1 Day in Amman: A One-Day Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

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Got just 1 day in Amman and want to make it count? You’re in the right place. When I visited Jordan, I had exactly 24 hours in the capital, and thanks to a perfectly planned itinerary by the Jordan Tourism Board, I managed to see the city’s best bits without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

If you’re a first-time visitor wondering how to spend one day in Amman, this guide is for you. This is the exact itinerary I followed myself.

I know how tricky it can be to make the most of limited time, especially in a city as big as Amman. That’s why this itinerary focuses on major highlights that are close together, so that you can spend more time exploring and less time travelling between attractions.

Whether you’re into Roman ruins, panoramic views, or local street food, this one-day itinerary will help you maximise your time. Let’s get started on your perfect day in Amman.

Why Visit Amman For One Day?

Many travellers to Jordan skip Amman in favour of Petra and Wadi Rum, but I’m here to say they are missing a trick!

Amman is a bustling city with so much history, personality, culture and delicious food. I strongly recommend including at least one day in your Jordan itinerary to explore Amman.

There is so much to see and do in Amman – from incredible city views, fascinating historical sites and amazing street art. What’s more, Amman really comes alive at night, especially if you’re visiting Jordan during Ramadan, so it’s worth booking a hotel close to the city centre so you can experience authentic Amman.

Amman Itinerary Summary

Amman is a large city, spread out over a huge area. So it would be impossible to explore every part of the city in one day. If you’re visiting Amman for the first time, I recommend focusing on the key sites such as:

• Amman Citadel
• The Roman Theatre
• Amman Downtown
• Cooking Class at The Jordanian Kitchen
• King Abdullah I Mosque
• Rainbow Street

Including all of the above in your one-day itinerary is going to make it a jam-packed day, but an amazing one at that!

Morning: Ancient History and City Views

Amman Citadel

Start your day early at the incredible Amman Citadel. Located right in the heart of the city, the historic Citadel offers amazing views over the rest of Amman.

The walk up to the Citadel is steep – you’ll need to tackle a lot of steps – so it may be best to conserve energy for the whirlwind day ahead by hiring a taxi to take you to the top.

Amman is steeped in history, with roots stretching back to the Bronze Age. It was once the capital of the ancient Ammonites, a kingdom mentioned in the Bible.

As well as enjoying the panoramic views, make sure to explore the Temple of Hercules, the Umayyad Palace, the Byzantine Church, and the Archaeological Museum, which I found very interesting.

The Temple of Hercules is the most famous site at the Amman Citadel and is featured in many photos of Amman. Make sure to take a photo standing beneath the 30-foot columns, as you really get a sense of their size.

Also, look out for the giant hand that is the only remaining part of what is thought to be a gigantic statue of Hercules. When you see the hand, you can really imagine how huge the statue must have been!

Entrance to the Amman Citadel is 3 JD. If you have the Jordan Pass, you can get in for free. You can purchase tickets on arrival, or you can book a Citadel tour in advance.

You can also book a multilingual licensed guide (from JD15 per hour), which I recommend doing, as you’ll really get to know more about the historical and cultural significance of the site.

The Roman Theatre

Close to the Citadel, you’ll find the Roman Theatre, cut into the side of a hill with seating capacity for a staggering 6000 people.

The Roman Theatre is one of the best-preserved elements of the ancient Roman city of Philadelphia, which is what Amman was known as during Roman rule.

You’ll also find two small museums at the Roman Theatre (The Jordan Folklore Museum and The Jordanian Museum of Popular Traditions). Both are worth a visit if you’re interested in culture and traditions.

It costs 2 JD to enter, which includes the two museums. The Roman Theatre is included in the Jordan Pass.

Downtown Amman

After leaving the Roman Theatre, you’ll be directly in the heart of Downtown Amman, the bustling epicentre of the city. When you reach the road in front of the Theatre, head to your left and walk along Al-Hashemi Street.

While in Downtown Amman, take a walk through one of the souqs, such as Souq Al-Sukar or Souk Jara, to get the authentic Amman shopping experience.

If you have time, check out the Duke’s Diwan, which is a historic townhouse and one of the oldest residences in the city. Built in 1924, the building served as Amman’s first post office for a while and was later transformed into a hotel before being restored by a rich Jordanian businessman.

While small, the building provides an interesting window into the past and is worth a visit.

Habibah Sweets

Jordanian food is fantastic! There’s no doubt about that. Not only do they cater well for a variety of diets (vegetarians eat well in Jordan!), they also cater for those with a sweet tooth (me!) with a huge variety of delicious Arabic sweets.

If you have a sweet tooth or just fancy trying some of the local sweet delicacies, don’t miss the famous Habibah Sweets. Nearby, there is also a fantastic ice cream shop called Bekdash, where they play drums on the lids of the ice cream containers to draw people into the shop!

Afternoon: Delicious Foodie Delights

Lunch

As much as you might want to, you can’t just have Arabic sweets for lunch! While in Amman, it would be rude not to try one of the many amazing restaurants serving authentic Jordanian cuisine.

Some recommendations for restaurants close to Downtown Amman include:

• Sufra Restaurant
• Shams El Balad
• Bait Baladna

Cooking Class at The Jordanian Kitchen

Alternatively, you could book a cooking class at The Jordanian Kitchen, where you’ll learn how to make a variety of traditional Jordanian dishes, and eat the fruits of your labour at the end of the class too!

I spent an afternoon with The Jordanian Kitchen and really enjoyed the whole experience. As well as learning about the ingredients that go into traditional Jordanian recipes, we also learnt cooking techniques for chopping and preparing food.

We made and ate:

• Cucumber Yoghurt Salad
• Jordan Valley salad
• Baba Ghanouj
• Moutabbal
• Maqlubah
• Muhallabeyyeh

This is a great way to spend an afternoon if you’re a real foodie and also want to experience the culture. The experience lasted about 2-3 hours, including time to eat the food we made at the end of the class.

King Abdullah Mosque

If a cooking class isn’t your kind of thing, I recommend you pay a visit to the King Abdullah Mosque in Downtown Amman. It’s the only mosque in Amman that openly welcomes non-Muslim visitors.

It is open to visitors from Saturday to Thursday, in the morning and around lunchtime. On Friday, the mosque is open only to Muslims who wish to pray.

Evening

Rainbow Street

After eating at the Jordanian Kitchen in the afternoon, you’ll be very full and may not want to eat in the evening…or for a few days after! But if you do get hungry, I recommend you try one of the restaurants mentioned earlier, such as Sufra Restaurant or Shams al Balad, both of which are open until around 11 pm.

Near to both of these restaurants, you’ll find Rainbow Street – a bustling street that really comes alive after dark, especially if you visit during Ramadan, as we did. It’s a great place to visit at night to experience Jordanian nightlife.

Here you’ll find an abundance of cafes and shisha bars, where the locals hang out, as well as low-priced falafel shops. Al Quds is another great option if you do get hungry.

One of the side streets has a famous lantern display overhead, which makes for some great photos during the day and at night. If you visit in time for sunset, some of the cafes and shisha bars on Rainbow Street have a rooftop terrace, which is a great place to watch the sunset.

Where to Stay in Amman

I stayed at the Corp Amman Hotel, which is about a 15-minute drive from Downtown Amman. While the Corp Amman Hotel was beautiful (we had excellent service, great food and a lovely room), it’s not within walking distance of Downtown.

If you’re looking for something outside the main city hub, the Corp Amman Hotel is a great choice.

Otherwise, if you’re looking for a hotel in the heart of downtown, I recommend:

New Rafi Hotel – Very close to the main attractions. Great review and an amazing price! Rooms have air-conditioning, private bathrooms, and city views. You can enjoy a British buffet breakfast and dine at the family-friendly restaurant serving halal cuisine. There is also a paid-for airport shuttle.

Art Hotel Downtown – A low-cost hotel in a busy area in Amman, only a 10-minute walk from the Roman Amphitheatre. Each room provides a flat-screen TV and air conditioning.

Hotel Philosophy – Great location with modern rooms with air-conditioning, private bathrooms and free WiFi. Each room includes a work desk and a flat-screen TV. The hotel’s restaurant serves international cuisine with halal and vegan options. Guests can enjoy brunch, lunch, dinner, high tea, and cocktails in a traditional, modern, or romantic ambience.

How to Get Around Amman in One Day

You can easily explore Downtown Amman on foot as most of the attractions on this one-day itinerary are within walking distance of each other.

If you don’t fancy walking between attractions, you can get a taxi to get from point A to point B. However, it may be quicker to walk shorter distances as the traffic in Amman can be crazy! If you do decide to take a taxi, always agree on a price upfront.

Another alternative to taxis is to use a ride-hailing app such as Uber or Careem.

You can, of course, rent a car, but I wouldn’t recommend driving in Amman itself as it can be very hectic and overwhelming. If you do want to hire a car, perhaps for a longer road trip in Jordan, I recommend using Discover Cars to compare prices across various car rental companies. I’ve always found they offer the lowest prices.

Finally, you can use the public bus service. You can find more information about the bus service here, as well as by downloading the official Vision Bus app.

Of course, you could also book a day tour, which means your transport will be taken care of. Here are a few I recommend:

Amman Walking Tour with Street Food and Hidden Gems – Visit King Abdullah Mosque, a secret location and the Roman Amphitheatre on this walking tour of Amman.

Amman City Tour – This tour includes a private driver and visits to the major highlights, including Amman’s Citadel, Roman Theatre, and Wast Al-Balad. Also includes a visit to Habibah Sweets.

What to Wear in Amman

Jordan is a Muslim country, and as such, you should always dress according to their local customs and culture. It’s important to respect the traditions and cultural norms of any country you’re visiting, and in Amman, this means women should dress conservatively, covering up as much skin as possible.

Women don’t need to wear a headscarf unless visiting a religious site such as a Mosque, but it is important to wear loose-fitting clothing that covers your arms, legs and chest as much as possible.

Ensure any clothing you wear is not see-through and is light and airy. The temperature in Amman, especially during the summer months, can be extremely hot, so light, loose clothing that covers your skin not only adheres to the local customs but also helps to keep you cool and protect your skin from the elements.

For example, opaque linen trousers or chinos and a long-sleeved loose-fitting top would be perfect. I wore a scarf, which I used to cover my head from the sun.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions about spending 24 hours in Amman, get in touch via the contact form. I’d love to hear from you!