Amman Travel Guide
Amman, the capital of Jordan, is the Middle East for beginners. As one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, it now finds itself as a cross between traditional Arabic sensibilities and Western commercialism.
Divided between western Amman, with its modern cafés, bars and malls, and eastern Amman, where traditional Jordanian culture is still deeply rooted, the best way to get a sense of it all is to take to the streets, starting downtown.
Amman’s historical heredity is embedded in the crumbling Citadel (Jabal al-Qal’a) and the ruins of the Temple of Hercules; the nearby archaeological museum joins the chronological dots together. Downtown also exposes its Roman roots with the imposing Forum and impressive Theatre.
This is a capital that charms the curious into simply wandering around, perhaps stopping for a na’na-flavoured tea.
Amman’s history is as rich as its ambrosial cuisine, which is sprinkled generously with outside influences. Whether it’s the olives and garlic of Mediterranean gardens, or Persian spices such as cinnamon and saffron, meal times are an event in themselves. Typically, they’re feasts of fresh mezze, mopped up with khubz (pita) and washed down with cardamom coffee.
Thousands of years old, Amman has managed to retain both its authenticity and its small town charm. It isn’t uncommon to see luxury hotels shadow traditional coffee shops where elderly men still sit to play backgammon. Old Arabia can be found in the city’s souks, among its handmade crafts and Bedouin jewellery.
Founded on seven hills, urban creep means Amman now sprawls over about 20 surrounding mounds, but beyond its borders, explorers can get a real sense of Jordan by trekking the nearby jebels (hills) where flat roads are a rarity.
As one of the easiest cities to explore in the region, Amman allows visitors to get lost in a truly Middle Eastern experience.
One of the world’s youngest cities, Amman was little more than a village when the Emirate of Transjordan was created following the Great Arab Revolt of WWI. Then, in 1928, the King of Jordan made it his capital.
A few isolated remains of previous settlements can be found among the modern buildings, including traces of Stone Age homes dating from 7000 BCE.
The Roman Theatre attests to the Empire’s presence in the area, when a city named Philadelphia existed close to where Amman now stands. The name, incidentally, came from Egypt’s King Ptolemy II Philadelphus who conquered the city in 285 BCE and named it after itself.
Since then, the city has also been occupied by the Seleucids, Nabateans and Byzantines. In the books of the Old Testament, Amman is mentioned as the capital of the Ammonites. Rabbath-Ammon was where the Israeli King David had Uriah the Hittite killed in battle so he could marry his wife.
The Arab general Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan took the city in 635, but by 1300 it had all but vanished, stumping historians as to the reason why. The Hejaz Railway, which began running in 1908, literally put Amman back on the map. As a stop on the newly installed network, people were drawn to the city and its population grew from around 2,000 to 33,000 in just 40 years.
In 1970, the city saw heavy fighting and shelling during Black September, the Jordanian Civil War between the Jordanian Armed Forces and Palestine Liberation Organisation. But in the years that followed the conflict, the modern city that exists today began to take shape. Queen Alia International Airport was built in 1983, King Abdullah Stadium opened 15 years later, and by 1999, the Amman Stock Exchange had started trading.
Despite its impressive growth, the city’s recent history hasn’t been without challenges, not least in 2005 when terrorist bombings at three hotels left 60 dead, 115 injured and a nation in shock. Nevertheless, modern Amman is a place that remains as scintillating as it was during the years when it was known to the world as Philadelphia.
Amman’s Roman Theatre was built facing north to keep the sun off the audience.
The Royal Automobile Museum still houses King Hussein’s Amphicar (a hybrid of a car and boat), which he used to drive in the Red Sea.
The Hejaz Railway was primarily built to make the pilgrimage to Mecca easier for Muslims.
If you don’t want to be ringing sweat from your t-shirt, visit from March to May when Amman is awakening from its bitingly cold
winter.
The temperatures in
spring are warm and forgiving, rising from 17˚C (62˚F) in March to 28˚C (82˚F) in May, but visit in
summer (June through to September) and the mercury pushes 40˚C (104˚F). The rains move in around October before winter sees single digit temperatures and regular rainfall.
Getting around Amman
There is no integrated public transport system in Amman. A variety of different forms of transport operate in competition along a number of routes throughout the city, but there are no timetables and many pick up on demand. Downtown acts like a transport hub and most routes radiate out from there.
The city has a choice of minibuses, buses, yellow city buses and what is known locally as serveeces. These are shared taxis, containing between four and six people each paying a flat fare. They are easily recognisable: white cars with the route number they serve and a cab number in black Arabic lettering on the front doors.
They operate much like a bus, running along one particular route and picking up and setting down passengers. You can also book them through travel agents or hotels for longer trips to tourist attractions like Petra.
All licensed cabs are metered and provide an inexpensive way to get around Amman. Make sure the driver starts the meter as soon as you get in the cab. Some drivers may try and claim that their meter is broken or negotiate a fixed fee. Have nothing to do with them and hail another cab. You can hire taxis by the day or half day for sightseeing. Reliable taxi providers include
Taxi Al-Barq
Telephone: +962 6 464 129
Intercontinental Hotel Taxis
Telephone: +962 6 464 1361
In much of the Arab world, driving in the city can be hairy and chaotic, and Amman is no exception. Drivers in the capital can be unpredictable at best and crazy at worst – and there seems to be no great liking for using indicator lights.
Friday is the quietest day on the roads, but travelling by taxi is recommended. Visitors are not allowed to drive a vehicle with Jordanian plates unless they have a Jordanian driving licence.
Bicycle hire is practically unknown in Amman, although more hotels are offering bike tours of the city. One place where you can pick up a bike is
Cycling Jordan
Address: Al-Maharah St., Amman.
Telephone: +962 7 8555 2525
Website: www.cyclingjordan.com which hires bikes and runs cycling trips.
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Book popular activities in Amman
Things to see in Amman
Attractions
The site of the Citadel in Amman contains the remains of the Temple of Hercules, built between 161BCE and 166BCE, and the Jordan Archaeological Museum with its collections of pottery, glass, flint and metal tools, a copy of the Mesha Stele and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Nearby, the domed eighth-century BCE Al-Qasr (palace) is the centrepiece of a once mighty Umayyad city. The Citadel ticket office is located on Mathaf Street, just off King Ali Bin Al-Hussein Street.
Address: Jebel al-Qala’a, K. Ali Ben Al-Hussein St. 146, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 463 8795
Opening times: Tue-Sat 08:00-19:00.
Website: www.culture.go.jo
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Downhill from the Citadel, the Corinthian colonnade of Philadelphia’s original market place, The Forum, leads to a Roman Theatre, built during the reign of Antonius Pius (138-161BCE). On the left side of the theatre stage, a statue of a Bedouin warrior guards the Museum of Popular Tradition with its sixth-century mosaics, collections of antique jewellery and displays of traditional costumes. At the other side, the statue of a Circassian in traditional dress stands at the Jordanian Folklore Museum. A Bedouin tent features in a tableau depicting desert life, and a recreated living room from an Ammani house depicts the life of city dwellers.
Address: Taha Al-Hashemi St, Amman.
Opening times: Daily 08:00-20:00.
Website: www.roman-amphitheater.blogspot.com
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
- Little House of the Arts (Darat Al Funun)
This tranquil garden contains the former home of Peak Pasha, Captain (later, Lieutenant Colonel) Frederick Peak, who commanded the Arab Legion from the early 1920s until 1939. Now it is a gallery housing works by leading Arab artists. Visitors can expect a multitude of different collections from visiting exhibitions as well as workshops in writing, art and music, film screenings, talks, and interviews with artists displaying work.
Address: Jebel al-Qala’a, 13 Nadim al Mallah St, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 464 3251
Opening times: Sun-Mon 10:00-19:00.
Website: www.daratalfunun.org
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
This museum has an amazing collection of motorbikes and cars dating back to the time of the Great Arab Revolt and includes the late King Hussein’s 1952 Lincoln Capri (that he had while he was a student in England) and the 1955 Mercedes 300SL ‘Gullwing’ he once raced. For motor enthusiasts, the museum also has the first ever car to officially be presented to the world (made by Karl Benz, a founder of Mercedes-Benz) and often hosts revolving exhibitions.
Address: Dabouq, King Hussein Park, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 541 1392
Opening times: Wed-Mon 10:00-19:00.
Website: www.royalautomuseum.jo
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
The Al-Husseini Mosque was built by the late King Abdullah in 1924 on the site of a much older mosque and possibly also the site of Philadelphia’s Byzantine cathedral. Constructed in pink and white stone in the Ottoman style, it was fully restored in 1987. Known also as the King Hussein Mosque, the streets outside are often full of life with street vendors and juice sellers peddling their wares. Entry is for Muslims only.
Address: Downtown, K.Talal St. 1, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 461 4101
Opening times: Tue-Mon 04:00-10:00.
Website: www.trip.com
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
The Hejaz Railway Station, which is best visited in a taxi, is like a time-tunnel to a vanished age. Just ask the taxi driver to take you to Mahatta (Arabic for station). Trains leave from here to make the eight- or nine-hour trip to Damascus using rolling stock that was old when even Lawrence of Arabia was attempting to blow it up. There’s a fine collection of working steam locomotives that are used for corporate and tourist excursions, a remarkable little railway museum and a very friendly station master too.
Address: Mahatta, Madina Al Munawarah Street, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 489 5413
Opening times: Sun-Thu 08:30-03:30
Website: www.jhr.gov.jo
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
- Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Address: Jebel Amman, Al-Mutanabbi St, Third Circle, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 460 3360
Opening times: Sun-Thu 08:30-03:30.
Website: www.mota.gov.jo
A selection of free glossy booklets, brochures and maps can be obtained from here. More information can be obtained online at
Website: www.visitjordan.comThings to do in Amman
- Bathe at the lowest point on Earth
Just 30 minutes outside of Amman is the Dead Sea, a salt lake some 400m (1,312ft) below sea level. It’s the lowest (and saltiest) place on the planet and is also the ideal spot for a float as its famous hypersaline waters keen bathers above the waves. Join the hordes slathering themselves with its mineral-packed mud: immortality and china-smooth skin await.
- Climb to the top of Citadel Hill
Amman was originally built atop seven hills and upon the highest is Jabal al-Qalaa (Amman Citadel), where the ruins of the Roman Temple of Hercules, erected under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, sit. While it’s easier to get a taxi up, the walk from Al-Malek Ali bin al-Hussein Street is worth it.
- Have a snooze at the Cave of Seven Sleepers
Located 10km (6 miles) outside of Amman is this offbeat tourist attraction. The caves are reportedly where seven persecuted Christian boys took refuge from the Roman Empire, and slept for 309 years. The footing is a bit rough, so it’s best to leave the sandals back at the ranch.
Amman tours and excursions
Amman excursions
If it wasn’t for Petra, the Dead Sea would be Jordan’s most alluring attraction. At 400m (1,312ft) below sea level, this incredible lake in the Great Rift Valley is actually the lowest point on earth. It’s famed for two things: the therapeutic qualities of its mud and water (which are proven to help soothe skin disease), and its natural buoyancy. Less than an hour from Amman by car, the Amman Touristic Beach offers affordable access and has good showers, restaurants and plenty of parasols. Alternatively, the exclusive spa resorts charge a little more but have that 5-star feel about them. Wear modest swimwear.
Telephone: +962 5 356 0804
A 240km (149 mile) drive from Amman is Petra, the jewel in the crown of Jordan’s antiquities and the country’s top attraction. As one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site, Petra is one of the great sights of the Middle East. This city was carved straight into solid rock and it unfolds grandly after a 2km (1.2-mile) walk through a very narrow chasm, which adds to its mystery and grandeur. Built during the 5th and 6th centuries BCE, Petra is the ruined capital of the Nabatean Arabs. Its immense facades were lost for almost 1,000 years until they were rediscovered by the Swiss traveller Johan Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812.
Today, there are still many sites to see including the el Khazneh (The Treasury) monument, which is a giant tomb carved out of rock, the Temple of the Winged Lions, the al-Deir (Monastery) and the small Archaeological Museum, which displays artefacts found at Petra during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Telephone:
+962 3 215 7093
Website: www.visitpetra.jo
Famed for its Byzantine mosaic map of the Middle East, Madaba is a 42km (26 mile) drive from Amman. The mosaic, preserved in the Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George, is made from 2 million coloured stones that depict the hills, valleys, villages and towns in Palestine and the Nile Delta. A further 10km (6 miles) away is Mount Nebo where Moses was said to have seen the Promised Land before dying and being buried in an unmarked grave. Also worth visiting in this area is Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus was said to have been baptised by John.
Telephone:
+962 5 325 2639
Website: www.visitmadaba.orgShopping in Amman
Jordan is renowned for its handicrafts and you’ll find plenty of craft centres in Amman which stock high-quality items like coffee pots, candlesticks and handmade textiles. What’s more, you can often find goods made by women’s cooperatives and other socially-minded groups. With Western influences creeping indiscreetly into the city too, visitors don’t have to look far for designer boutiques and shiny shopping centres either.
Amman is great for buying gold and jewellery, which is sold by weight. A good place to start is at the Gold Souk just off King Faisla Street. For specialist items like dried fruits, jewellery and hand-woven bags produced by rural craftswomen, head to Wild Jordan, Othman bin Affan Street, which is just off Rainbow Street below the First Circle (open 10:00 until late).
Other shops in the area selling quirky home decor and fine crafts are Bawabet al-Sharq and the Jordan River Foundation, located on or near Rainbow Street. Women at the Bani Hamida project work through the Jordan River Foundation to revive and sell traditional Bedouin weaving products.
The streets of downtown are full of little shops selling everyday items, some of which make excellent souvenirs. King Talal Street is the best place to start. Look for items like the traditional Turkish coffee services, Arab robes and keffiyeh (red-and-white-chequered headdresses).
There are shopping malls like the Mecca Mall, on Mecca Street, the Airport Mall, south of the Seventh Circle on Airport Road, and Zara Shopping Centre, located behind the Grand Hyatt Amman.
Shopping hours in Amman are flexible but generally 09:30-13:30 and 15:30-18:00. Please note that shops close earlier during the month of Ramadan.
When you stumble across a tourist sight in the city, souvenirs are not far away. These can include anything from headdresses and local jewellery to sand art bottles.
Most shops in tourist areas and established shopping malls offer sales tax refunds, valued at 16%, for non-Jordanians. Be sure to get a Premier Tax Free slip to claim your money back at the airport.
Restaurants in Amman
Like most Arab countries, Lebanese cuisine features heavily in traditional Jordanian venues. Not that Western influences have been left out entirely. If visitors search enough expat spots, there’s still a chance of finding some fish and chips. Most restaurants double as nightclubs and shisha haunts. The Amman restaurants below have been hand-picked by our guide author and are grouped into three pricing categories:
Expensive (over 12JD)
Moderate (5JD to 12JD)
Cheap (up to 5JD)
These prices are for a three-course meal for one, including all taxes, service and half a bottle of house wine or equivalent where available. Many restaurants add on a 10% service charge, but not much (if any) will make it to your waiter. Try to leave another 5-10% in cash if the service was good.
Expensive
Cuisine: Lebanese
Housed in a charming old renovated house in a swanky section of Amman, this is one of the finest restaurants in the capital and popular with diplomats and business people. The food is Lebanese and as good as it gets in Amman: a great variety of mezzas, meat and chicken grills, as well as fish imported freshly from the Arabian Gulf, and delicious Lebanese desserts. It’s pricey, but worth the money. Reservations are essential.
Address: Jebel Amman, Taha Hussein Street, Amman.
Telephone: +962 7 9543 0055
Website: www.fakhreldin.com
Cuisine: Jordanian
This place may be a hike from the city centre, but if you’re after a Jordanian buffet with classy morsels, it’s certainly worth making the trip. Kan Zaman, located 15km (9 miles) south of 8th Circle, is predominantly pitched at tour groups, though anyone can join in with the feasting. Set in a traditional inn with rugs and wall tapestries, its musicians serenade the crowd with time-honoured songs as patrons tuck into lamb and spinach stew, chicken with sumac and onions, and other local dishes.
Address: Queen Alia Airport Road, Street AlYadoudeh, Mirage Village, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 412 3838
Cuisine: American, European
Enjoy steaks and grilled meats in a fine dining establishment, with the freshest ingredients from prime aged beef to roasts, all of which are cooked in a signature Josper wood fired oven. It is a good option if you want to enjoy truly authentic dishes with excellent service.
Address: Black Iris Street 4th floor, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 520 8888
Website: www.rotana.com
Moderate
Cuisine: Bedouin
Ordering can be a bit of an adventure in this traditional restaurant as the menu is written in Arabic. Whatever you choose though, the food will be first class and reasonably priced, and the service quick and efficient. All meals are freshly made and the mansaf (a traditional, yoghurt-based Jordanian dish) is particularly good. Desserts are a draw here too, so finish off with the layaly libnan (semolina pudding with caramel syrup and a pistachio nut topping).
Address: Downtown, King Hussein Street, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 463 0168
Cuisine: International
If you’ve got a hankering for the tastes of home, Wild Jordan plates up healthy choices like soup, wraps and salads. Vegetarians should plump for the freshly prepared Ajloun spinach and mushroom salad, while meat eaters will be spoilt for choice. If you’ve worked up a thirst, Tchaba tea, Arabic coffee and smoothies all go well with the café’s devilish desserts. Its outdoor terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows make this a wonderful interlude at any time of the day, especially as the views over downtown Amman are so clear and crisp.
Address: Jebel Amman, Othman Bin Affan Street, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 463 3542
Website: www.wildjordancafe-jo.com
Cheap
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Dishing out hot, hearty fare to locals and travellers alike, what you get here is great value food, no fuss and simple surroundings. Plain, clean and busy, the restaurant is great for budget travellers as it allows diners to try a variety of local dishes such as chicken and lamb shwarma (slow-grilled meat), mutton stew and stewed fava beans, all at very reasonable prices.
Address: Downtown, Al-Malek Talal Street, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 462 4527
Website: www.dellooni.com
Cuisine: Middle Eastern desserts
Join the crowds at this legendary dessert joint where sweet treats satisfy even the most honeyed tooth. Specialising in Middle Eastern puddings, the creative variations on the region’s most famous confections await the judgement of your palate. Its most famed offering is kenafeh (a cheese pastry soaked in gooey syrup) but there are other pastries and variants of baklava on offer. The long queues, especially on weekends, are a testament to the quality of its fare. There are a number of outlets in the city.
Address: K. Hussein St, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 553 1555
Website: www.habibahsweets.com
Cuisine: Falafel
This long-established, cheap and cheerful diner has very limited choice, but everything it does serve up, it excels at. An Amman institution, Hashem is always packed, mainly because it makes the best falafels in the city, though its hummus and fuul (fava bean paste) are equally as good. A contender for the cheapest place to eat in Amman, Hashem counts the Royal Family amongst its patrons, so it’s certainly doing something right.
Address: Opposite the Cliff hotel on Alamir Mohamed Street, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 585 8101
Website: www.hashemrestaurants.comAmman Nightlife
Amman bars and clubs range from ultra-trendy and ultra-expensive stomping grounds for the city’s rich, to sleazy flesh-markets frequented by desperate men. There’s plenty of the latter. Information on nightlife in Amman may be difficult to find but the
Jordan Times
Website: www.jordantimes.com has daily listings. Some of the top places don’t serve alcohol and there is little to nothing that stays open later than 01:00 or 02:00.
Bars in Amman
The Big Fellow, in the Sheraton Entertainment Centre off Abdoun Circle, is dedicated to the memory of Ireland’s charismatic revolutionary leader, Michael Collins. It serves up traditional Emerald Isle food and plenty of imported Guinness, which usually comes with a decent shamrock in the head. The Big Fellow is a good spot to park yourself if you want to catch up on your sports as the TV screens are usually alive with some match or other.
Address: Abu Feras Al-Hamadani St. Amman.
Telephone: +962 7 9888 5060
JR The Wine Experience is the perfect place for wine enthusiasts to get a taste of the unique heritage of the area and catch a glimpse into the wine making industry. You can discover more than 40 international handpicked grape varieties during a lavish and luxurious wine tasting experience.
Address: Shmeisani, Abdali Boulevard, Amman.
Telephone: +962 7 9934 4676
Website: www.jr.jo
If you’re looking for a good spot to enjoy a drink at sunset, make your way to the Living Room. This hugely popular bar has a little something for everyone, including decent meals, music and a full menu of non-alcoholic drinks. However the cocktails are the real crowd pleaser and they are best consumed on The Loft – the bar’s roof terrace with a lovely downtown view. Once the sun has disappeared, the Living Room is a comfortable, refined setup with an unassuming air.
Address: Jebel Amman, Mohammed Hussein Haikal Street, Amman.
Telephone: +962 7 7846 4661
Website: www.romero-jordan.com
If the name doesn’t give the game away, the red, oversized phone box perched outside the Rover’s Return usually does. This is an English-style pub, named after the boozer in Coronation Street, and much like its namesake it can get a little rowdy. Usually though, it’s full of good cheer. It attracts a blend of locals, expats and tourists and the wooden trimmings give it a cosy, lived-in feel. It’s a friendly spot for a draught beer or two and good for watching sport, especially football. Be warned though, it can get quite smoky.
Address: Sweifieh, Ali Nasouh al-Taher St, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 581 4844
Website: www.roversreturnjordan.com
The Irish Pub can be found in the basement of the Dove Hotel between the Fourth and Fifth Circles. It’s not much like any taproom you’d find in Dublin, but just as in Ireland, its popularity is steered by its music and it’s a favoured dance venue, particularly on Thursday nights. It also serves up some hearty food, including fish and chips and chicken quesadilla, and is known to host dart tournaments and salsa nights. Sports are also shown on a large screen.
Address: Swefieh Al Kamal Commercial Complex, Ali Nasouh Al Tahir Street, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 581 2848
Website: www.dove-hotel.com
Clubs in Amman
The Prestige Lounge is the place in town for the young and beautiful. DJs from around the world spin the crowd into a frenzy, especially on the weekend. It’s also a popular spot for live bands which helps facilitate a growing local scene in the city. Keep an ear out for the powerful melodies of El Morabba3, who play regularly, and who attract a set of well-heeled Jordanian party-goers. Prestige Lounge is located upstairs on the popular Abdoun Circle.
Address: Abdoun Circle, Amman.
Telephone: +962 7 9687 9741
Live music in Amman
For starters, The Blue Fig has live music weekly. It also boasts several bars, a restaurant, a café, a bakery, a movie room and an outside terrace. The owners certainly don’t do anything by halves, so everything from the food to the films is excellent, but it’s the music that hits the right note. The Blue Fig sees itself as a base for the city’s alternative, culturally appreciative crowd. Call ahead for a schedule of upcoming bands.
Address: Irbid St 30, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 592 8800
Website: www.bluefig.com
For a more sophisticated musical experience, try the Royal Cultural Centre which occasionally hosts concerts, usually in Arabic. It is the first centre of its kind in the country and is located in the Shmeisani area, not far from the Regency Palace Hotel at Interior Circle. As well as live music, there are often visual art, dance and drama performances staged here. Small but significant, there is room for up to 300 people in the auditorium, and the centre provides translations for some shows.
Address: Shmeisani, Al-Malekah Alia Street, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 581 6181
Website: www.jordan.gov.jo
Theatres in Amman
- Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts
The Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts is a complex of cinemas, theatres and exhibition spaces. It hosts a variety of activities and their handy monthly programme lists them all. This is also the venue for the Jordan Film Festival each May. It promotes itself as a disseminator of culture and the arts from both the Islamic and developing worlds, sometimes quite literally when the owners send out their touring museum truck around the country.
Address: Jabal Al-Waibdeh, Suleiman Al-Nabulsy Street, Amman.
Telephone: +962 6 463 0128
Website: www.nationalgallery.orgAmman Food And Drink
Food In Amman
Mansaf is one of the most popular dishes in Jordan and will be found in most restaurants. It is a lamb dish that is cooked in fermented yogurt and served with rice or bulgur. There are many variations of mansaf but the main base of the dish (lamb and yogurt) remains the same.
Falafel is usually made with fava beans in Egyptian cuisine, where it most likely originated, with chickpeas in Palestinian cuisine, or just chickpeas or a combination of both in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria and the wider Middle East. This version is the most popular in the West.
Moutabel – When it comes to dipping dishes (part of the greater mezze spread), moutabel in Jordan was one of my favorites. The combination of creamy roasted eggplant, garlic, sesame paste, and olive oil is a flavor and texture that’s hard to beat.
Creamy, rich, filling and flavorful, hummus is a staple in
Jordan. This delicious meal made from basic ingredient like chickpeas, lemon, garlic and tahini yields something that is so simple, yet so good.
Fattet hummus or hummus fatteh is a creamy, nutty , savoury chickpea bread pudding. In the Levant (Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon)
- Warak Enab and Kousa Mahshi
Versions of this dish are commonly eaten throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean. Both the grape leaves and the zucchini are stuffed with a combination of rice and ground meat, onions, and light seasonings, then wrapped up, and slow cooked.
Labneh is a soft Middle Eastern cheese made from strained yogurt. It’s surprisingly easy to make, and it’s really versatile. Serve it as a dip with good-quality olive oil and za’atar, or add it to salads, pizzas, sandwiches, and more!
Baklava is another of Jordan’s most popular sweet treats. The layered pastry dessert is made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey.
Drink In Amman
If mansaf is Jordan’s national dish, then limonana is the national drink. You’ll find it everywhere, and on a hot day there is nothing like it for refreshing a parched throat. Essentially, limonana is a slushy, with ice, sugar, spearmint and whole peeled lemons blended together for a tart and minty treat.
Juice is a drink made from the extraction or pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat or seafood, such as clam juice.
We only use loose black tea leaves of good quality as it has a better taste than the teabags. Although we mostly make ‘plain’ Bedouin tea, we sometimes add herbs like sage, mint or thyme, and spices like cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks for a different, more spicy and sophisticated taste.
Jordanian mint tea is often made by adding a few mint leaves to the bottom of a glass before pouring over freshly brewed black tea and sweetening to taste.
A product tailored for Jordan’s taste profile & tradition, our Traditional Jordanian coffee is made of 100% ground Arabica beans, pungent with a sharp touch of cardamom and notes of chocolate, leaving a fresh lingering aroma and aftertaste.