JORDAN
Exploring Amman
in 24 hours
ordan was one of those trips that were meant to happen at the right time. It’s been on my bucket list for years and I was close to booking the tickets more than a few times, but I never did, until a friend suggested it in 2024.
You should spend at least one or two days exploring the city, it might surprise you.
fWhy did I back out so many times? Because a trip to Jordan is tricky. You land in Amman and you want to see three things: Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea and you may think that these are close to each other but no, Amman to Petra is a 4-hour drive and Petra to Wadi Rum is two, so you need good planning. Of course almost all (if not all) the hotels can help you with organized tours but if you don’t want to travel in a group, your best solution is to book a driver or rent a car. We chose to book a private driver for three days via GetYourGuide for €275 each and we basically had someone to drop us off and pick us up.
Before I go on, keep in mind that you need to buy a Jordan Pass before you go. We bought the Jordan Explorer for €100 each, which waives the fees of the visa (it’s not a visa) and grants you entry to over 40 attractions. That includes Petra, whose entrance fee is around €90 alone. Keep in mind that when you present your Jordan Pass at the Visitors’ Center you have to have your passport with you. What we did was book a hotel for our first and last day in Amman, a stay in Petra and a camp in Wadi Rum.
We stayed in Amman on our first and our last night in the country, at Landmark Hotel for €160 per person. When in Amman, we headed downtown and were surprised to see how lively it is. The Rainbow Street, cafes with terraces overviewing the city. You should definitely try a feteer meshaltet, a flaky Egyptian layered pastry, consisting of thin layers of dough and ghee and an optional filling (sweet or savory). We had a few at Fatatri, which is a casual restaurant in the heart of the city. Alternatively, I had the best tabbouleh at Bait Halimeh, a restaurant covered with flowers at the stunning Abdali Mall.
Books@Cafe is a great way to spend the evening; it’s a bookstore with a terrace, above a gallery / store with many artworks from locals to buy as postcards, cards and posters. The bookstore is great, offering a great variety of books of all genres and terrace is gorgeous, offering stunning views of Amman, especially beautiful after dusk.
Our trip to Amman couldn’t be complete without a visit to Amman Citadel. The L-shaped hill, where the citadel sits on, is one of the seven hills that originally made-up Amman and the archaeological site has the famous Temple of Hercules and his giant, marble fingers, and the gateway of the Umayyad Palace. There’s also a café with great, handcrafted souvenirs and a view of the city – tell me the houses don’t look like they’re from cardboard. If you walk down that hill – and dare to cross the very busy road – you will find the Roman Amphitheatre , a 2nd century theatre used for musical performances. In the premises there’s also a museum, offering a glimpse of the Jordanian culture and heritage with artefacts and costumes.
All in all, Jordan was an extraordinary trip, with three bucket list destinations and every day being so different than the last. Quite cheap and full of surprises, but in need of excellent planning so you can be as relaxed as possible once you get there. I also feel that Amman often gets overlooked in favor of Petra or Wadi Rum. You should spend at least one or two days exploring the city, it might surprise you.