doc_id: amman

section: Overview

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**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.

Amman is experiencing a massive (some would say: reckless) change from a quiet sleepy village to a bustling metropolis, some of whose neighbourhoods seem hell-bent on wanting to imitate Dubai. Amman's roads have a reputation of being very steep and narrow in some of the underdeveloped parts of the city but now the city has state of the art highways and paved avenues. The steep terrain and heavy traffic remains challenging for pedestrians and for the rare cyclist. New resorts and hotels dot the city and there are many things for the traveller to see and do. Use Amman as a staging point for travels to nearby cities and settlements in Jordan.

Amman's ancient roots date its origins to biblical times. Referred to as the City of Seven Hills, the Jordanian capital's cityscape includes a collection of modern-style houses, mosques, souks and ancient historic ruins.


section: Understand

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A city built of white stone, Amman's growth has skyrocketed since it was made the capital of Trans-Jordan in the early 1920s, but especially after the 1948 and 1967 wars with Israel when hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees settled there. Another wave arrived after the second Iraq war, with Iraqi refugees forming the majority of newcomers.

thumb|Ammonite watchtower

Its history, however, goes back many millennia. The settlement mentioned in the Bible as Rabbath Ammon was the capital of the Ammonites, which later fell to the Assyrians. It was dominated briefly by the Nabataeans before it became a great Roman trade center and was renamed Philadelphia. After the Islamic conquests, Amman became part of the Islamic Empire, until the Ottomans were forced out by the Allies, with the help of the Hashemites, who formed a monarchy that continues to rule until the present.

Today, *West* Amman is a lively, modern city. The eastern part of the city, where the majority of Amman's residents live, is predominantly the residential area of the working class and is much older than the west. While possessing few sites, Amman makes a comfortable base from which to explore the northwestern parts of the country.

Amman is a very diverse city. Palestinian, Iraqi, Circassian, Armenian, and many other ethnic groups reside in Amman. Amman never stops growing.

Despite the common assertion that most Jordanians understand English, that knowledge is quite limited. Charmingly, the most commonly known English phrase seems to be "Welcome to Jordan". The only non-Arabic language used in signposting is English, and you will find "Tourist Police" near the major monuments. It never hurts to know a few useful phrases and come prepared with a translation book, or to have the names and addresses of places you are going written in Arabic for use with a taxi driver.

Remember if you're travelling during the holy month of Ramadan, it is almost impossible to buy food from sunrise to sundown even for tourists. Big shopping malls like City Mall don't let food stores like McDonald's, Sunset and Starbucks sell food during these hours.


section: Get in

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*for comprehensive and complete visa details when entering Jordan in Aqaba or Amman, and possibilities to waive your visa fee.*

### By plane

*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.


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**Getting there and away**:
 **By bus** – The Sariyah Airport Express bus leaves from a marked bus stop on Level 1 (Arrivals) and costs 3.30 JD. It runs *from* the airport around the clock every hour on the hour, with additional half-hourly departures 08:30–17:30. It is necessary to purchase the ticket from a kiosk outside the airport exit—the kiosk is easily identified after exit but often only takes cash and frequently does not have enough change for larger bills. As of 2025, payment by card seems to work. Note that during night time there is no service *to* the airport. Additionally, this service may be run by a minibus with extremely limited seating and space for baggage. For most travellers staying in inner Amman, this is a cost effective option to bring you into the city, where you can then call an Uber or Careem for 1–3 JD to your hotel, or leave at the terminus (Northern Station / Tabarbour) and take the BRT (Bus Rapid Transfer) to the Jordan Museum for 0.610 JD. Beware that taxis tend to crowd the bus stops, especially at the final stop, the North Bus Station. These taxis will generally overcharge and very aggressively attempt to sell to you on arrival, including boarding the bus to tell you they are the official taxi service. They are not!
The route is: QAIA – 7th Circle (after 20-30 min) – Six Circle – Fifth Circle – Fourth Circle – Housing Bank Complex – Tabarbour North Bus Station (after 45-60 min).
From the 4th Circle, where the bus will turn north, it is possible to catch a taxi (1-1.5 JD) from the bus stop to your hotel, but beware of taxis drivers trying to rip off the newly arrived traveler. Or just walk the last 1-2 km.
Note that if you are travelling with luggages, you might not be allowed to go out of the bus wherever you want. With luggages, the only officials stops are 7th Circle and Tabarbour North Bus Station.
 **By ride hailing** – **Uber** and **Careem** operate in the city, and while the fare is usually around 15 JD, rides have to be caught upstairs at the departures level. It can be quite expensive and unpredictable to catch an Uber from the city back to the airport. A ride at certain times of day, such as rush hour in the morning, may cost upwards of 25 JD. Furthermore, a driver may accept the fare, take some time to arrive, and then decline the fare upon arrival after realizing that the destination is the airport. Repeatedly searching for a driver could cause a significant delay to your arrival at the airport for your flight.
 **By taxi** – Taxi transportation from the airport to Amman should cost around 22.5 JD. You can pay by card for a ride at the taxi station booth, making the need to exchange or withdraw money at the airport with its high commission costs unnecessary. Airport taxi fares are fixed. The fare is only fixed from airport to city: the taxi driver might try to secure a ride from you from the city back to the airport, often with a massive inflated price. It is not hard to get a ride from city to airport for 20 JD. If the driver is trying to charge more, make your stand and say no.


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Very occasionally, regional or charter flights use , 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.

### By bus

From:
 **West Bank** and **Israel** – For information on coming in via the **Allenby/King Hussein Bridge** border crossing, see Jordan.
 Damascus, **Syria** – JETT runs buses every day
 Baghdad, **Iraq** – JETT runs several buses per week.
 Jeddah or Riyadh, **Saudi Arabia** – As of December 2019 there are no bus services.

### By train

#### From Syria

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. Amman's tiny, charming railway station (Mahatta) with its museum is worth a look even if you do not (or cannot) take a train.

#### From Saudi Arabia

Trains do not yet enter Jordan, but you can take a train from Riyadh to Al Qurayyat, from where you can continue into Jordan. For more details, see Jordan.

### By taxi

A taxi from the Palestinian border crossing bridge can cost 25 JD and takes one hour, depending on which of the three border crossing points you use.


section: Get around

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### On foot

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.

### By taxi

Yellow and grey taxis are readily available and can be easily found anywhere in Amman. Hail them in the street as Jordanians do. Taxis for Amman will have a green logo on the driver and passenger doors. The grey ones have an advertisement on top of the car. Resist hailing cabs with another color logo; these cabs are based in other cities and it is illegal for them to pick up fares in Amman. White taxis are shared, and the driver can pick up other fares along the way, which can lead to confusion.


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Taxis in Amman are required by law to use meters and most drivers will reset the meter as soon as a fare is picked up. Most trips within Amman should be under 2 JD, and even a ride from one end of town to the other should not cost more than 5 JD. Taxis are not required to use meters after midnight and drivers often expect double the normal fare for late night trips.

**Beware** of drivers offering to give you a short ride "for free" as a "Welcome to Jordan", especially if you're walking between the Citadel and the Roman Theater; they will then offer to wait for you to take you to your next stop, and will use the "free" ride as an excuse not to start the meter. They will then charge you exorbitantly when you arrive at your next stop. Also, be wary of the private cars posing as taxis around the bus stands and stations. They will offer their services asking you to pay as much as you want but later on insist on pocketing more money from you. In case you get one, insist paying the standard price which should not be more than 2–3 JD, anything more is a rip-off.


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The base rate for the taxi meter is 250 fils, however, some taxis may use old meters which charge 150 fils, it is legitimate for the driver to ask you for 10 extra piasters (100 fils) on top of the quoted meter fare. Make sure though that you note the initial fare as soon as the driver turns the meter on in order not to have the driver ask you for "the 10 piasters" when he has a new meter. Drivers are not normally tipped, instead the fare is simply rounded up to the nearest 5 or 10 piasters. Many drivers do not carry much change, so exact change should be given when possible.

If a driver is pretending he has no change, it is likely that he just wants to keep it, so that you'll have to pay more. If you mind this, ask the driver to find a nearby shop and get change or get the change yourself from a shop or (if you don't mind being rude) look into their money box to find the change yourself.

The going, negotiated rate for a taxi from Amman to the airport is 20 JD or more, although some drivers can be talked down to 15 JD or even 10 JD (which would be close to the metered rate). All taxis are allowed to take passengers to the airport; only special Airport Taxis may take passengers from the airport into town.

If you are visiting the Citadel, call it al'Aqal. The driver may try to convince you that the Roman theater is nicer so that he can drop you off there at the bottom of the hill. It's best to be dropped off at the Citadel and walk down the hill to the Roman theater.


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**Uber** and **Careem** operate in Amman in the same way as anywhere elsewhere. It is best to select the Uber option as opposed to taxi, and card payment as opposed to cash to avoid being asked for more money by the driver. Ubers and Careem are quite cheap, and in most of the core of the city will cost just 1–4 JD depending on distance and demand. Consider tipping if you can, especially since both apps tend to price on distance—given the difficult streets in Amman, it can often mean much longer actual routes than it may seem on a map.

### By car rental

There are several car rental companies located in Jordan some will even give you a driver for free if you book a car rental with them. Some of these are Hertz, Sixt Rental Cars, and National.

### By bus

Big, municipal buses serve many parts of Amman. They are used by low-income workers, working-class youth and foreign workers, but are perfectly safe. As of January 2011, the fare was 380 fils. Pay the exact fare (or overpay); bus drivers have no change! You can also load a bus fare cash card with a few JD and swipe the card past a reader as you enter the bus, but places to buy and recharge the card are rare. As of 2025, you can also simply swipe a MasterCard or Visa. Sometimes it doesn't work if you are in a tunnel for instance. In that case, just wait and the bus will reconnect to the internet network when leaving the tunnel, making the payment possible.


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Since a few years, there is a very efficient BRT network (Bus Rapid Transfer) for only 610 fils. With its own roads, it avoid most of the traffic jam. Moreover, it connects the Northern Station to downtown (close to the Jordan Museum), which is very useful if you sleep downtown.

Most buses are numbered; some display their destination in Arabic only. Bus no. 26 conveniently travels between the old town (Balad) and the 7th Circle along Zahran Street. No. 27 goes from the old town towards the posh Abdoun neighbourhood. No. 43 passes near Shmeisani (as does no. 46) and continues along Mecca Street towards Mecca Mall. Many bus stops are marked by bus shelters, but buses also drop passengers at unmarked spots wherever it is safe to stop. Private minibuses shadow the municipal buses. They do not display route numbers, but a conductor usually shouts out their destination.

### By bicycle

Bike tours are a good way to see the local scenery and meet local cyclists. There are a couple of bicycling tour firms in Amman.

- Tareef Cycling Club

- Cycling Jordan


section: See

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thumb|Roman theater in Amman
thumb|Umayyad Palace
 thumb | Mosque at the Cave of 7 Sleepers

Although the capital of a diverse kingdom, Amman is not what one would call "packed" with things to see, making it a great gateway to explorations further afield. Even so, the city does hold a few items of historical and cultural interest (allow maximum 2 days to see them).

### In the city

 - Amman Citadel

 - Jordan Archaeological Museum

 - Temple of Herakles

 - Umayyad Palace

 - Byzantine Church

 - Roman Theater

 - Roman Nymphaeum

 - Ammonite Watchtower

 - Rainbow Street

 - Darat al Funun

 - Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts

 - The Jordan Museum

 - Abu Darwish Mosque

 - King Abdullah I Mosque

 - Al Bishara Greek Orthodox Church

 - Cave of the Seven Sleepers

 - Royal Automobile Museum

### Around the city

 - Wadi al-Seer

 - Iraq Al-Amir

Day trips can be done to the Desert Castles **Amra**, **Kharaneh** and **Azraq** in the east, about 30-50 km from Amman around the nearby city of Azraq.


section: Do

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See the **sunset** from the view point near the Citadel. But pay also your attention to the time of the muezzin call. If you listen to it from the view point, where the whole city lies before you, you get the unforgettable acoustic impression.
 Due to accelerated growth the past several decades, the styles of living differs considerably as one travels from east to west throughout Amman. Visitors desiring a more exotic and traditional experience should explore "Old Amman", the central downtown, or , which features many souqs, shops, and street vendors. Also known as the *Souq* with traditional sights and smells of the spice market, and shop for authentic souvenirs. Take a walk through the narrow alleyways and corners and negotiate (haggle) the price with friendly vendors. A maze of streets with everything from a fruit market to spices, souvenirs, clothes, hardware. Drink a cool glass of Sugar Cane juice, watch the talented young men make artistic sand designs inside the glass bottles, go and smoke a shisha (hubbly bubbly) in any of the numerous street cafes. Enjoy some tasty falafel in the famous Hashem cafe, enjoy a mansaf dish at Jerusalem restaurant or a nice slice of tasty Kanafe from Habibeh sweets. Busy crowded streets with the real taste of Jordan.
 **Abdali**, a section of downtown Amman, is being transformed into a modern center for tourists and natives. The plan includes a broad pedestrian boulevard where visitors can shop, eat, or do numerous other activities. New office buildings and residential hi-rises have been built, and more are on the way. The massive, modern Abdali Mall draws Amman's young and monied.
 The **cultural scene** in Amman has seen some increased activities, notably cultural centers and clubs such as Makan House, Al Balad Theater, the Amman Filmmakers Cooperative, Remall, and Zara gallery. Around the 1st of September the Jordan Short Film Festival takes place.
 - Amman Waves Aqua Park and Resort

### Learn

There are many universities one can study in. Irbid, Madaba, and Aqaba also hold many educational institutes for foreigners. Jordan's universities are world-renowned and respected for their hospitality and methods of instruction.


section: Buy

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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.

thumb|Wakalat Street
If it's **shopping** you're after, then the pedestrian offers a wide selection of international brand names to choose from. Furthermore, there are the , Jordan's biggest shopping mall, the older and huge aimed at women (walking distance from City Mall), the (also aimed at women), the , and , for those seeking indulgence and the odd US$500 to spare—all designer names.

Amman has numerous antique dealers littered throughout the city. Those in the western parts of the city will most likely be served by those with a competent grasp of the English language, but you run the risk of the items being a bit overpriced.

thumb|clothes market at bus station
Some interesting, original *souvenir items* that one may consider taking home are:
 a keffiyeh, the traditional checkered headpiece of Jordanian men
 an antique brass tea/coffee pot, distinctly Middle Eastern with its artistic etching and curved spout
 olive wood carvings of various objects or figures can be purchase nearly everywhere
 hand-crafted Jordanian daggers
 hand-made Bedouin-style embroidered clothing
 spices.

Also **Rainbow Street** is populated with small antique stores, clothing, restaurants, sheesha tea shops and the well-known Falafel al-Quds, reputedly the "best" falafel in the Middle East (some Saudis even financed the opening of one in Saudi Arabia). Further down the street you will find a small park that overlooks the city. Further still on a side street, during the warmer months, is a side-walk flea market. At the end of this street and down some stairs you will find Wild Jordan.


section: Eat

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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). The original store is easy to spot with the long queue spilling onto the street: if you're just there for the food rather than the vibe, try the new extension that opened 100 m further up on King Hussein St.

Do not forget the good surprises coming from the countless shawarma outlets and other very cheap places.

### Budget

All these are in the city center:

 - Zahret Al Madaen Restaurant & Butchery

 - Pizza Roma Cafe

 - Rouhi AlAqili Restaurant

 - Shahrazad Restaurant

 - Auberge restaurant

### Mid-range

 - Shawermat Reem

 - Lebnani snack

 **Books@Cafe** - a beautiful old house turned into the then-first bookstore/internet/cafe. Opened in 2000 and a hot spot ever since. This cafe is on Rainbow street overlooking all of the old city (Balad) and has two wonderful terraces with the best views in Amman. Boasting a very funky interior in contrast with the classical exterior, this café offers lite fare, water pipes (argheeleh), wine, beer and the best pizza in Amman. Free wireless network and three Internet terminals. A must see. (updated May 2022)
 - Hashem

 - Jafra Restaurant & Cafe

### Splurge

 - La Maison Verte

 - Levant

 - Cantaloupe

 - Fakhr al Din

 - Sufra

 - Noodasia

 - Kan Zaman


section: Drink

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For the coffee lover, Amman's **Starbucks** locations (Swefieh, Abdoun, Taj Mall, City Mall, Mecca Mall, Abdali Mall) offer various mugs, tumblers, and to-go cups with distinctive Jordanian and Middle Eastern flair.

Those who crave **gourmet coffee** have a number of choices along Rainbow St. off of First Circle in Jabal Amman with other shops sprinkled throughout the city.

**Alcoholic beverages** (beer, wine, liquor), can be purchased in liquor stores across the city. Most are distinguishable by an advertisement for Amstel or some like beverage outside. There are also bars up and down Rainbow St. in Jabal Amman and throughout Abdoun. Drinking age is 18 but some bars and cafes might card you and admit 21+ customers only.

Jordan's national beer is aptly called **Petra Beer**, and there are many liquor shops and kiosks around Amman where you can find it. There are two types: 'black' and 'red', which have 8% and 10% alcohol percentage respectively. The red is usually slightly more expensive than the black, but you should expect to pay 2-2.5 JD for a can at a shop. You will often find that bars prefer Amstel and other international brands and do not have Petra beer available.

The local spirit is **arak**, an aniseed or licorice flavoured spirit similar to the Greek ouzo. At 50% alcohol by volume, it is usually served with water and ice, causing the clear liquid to become milky white.

For **night clubs** and bars visit the cosmopolitan West Amman where many Western and American franchises operate here. The nightlife in Amman is not as vibrant as other Middle Eastern cities like Beirut or Tel Aviv, however, there are a few clubs and bars in Amman.

 - Picadelli Pub

 - La Calle

thumb|new and old downtown
 - Jafra Café

 - Maestro Bar

The main places people who live in Amman spend time during the evenings are hookah shops.
 - Al-Mawardi


section: Sleep

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Amman has the full range of accommodation options from very basic 1-star accommodation to luxurious 5-star facilities.

### Budget

 - Cliff Hostel

 - Farah Hotel

 - Jordan Tower Hotel

 - Sun Rise Hotel

 - Sydney Hotel

 - Normas Hotel

 - Zidian Hotel

 - Palace Hotel

 - Canary Hotel

 - Abbasi Palace Hotel

 - Al-Harmin Hotel

 - Amman Castle Hotel

 - Amman Pasha Hotel

### Mid-range

 - Al Fanar Palace Hotel

 - Beirut International

 - Beity Rose Suites Hotel

 - Crystal Suites Hotel

 - Gardenia Hotel

 - New Park Hotel

 - Gallery Guest House

### Splurge

 - Bristol Hotel

 - Four Seasons Amman

 - Grand Hyatt Amman

 - Intercontinental Amman

 - Kempinski Amman

 - Amman Marriott Hotel

 - Le Grand Amman

 - Regency Palace Hotel

 - Le Royal Hotel Amman

 - Sheraton Amman


section: Cope

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### Stay safe

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.

### Embassies

Many details can also be found here: https://www.embassypages.com/jordan

 - Australia

 - Belgium

 - Canada

 - China (People's Republic of)

 - Czech Republic

 - Egypt

 - Delegation of the European Union to Jordan

 - French Embassy

 - Germany

 - Greece

 - Hungary

 - Indonesia

 - Iran

 - Italy

 - Netherlands

 - Norway

 - Philippines

 - Romania

 - Russia

 - Sweden

 - Switzerland

 - Turkey

 - United Kingdom

 - United States


section: Go next

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The bus stop at the **7th circle** is less than 100 m south of the circle. This stop serves the airport, Madaba (0.75 JD), Kerak and others. The small yellow "airport express" labeled bus is easily recognized and the driver will also stop on other places if you wave at him. To reach the 7th circle from downtown take bus 41 or any headed to Wadi As-Seir and ask to be dropped of at Dawaar As-Saabe'a (7th circle). Many buses going by the 7th circle also take a turn at the 4th circle coming from Trababour Bus Station.

The **Trababour Bus Station** serves all destinations to the north and to the western border. To get there from downtown, take Serviis (a sedan car that works like a bus) #6 from Raghadan Tourist Service Station (Raghadan Al Seyaha) which is located right next to the Colosseum. The Trababour Bus Station is the last stop on the Serviis' route.

Many budget hotels like Palace or Farah organize day tours for about 16-18 JD which seems a sensible price, but they do not include entrance fees which could be important. These tours are open to people who don't sleep at the hotel. Classical tours are Jerash, Ajlun, Um Qais, Madaba, Mount Nebo, Baptism site, Dead Sea, and Castles.


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Cities:
 Madaba — Just 45 min away and known as the 'City of Mosaics' for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of Palestine and the Nile delta at St. George Church. 0.75 JD by bus from the 7th circle.
 Jerash (and Ajlun (Ajloun) Castle) — An ancient Roman City. Besides Petra and Wadi Rum, the most famous site in Jordan. 1 h, 0.75 JD from Trababour Bus Station. Get off right before the Hippodrome, 1 km before the bus station, and enter down the side road through the museum. A private taxi from Amman can be hired for 8-10 JD one-way. Expect to pay as much as 40 JD for a return trip and taxi driver staying on site while you look around. Ajlun Castle is only a short side trip from Jerash, either by bus from the junction south of the Hippodrome or by Taxi.
 Umm Qais — A town north, close to the ruins of the ancient Gadara. Best reached by (rental) car or taxi.
 Dead Sea — Mt. Nebo (1 JD) and Jesus' Baptism Site (Al-Maghtas) on the Jordan River are essentially on the way, so consider them as well if you have your own car or taxi. The Dead Sea Amman City Resort is about 20 JD with free showers and swimming pools, but no lockers, towels or mud. Taxi services for travel to the Dead Sea can be purchased for the day 20 JD if you hail a cab from downtown, down town hotels charge 35 JD for the same service. There are a handful of bus lines that also run from Amman on a daily basis. Bus from Mujaharin bus station to Rame costs 1 JD. A taxi from Rame to Amman Tourist Beach 4 JD or less. JETT offers a daily shuttle from Amman Abdali via 7th circle to the Dead Sea and back for 10 JD one-way, online pre-booking recommended.
 Petra — The most famous site in Jordan. JETT buses, both ordinary and all-inclusive guided tour, connect via the fast (but boring) Desert Highway. It leaves at 6:30 from the JETT bus office at Abdali and in 3.5 hr you'll get to the bus station not even 5 minutes from the entrance of Petra. At 17:00 the JETT bus takes off again to go back to Amman. The price is 8-10 JD one way. Time tables of the JETT Bus: http://www.jett.com.jo/SubPage.aspx?PageId=230{{Dead link|date=January 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} Also, from the South Bus Station Petra can be reached by tourist buses: they tend to leave when they are full, from 08:30 onwards (3½ hr, 4-5 JD). Another option, go via Ma'an (7 JD) into Wadi Musa (0.5 JD) (town of Petra). Furthermore, for 75 JD or less (depending on how much you haggle) you may be able to get a private taxi from Amman to Petra and back, including the driver waiting around for 6 hr.


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Countries:
 **West Bank** and **Israel** — For information on travelling directly from Amman using the **Allenby/King Hussein Bridge**, see Jordan.

**Syria** — There were two operators (one of them called Challenge) each providing two daily services to Damascus (Sumariya-Terminal) from Amman for SYP500 (SYP50 student discount). The tour takes at least 4 to 5 hr, depending on border formalities. **However**, considering the current situation in Syria, it is not recommended you head into this direction.