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Amman Holidays, Hotels & Travel Guide
Travel guide to hotels & holidays in Amman
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Amman Holidays Overview
A guide to holidays in Amman - Originally spread over seven hills, or jabals,
the capital of the Hashemite kingdom now sprawls over 19 hills and
is home to well over a million people, almost half of Jordan's
population. Known as the White City, the hills are covered in a
jumble of light-coloured stone houses, consistently box-like in
shape with flat roofs characteristic of a typical desert city.
Faded minarets, pavement markets, Arabian sweet shops and the
crumbling remains of ancient civilisations contrast wonderfully
with the contemporary edifices, fashionable boutiques and
international restaurants. This blend of the old and the new
combines in the noisy and chaotic downtown area where the city's
extraordinarily friendly residents go about their
business.
At the heart of downtown is the
Ottoman-style King Hussein Mosque, around which the buzz and bustle
is at its most interesting. Even busier at prayer times, the
surrounding streets are filled with the essence of Arabia, exotic
smells and rows of glittering treasures in the souq (market) amid
the noise of frenetic haggling. Just as
overwhelming is Amman's sense of history, dating back 5,500 years
to its position as the ancient capital of the Ammonites,
Rabbath-Ammon of the Old Testament, and later as Philadelphia, the
Roman city that became part of the Decapolis. Overlooking the city
from atop Jabal al-Qala'a is the Citadel, the site of the ancient
Rabbath-Ammon, and at its foot lies the impressive Roman
amphitheatre that is the most remarkable remnant of ancient
Philadelphia. Amman is one of the oldest,
continuously inhabited cities in the world, and today functions as
a thriving commercial and administrative centre with modern
facilities, historical attractions and a longstanding tradition of
hospitality. It is an excellent base from which to explore the
surrounds, even the rest of the country, being no more than five
hours drive from anywhere, and is surprisingly agreeable for a
capital city.
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Amman
holidays - Top Places To Go
1. Citadel Hill
Jabal al-Qala'a
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What is it? From its position on top of a hill
overlooking the city, the Citadel stands testament to the history
of Amman, with its ancient ruins and excavated relics, alongside
those from throughout the country, housed in the Jordan
Archaeological Museum. It is the site of the ancient capital
Rabbath-Ammon and numerous excavations have revealed Stone Age
remains as well as those from the Roman to the Islamic periods. The
site contains several structures including the impressive Omayyad
Palace (al-Qasr), a small Byzantine basilica and what was once the
Temple of Hercules, the Great Temple of Ammam. Also on the site is
the Jordan Archaeological Museum, which has an excellent collection
of artefacts from Jordan dating back to the earliest settlement in
the region over 700,000 years ago. The Dead Sea Scrolls, Iron Age
sarcophagi and a copy of the Mesha Stele are its most important
exhibits.
Hours of Operation: Museum: Daily 9am to 5pm (winter), 9am to 7pm
(summer); Friday and holidays 10am to 6pm
Phone:(0)6 463 8795 (museum) |
2. Roman Theatre
Quraysh Street, Downtown
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What is it? Below the Citadel is the magnificent Roman
amphitheatre, an impressive relic from ancient Philadelphia that is
cut into the hill and can seat up to 6,000 people. The theatre is
still used occasionally for events today. Two cultural museums form
part of the complex: the Jordan Folklore Museum, which has exhibits
on traditional life, and the Museum of Popular Traditions with
traditional costumes and mosaics from 4th to 6th century Jordan
churches.
Hours of Operation: Jordan Folklore Museum: daily 9am to 5pm; Fridays
10am to 4pm. Museum of Popular Traditions: 9am to 5pm; closed
Tuesdays
Phone: |
3. Jerash
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What is it? Situated about 31 miles (50km) north of Amman
is one of the top attractions in Jordan, the ancient city of
Jerash, which is considered to be one of the best preserved Roman
sites in the world. Its exceptional state of preservation is due to
the fact that it was buried in sand for centuries and the
magnificent baths, theatres, temples, arches, columns and stone
chariot-rutted streets have long attracted scholars and tourists
from across the world to admire the most complete city in the Roman
Decapolis. Excavations dating to the Neolithic Age have indicated
that Jerash was continuously occupied for more than 6,500 years.
Today visitors can marvel as the ancient amphitheatre comes to life
at the annual Jerash festival of Culture and Arts in July, where
artists from around the globe sing, dance, act and play music on
stage in a celebration of Jordanian and international
culture.
Hours of Operation: Daily 7am until dark. From July to October a sound
and light show takes place every evening
Phone:(0)2 635 1014 (Visitor's Centre) |
Amman
holidays - Top Events
1. Amman Dead Sea Ultra Marathon
From 2007-04-13
To 2007-04-13
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What is it? One of the most gruelling races on earth
takes the brave from Amman, some 900 metres above sea level, to the
Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. The shade-less tarmac provides
the surface and only the fittest dare attempt it due to the
scorching climate. The race is on behalf of the Society for the
Care of Neurological Patients headed by HRH Prince Firas Bin Raad,
in aid of increasing awareness of neurological diseases and
traumas.
Where is it? Amman to the Dead Sea |
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