1 Day In Amman: Top Things To Do In Jordan’s Bustling Capital
Read on for the Top Things to do in Amman during 1 Day!
Jordan’s capital city may not be the first destination that comes to mind when planning a trip to the country, but there are surprisingly many interesting things to do there, especially in 1 day in Amman.
I spent 1 day in Amman during my trip to Jordan in September 2025, and was surprised by just how much there is to do in the capital city. From fascinating historical sites to bustling souk markets, there is plenty to explore.
In this blog post, I cover all the major points of interest that you definitely shouldn’t miss when visiting, as well as detailing the best accommodation choices and more.
⌚ Short on time? My Hotel Recommendations for Amman:
Concord Hotel – Budget Recommendation
Kaya Hotel Amman – Mid-Range Budget Recommendation
Amman Rotana – Luxury Budget Recommendation
Top Things To Do In Amman During 1 Day
Although 1 day in Amman doesn’t sound like a lot of time to fully get to grips with a sprawling capital city like Amman, I honestly think that in 1 day, you can see the best that it has to offer.
I found Amman to be a very busy, lively, and somewhat overwhelming place that’s worth exploring for at least one day.
Starting your Jordan itinerary in Amman is something of a baptism of fire in terms of culture shock; it’s certainly an interesting place to say the least.
So, without further ado, let’s take a look at my recommendations for the top things to do when visiting Amman for just 1 day:
See the Roman Amphitheatre
Amman’s Roman Amphitheatre is one of the most impressive historical sites in the entire city, and is definitely worth seeing during your 1 day visit.
Built by the Romans over 2,000 years ago, it could seat up to 6,000 people. It has remained an impressive sight, and is still in relatively good condition.
I spent less than an hour here, and I would suggest the same for you; it’s worth seeing and taking a few photos, but that’s all.
It is also worth seeing at night, as the amphitheatre is lit up in bright fluorescent colours, which is a delight to see.
👉 Pro Tip: I recommend climbing the steps to the top of the amphitheatre to see some incredible views of Amman’s cityscape.
However, the steps to the top are surprisingly steep, so I only advise you to do this if you’re in good physical condition.
Visit the Ancient Citadel
The Ancient Citadel of Amman is the capital city’s main historical site, perched on the top of a hill that overlooks the rest of the city.
Home to the Tower of Hercules and several other fascinating ruins, it’s worth allocating up to two hours of your time here. The views of the rest of the city are breath-taking, and exploring the various ruins is really interesting.
The citadel dates back to the Bronze Age, and unfortunately, most of the historical buildings were destroyed in an Earthquake.
But it still features some impressive sites, such as the Umayyad Mosque, which was built in the 8th Century.
It is located close to the downtown central district, and it is possible to walk there from the Roman Amphitheatre, which is what I did. This is quite a steep climb, however, as the citadel is situated at the top of a hill.
Most people take a taxi to the entrance of the citadel, which is a good idea if you want to conserve your energy. There is also a very interesting museum located near the Tower of Hercules, which I recommend visiting as well.
And if you feel peckish after checking out the citadel, then there are a couple of nice restaurants on the site near the entrance. I had lunch at one of the restaurants, which offered fantastic views of the city, and the food was decent as well!
Explore Amman’s Souk Markets
Amman is full of endless souk markets, which I highly recommend visiting to get a good idea of the local culture in the city.
Noisy, crowded, and bustling with people, these souk markets sell everything from spices and food to clothes, jewellery, and more.
Walking through the maze-like souks is an overwhelming assault on the senses, and it reminded me a lot of the souk markets you can find in Morocco, especially Marrakesh.
Amman’s souk markets are easy to find, as most of them are located in the downtown area. I visited the Al-Balad souk market (arguably the most popular souk market for tourists), which you can find adjacent to the grand mosque.
Enjoy Rainbow Street
Rainbow Street is the most well-known central area in the downtown district, and is the place to be when it comes to shopping, eating, and generally having a good time in the city.
There are many souvenir shops, as well as some excellent rooftop cafes and restaurants, most of which overlook the busy area below.
I frequented a couple of rooftop restaurants and enjoyed the atmosphere – they’re perfect if you like to relax and watch the world go by, like me.
Take a Walking Tour of the City
If you want to take a deep dive into the history of the city and learn about the local culture and customs, I suggest taking a guided walking tour.
This is exactly what I did during my afternoon in Amman. I took a 2-hour guided walking tour and was surprised to find that I was the only participant, meaning it was just my guide and me for the afternoon.
My guide was very friendly and super knowledgeable about everything related to the city. He took me to several famous food places, and I got to try lots of free food samples throughout the tour.
This guided walking tour is an interesting way to discover central Amman if you’re short on time, and I fully recommend it.
👉 Book a 2-Hour Walking Tour of Amman by clicking here!
Best Places To Stay In Amman
Finding the right accommodation during your stay in Amman can be difficult, as it’s a sprawling city with so many options. Here are my top three hotel recommendations at three different price ranges:
Budget Recommendation: Concord Hotel
This is the hotel where I stayed during my two nights in Amman. As it is a two-star hotel, don’t expect luxury (the amenities were nothing to write home about), but I found it to be a very convenient place to stay.
The staff were nice and friendly, and the hotel itself is located centrally, plus the rooms are affordable. My room featured a spacious balcony that overlooked the Roman Amphitheatre, which was quite a spectacular view.
➡️Check for Availability at the Concord Hotel here
Mid-Range Recommendation: Kaya Hotel Amman
If you have more substantial budget to spend on your stay in Amman, then I recommend the Kaya Hotel Amman.
This 4-star hotel offers very reasonably priced rooms and is centrally located. It has excellent facilities, including a wellness centre and spa, which has a hot tub and spa.
It also a offers very good restaurant with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, plus the breakfast menu has a large variety of options as well.
⭐Read Aseel’s top review of Kaya Hotel Amman:
“All the staff at the hotel were wonderful, always polite, attentive, and ready to help. We were pleasantly surprised with an upgrade to a suite with a lovely view, which made our stay.”
➡️Check for Availability at Kaya Hotel Amman here
Luxury Recommendation: Amman Rotana
If you want a luxurious stay in Amman, then there’s only one real option: Amman Rotana. This is an exceptional 5-star hotel where you can expect world-class service.
Based in Amman’s new downtown business district, Amman Rotana is the first tower hotel in Jordan, and is unmissable on Amman’s cityscape.
It offers over four hundred lavish rooms, as well as a fitness and wellness club, an outdoor swimming pool, and three restaurants.
A stay at Amman Rotana promises to make your visit to the Jordan capital a truly memorable experience.
⭐Read Baraa’s top review of Amman Rotana:
“Everything was perfect, especially the upgrade to a higher floor room on the 30th floor. The hotel was comfortable and the room was perfect, great location and beautiful view.”
➡️Check for Availability at Amman Rotana here
Map of Amman
Check out this interactive map of Amman, featuring pins of all the locations mentioned in this blog post:
1 Day In Amman FAQs
Still unconvinced about visiting Amman for one day? Allow me to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about Jordan’s lively capital city:
Is one day enough time to visit Amman?
Yes, personally, I think one day is enough time to visit Amman, especially if you have a busy itinerary for the rest of Jordan, like I did.
One day is plenty of time to visit all the city’s historical sites and tourist attractions mentioned in this blog post, and to get a good feeling of the city and its people.
Is Amman safe for tourists?
Although Amman is an overly busy city with seemingly non-stop traffic and over-crowded markets at times, I found it to be completely safe and didn’t experience any issues at all, unlike my visit to other cities in Jordan, such as Aqaba.
In fact, I found the locals to be extremely friendly and helpful. I would still recommend being cautious about your belongings at all times, however, just as you would anywhere else.
Is Amman a walkable city?
Amman is a very big, sprawling city, but if you stay in the central downtown area (where the tourist attractions are located), then it’s very easy to walk around the city without too much effort.
During my one day in Amman, I walked from the Roman Amphitheatre to the Ancient Citadel and then back to the downtown area where my walking tour took place.
I recommend staying at an accommodation that’s central in the city if you intend on walking a lot, as I did.
Can you buy alcohol in Amman?
I didn’t find any restaurants that sold alcohol during my stay in Amman. However, I did see a few small liquor stores that sold every type of alcohol, including some tasty local beers.
How far is Petra from Amman?
Petra is roughly 230 kilometres from Amman, so expect your journey between the two cities to take around three hours.
You can take a bus from Amman to Petra, which is the cheapest option. I chose to travel via shared transportation in the afternoon as I didn’t fancy the early start times of the buses leaving Amman for Petra.
Conclusion: 1 Day In Amman
At first impression, Jordan’s capital may not seem the ideal location to start your adventure in this splendid country, but spend one day in Amman and you may be surprised by all that it has to offer.
From the lively downtown city centre, where you can relax at numerous rooftop cafes and restaurants, to learning about the city’s history at the Ancient Citadel, Amman has plenty of interesting places to explore in just 24 hours or less.
I was surprised by how much there is to do in the city, and thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I hope you’ve also enjoyed reading this blog post and are now full of ideas of what to do during your 1 day in Amman.
➡️ Planning your trip? Here are my favourite resources:
🏨 Accommodation: I recommend using Booking.com
🚙 Rental Car: Use Discover Cars for the best car rental prices
❤️ Travel Insurance: I recommend using Visitors Coverage
✈️ Flights: Use Kiwi.com for the best prices on flights
