Amman

Buy

All ATMs charge a relatively high fee for withdrawing money. In Jordan you can withdraw money from your credit card in various currency exchange places. A reliable and low-priced currency exchange service is Alawneh Exchange. They have multiple locations in the city, including downtown. They charge a low percentage fee for withdrawing money from your credit card. Many locals use that agency. You need to show your passport.

thumb|Wakalat Street If it's shopping you're after, then the pedestrian offers a wide selection of international brand names to choose from. Furthermore, there are the , Jordan's biggest shopping mall, the older and huge aimed at women (walking distance from City Mall), the (also aimed at women), the , and , for those seeking indulgence and the odd US$500 to spare—all designer names.

Amman has numerous antique dealers littered throughout the city. Those in the western parts of the city will most likely be served by those with a competent grasp of the English language, but you run the risk of the items being a bit overpriced.

thumb|clothes market at bus station Some interesting, original souvenir items that one may consider taking home are: a keffiyeh, the traditional checkered headpiece of Jordanian men an antique brass tea/coffee pot, distinctly Middle Eastern with its artistic etching and curved spout olive wood carvings of various objects or figures can be purchase nearly everywhere hand-crafted Jordanian daggers hand-made Bedouin-style embroidered cl…

Eat

Amman features many different styles of restaurants, from traditional Middle Eastern fare to more familiar Western fast food and franchises. Prices range from ultra-cheap to moderate, depending on one's taste buds. For those on a budget, Arabic food is very affordable and can be obtained everywhere.

Arabic food generally consists of several general basic groups. Meat dishes will generally consist of lamb or chicken; beef is more rare and pork is never offered. Shwarma, which is cooked lamb meat with a special sauce rolled in piece of flat bread, is a local favorite. Rice and flat bread are typical sides to any meal. Jordan's specialty, mansaf, is a delicious lamb and rice meal, typically eaten with your hands. Arabs serve plenty of cucumbers and tomatoes, many times accompanied by a white yoghurt sauce. Another favorite is chick pea-based foods such as falafel, hummus, and fuul.

One of Amman's most famous local foods restaurant is Hashem in the downtown. This restaurant is one of the favourites of the Royal family and you will see a lot of photographs of the Royal family of Jordan dining in this literal hole-in-the-wall. See the listing below.

In an alley off King Faisal St. is Habibah, which serves traditional east Mediterranean sweets such as baklava, but is most famous for serving a traditional dessert known as knafeh nabelseyyeh in reference to its origin from the Palestinian city of Nablus. 800 fils for a "half quarter kilo", which is enough for one person (Oct 2018).…

Drink

For the coffee lover, Amman's Starbucks locations (Swefieh, Abdoun, Taj Mall, City Mall, Mecca Mall, Abdali Mall) offer various mugs, tumblers, and to-go cups with distinctive Jordanian and Middle Eastern flair.

Those who crave gourmet coffee have a number of choices along Rainbow St. off of First Circle in Jabal Amman with other shops sprinkled throughout the city.

Alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, liquor), can be purchased in liquor stores across the city. Most are distinguishable by an advertisement for Amstel or some like beverage outside. There are also bars up and down Rainbow St. in Jabal Amman and throughout Abdoun. Drinking age is 18 but some bars and cafes might card you and admit 21+ customers only.

Jordan's national beer is aptly called Petra Beer, and there are many liquor shops and kiosks around Amman where you can find it. There are two types: 'black' and 'red', which have 8% and 10% alcohol percentage respectively. The red is usually slightly more expensive than the black, but you should expect to pay 2-2.5 JD for a can at a shop. You will often find that bars prefer Amstel and other international brands and do not have Petra beer available.

The local spirit is arak, an aniseed or licorice flavoured spirit similar to the Greek ouzo. At 50% alcohol by volume, it is usually served with water and ice, causing the clear liquid to become milky white.

For night clubs and bars visit the cosmopolitan West Amman where many Western and American franchises oper…

Sleep

Amman has the full range of accommodation options from very basic 1-star accommodation to luxurious 5-star facilities.

Go next

The bus stop at the 7th circle is less than 100 m south of the circle. This stop serves the airport, Madaba (0.75 JD), Kerak and others. The small yellow "airport express" labeled bus is easily recognized and the driver will also stop on other places if you wave at him. To reach the 7th circle from downtown take bus 41 or any headed to Wadi As-Seir and ask to be dropped of at Dawaar As-Saabe'a (7th circle). Many buses going by the 7th circle also take a turn at the 4th circle coming from Trababour Bus Station.

The Trababour Bus Station serves all destinations to the north and to the western border. To get there from downtown, take Serviis (a sedan car that works like a bus) #6 from Raghadan Tourist Service Station (Raghadan Al Seyaha) which is located right next to the Colosseum. The Trababour Bus Station is the last stop on the Serviis' route.

Many budget hotels like Palace or Farah organize day tours for about 16-18 JD which seems a sensible price, but they do not include entrance fees which could be important. These tours are open to people who don't sleep at the hotel. Classical tours are Jerash, Ajlun, Um Qais, Madaba, Mount Nebo, Baptism site, Dead Sea, and Castles.

Cities: Madaba — Just 45 min away and known as the 'City of Mosaics' for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of Palestine and the Nile delta at St. George Church. 0.75 JD by bus from the 7th circle. Jerash (and Ajlun (Ajloun) Castle) — An anci…