ayoade! It’s famous for its delicious falafel and mouth watering hummus dishes.

The staff will cover your table with a huge plastic table cloth and you’ll be expected to eat your food straight from it, off your flatbread rather than plates.

We visited during Ramadan, when people wait until sunset to eat. We arrived about an hour before sunset and placed our orders – then had to sit there with the most incredible smell of food in front of us, unable to touch it. It was torturous!

Out on the street, horns were beeping constantly as everyone was rushing home for their long-awaited dinner. When sunset finally came we realised that we’d completely over-ordered but loved every single bite.

Not only is the food amazing but the prices are too. We paid 22 JOD for five of us to enjoy a magnificent feast. It was the best dining experience of our entire trip!

4. Downtown Markets

Once you have filled your tummy and had a short rest, why not explore the Downtown markets and pick up some souvenirs? The markets sell a wide variety of goods from traditional clothing to gold and exotic spices, and you can find all sorts of unusual items like frankincense, ant powder and myrrh.

Amman is famous for its gold, which is supposedly cheaper to buy there than many other countries, so it’s well worth a browse even if you’re not planning to buy.

5. King Abdullah Mosque

While you’re in Downtown you’ll see the King Abdullah Mosque and its impressive blue dome and exquisite geometric designs. Visitors are allowed into the mosque but you must wear appropriate clothing – head and shoulders covered, long trousers – and take your shoes off. Entrance is 2 JOD.

6. Rainbow Street – things to do in Amman at night

After your long day, return to your hotel to freshen up before the evening entertainment. Head up the hill above Downtown to Rainbow Street. Rainbow Street is popular with Jordanians and tourists alike because of its colourful lights, artwork and its cosmopolitan, inclusive atmosphere.

When we visited it was fairly quiet, but we were told that it gets much busier later in the evening when street entertainers come out.

There’s lots of lovely eateries, bars and boutique shops to explore. We had some homemade gelato and enjoyed a drink in one of the ambient bars – just be aware that alcohol is expensive here, around 8 JOD for a small beer or glass of wine. Take some photos under the colourful lights, enjoy a meal and a drink or two, maybe smoke some Shisha.

Is it worth visiting Amman?

Many visitors to Jordan don’t venture into Amman and head straight for Petra and Wadi Rum but we felt that Amman had a lot to offer and even though we were here for just 2 nights we thoroughly enjoyed our time in the city.

It’s an excellent base to see Jordanian city life, it has amazing archaeological sites, and it’s close to the Dead Sea. One thing that we didn’t see but would if we had longer is the ancient city of Jerash. If you have longer be sure to put this on your itinerary too.

For further information about Amman and Jordan see links below.

✨This article is also featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Amman.