Why go?

When Emir Abdullah chose Jordan as his new capital in 1921 it was merely a village. Today it is a refreshingly international city, where a melting pot of people have found sanctuary alongside the original Bedouin inhabitants. The result is a fast-paced, forward-thinking city which is one of the safest and most accessible places to experience Middle Eastern culture. Its tawny stone buildings surge over hills, so steps are a fact of life. Luckily April’s temperature of 21C makes exploring them on foot a pleasure.

What to do

The fading grandeur that characterises so much of the region may not be as prominent in Amman, but it has several historic jewels of its own. At the bottom of Downtown’s many hills you’ll find a well-preserved Roman theatre, and perched atop a hill in Jebel Al Qala’a, the Citadel 00 962 6 463 8795 which has been occupied since the Bronze Age. Expect to see everything from enormous marble columns to a domed palace from the Umayyad period. Discover the secrets of Arabian cuisine at Beit Sitti, beitsitti.com a cookery school run by three sisters in their grandmother’s townhouse in Jabali Al Weibdeh. Bougie Western Amman is our favourite area to explore. Head to Hosni Fareez Street to visit Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts’ collection of contemporary pieces 00 962 6 463 0128, nationalgallery.org then stroll along leafy boulevards to Rainbow Street. Once the home of the city’s aristocracy, it is now lined with boutiques and shisha cafés such as Books@Café booksatcafe.com where you can sip blonde ale made by Jordan’s first craft brewer, Carakale. The city’s markets are vibrant: try Souk El-Sagha for gold, Souk El-Atareen for herbal medicine and head to Farmers’ Market Amman farmersmarketamman.com for organic produce.

Where to stay

Amman’s hotel scene is dominated by international chains, but there are several good boutique options. At the foot of the citadel, Art Hotel Downtown 00 962 6 463 8900 is a good- value choice with simple contemporary rooms and several large terraces. Hisham Hotel hishamhotel.com.jo is a smart spot, with plenty of dark red fabric and polished wood. The bar in its vine- lled courtyard garden serves cooling cocktails. Inside a magni cent modern building that looks a little like the prow of a cruise ship, The House thehouse.jo is a sleek sanctuary. Expect suites and studios gilded with blonde wood and gleaming marble. The four- star Geneva Hotel genevahotel-amman.com in West Amman has plenty of Jordanian character thanks to ame-coloured carpets and a tiled mosaic of a sun that shines in the breakfast room.

Where to eat and drink

Duck into Sufra 00 962 6 461 1468 in a period home with a courtyard shaded by palm fronds, and you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped back in time. Dishes such as kibdeh (spiced chicken livers) and fukharat (minced meat, tahini sauce and potato in a clay pot) are elegantly served without compromising on authenticity. For more than 60 years Hashem’s mezze has drawn a crowd so large it frequently spills onto Al-Malek Faisal Street 00 962 6 463 6440. Falafel stuffed with onions and sumac and capped with roasted sesame seeds is a glorious reimagining of the classic. Najla’s Kitchen 00 962 7 9515 5566 on Mohammad Ali Saadi Street is a fantastic lunch pick. Owner Nivin Karam uses her grandmother’s recipes to create very traditional dishes such as mansaf (lamb cooked in fermented dried yoghurt). Brunch is becoming a trend in the city. Try Shams El Balad 00 962 6 465 1150 for organic food and soft drinks in a boho setting. For a more formal setting, sip a glass of arak (aniseed- avoured liqueur) on Fakhreldin Restaurant’s fakhreldin.com tree-lined terrace.

Time running out?

Don’t miss the chance to oat in the Dead Sea, which is the lowest elevation of water on Earth. This salt lake is surrounded by quiet beaches, yet only a 40-minute drive from town.

Travel Information

Travel Information

Currency is the Jordanian dinar. Time is two hours ahead of GMT. Flight time to Amman is around ve hours. The cost to carbon-offset is £9.07. climatecare.org

Getting There

Royal Jordanian Airlines has daily flights from London Heathrow to Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport. rj.com

British Airways flies daily from Heathrow to Amman. ba.com

Resources

Visit Jordan is the local tourist board and is packed with recommendations and itineraries for day trips. visitjordan.com