Having just come from Wadi Rum, our amazing visit to Jordan was coming to an end, but we couldn’t leave without visiting the capital Amman, of course. Amman, though it is one of the world’s youngest cities, is surrounded by ancient monuments, dating all the way back to the Ottoman Empire. We only had one full day in the capital, which was certainly not enough knowing how much rich history there was to learn, good food to eat, and sights to see. This guide will give you a perfect itinerary for a brief stop in Amman.

A Quick Stop In Amman, Jordan

Sufra

Our drive from Wadi Rum got us to our hotel, the Intercontinental Amman, without time to see any main attractions of the city, so we checked in and headed to dinner. A short walk through the town led us to our exceptional dinner place, Sufra. Located in a beautiful, home-like building, Sufra served the most delicious, traditional Jordanian food I’d had the whole trip. We left stuffed with falafel, tabbouleh, hummus, but my favorite had to be their special “clay pots baked slowly to perfection” with lamb!

Citadel & Roman Theater

The next morning, we got up early to squeeze all of our sightseeing in before sundown. We first visited the Citadel, the face of Amman, which is elevated overlooking the city. We walked around, past ancient pillars, ruins of buildings, and more early Roman architecture, but the highlight for me was the Temple of Hercules, the most famous sight within the compound.

Just down the hill from the Citadel is the Roman Theater, another huge attraction in Amman. Seeing ancient Roman architecture well outside of Italy really makes you realize just how big the Roman Empire was. The amphitheater itself was ginormous and it was fun to climb up the steep stairs and reach the top.

Shawerma Reem

If you need a quick bite to eat, Shawerma Reem is the perfect spot. A local favorite, this shawarma stand serves the most delicious thinly cut meat stacked in a pita bread cone with all sorts of vegetables as well. I would definitely recommend!

Jerash

About a 50 minute car ride outside of Amman lies Jerash, a beautifully preserved city with countless archeological sites dating all the way back to Neolithic, Greco-Roman, and Ottoman periods. Though getting there is a bit of a journey, Jerash is totally worth visiting. We rented a car through an agency right outside of our hotel, which was super easy.

You can expect to explore Jerash for a couple hours. There are so many ancient temples, columns, and ruins to walk around, take photos of, and enjoy. Like Petra, it was amazing to be in a city that played a big role in history and functioned so well back then.

Fahkreldin

On our last night in the country of Jordan, we ate at Fahkreldin, a local Lebanese restaurant in the neighborhood of our hotel. While Sufra, our dinner spot the night before, felt like a warm little home, this place was indeed a home! But, Fahkreldin isn’t just some random home. It was designed by the Prime Ministers of Jordan, which explains the reason for it being so sumptuous. As far as food goes, it couldn’t have been better. It was a great way to sum up a fantastic day and trip.