Brief guide to Amman, Jordan

Amman, the capital of Jordan, is one of the most ancient cities in the world, with archaeological finds dating as far back as the Neolithic Period, finds at Ain Ghazal in Eastern Amman date back to around 8,500BC.

Amman is ideally situated between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley. Amman is easily accessible by both international flights and by ferry from the Sinai Peninsula to Aqaba, which lies around 350km from Amman (as included on many of our tours).

Whilst in Amman, one must take the time to visit some of sights in the area. Many of these are included on our tours or can be pre-booked as an optional extra from the UK. These include:

• ‘The Desert Castles’ – Not actually castles as the name would suggest, but a number of ruined Fortresses, Palaces and Bath houses many of which are over 1,000 years old.
• ‘The Azraq Wetland Reserve’ – Probably not what most visitors to Jordan would expect to find, The Azraq reserve in an area of marshland and lakes right in the middle of the desert. The area is home to many endangered species such as Oryx and Ostriches.
• ‘The Roman Ruins’ – Probably Amman’s most famous attraction. The ruins include The Forum and The Roman Theatre, which was built around 177AD by the emperor Marcus Aurelius. The Theatre once seated approximately 6,000 people, and even today, the Theatre still plays host to many concerts.

Modern Amman is one of the most liberal cities in the Middle East; it is also one of the most westernised cities in the region. It has a thriving cultural and arts scene, as well as numerous nightclubs and bars across the city especially in Western Amman. Amman is also home to many jewellers and souvenir shops for citizens and tourists alike

From Amman, many of our tours take trips to visit Jerash, which is one of the worlds best preserved and most dramatic Roman cities in the Middle East. Jerash is approximately 50km North of Amman.

Due to its hilly location, Amman enjoys a Mediterranean climate and four seasons of excellent weather as compared to other places in the region, with summer temperatures ranging between 28-30⁰C.