4 Best Sights in Amman, Jordan

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We've compiled the best of the best in Amman - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Rainbow Street

Named for the city's top move theatre, Rainbow Cinema, this street is perfect for strolling with its many cafes, restaurants, boutiques, and art galleries. Wild Jordan is here, too.

The Citadel

Five minutes from downtown, the strategically located hilltop citadel is a good place to start your tour of Amman. The excellent views give perspective on the sprawling city—the sandstone buildings stretch to the horizon in every direction, but you'll have no trouble picking out the Roman theater. Not surprisingly, the citadel was an important fortress and archeological evidence shows that the area was occupied by human settlements as far back as the Paleolithic Age. Impressive remains on the site include the Umayyad palace complex, dating from the 8th century, and the Roman Temple of Hercules. The Jordan Archaeology Museum here is worth a browse, though the collection is somewhat haphazardly organized. The ascent to the citadel is steep, 20-minute climb; you're best off taking a taxi up (about JD1 from downtown) and walking back downtown.

The Roman Ruins

Amman's vast Roman theater is the most obvious relic of the ancient city of Philadelphia. It was originally built in the 2nd century BC against the slope of a hill, to hold about 5,000 spectators. The theater's orientation is said to be almost perfect, providing a minimum of sunlight in the spectators eyes. Concerts and performances are still held here. Considerable restoration has been done to the theater. In front of the theater are the remains of the Roman forum, most notably, the long colonnaded path. There are two museums built into the foundations of the theater, opposite one another: the Folklore Museum and the Museum of Popular Traditions; if you're choosing one or the other, the latter is generally considered more interesting.

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Wild Jordan

A visit to this multi-level Rainbow Street complex will give you a taste of Jordan outside the city limits. The Royal Conservatory for the Conservation of Nature is an independent, nonprofit, nongovernment organization set up by King Hussein and dedicated to the conservation of Jordan's natural resources. Wild Jordan is the business part of the operation and operates the country's natural parks. In addition to helping develop local handicraft businesses, they run tours to places like the Dana Nature Preserve. This a good place to start for information on landscape adventures; there is a craft shop as well as a cafe and restaurant, and there are frequent photography exhibits. The on-site restaurant serves dinner but it's better for a light lunch or an afternoon smoothie, out on the wooden terraces, which has impressive views of the city.

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