Amman, Jordan

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Airport: Queen Alia International Airport (AMM)
Served by: Royal Jordanian

View the Terminal Map

City Statistics

Location: North of Jordan.

Time zone: GMT + 2.

Electricity: 230 volts AC, 50Hz; European two pin plugs are standard.

Overview

Amman, the capital of Jordan, is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world; and despite being essentially a product of the 20th century, it still retains its old world charm. In modern, culturally diverse Amman, it isn't uncommon to see luxury hotels tower over traditional coffee shops where old men gather to play backgammon. Travellers looking to discover old Arabia in Amman will find the souks and bazaars intriguing. There you can find traditional stores that sell handcrafted coffee cups and plates, although the souks are worth visiting for the atmosphere alone. In spite of media reports, Amman is one of the safest and friendliest cities in the Middle East. Its proximity to the Palestinian territories and Iraq has often put the city in the media spotlight, but the conflicts have served to diversify the capital's population.

Getting There By Air

Airlines flying to Amman from the UK include bmi and Royal Jordanian Airlines (for direct flights), and Emirates, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

Queen Alia International Airport (AMM)
Tel: (06) 445 1739 or 3187.
Website: www.amman-airport.com

Queen Alia Airport lies 35km (22 miles) south of Amman on the Desert Highway to Aqaba. There are three terminals. Terminal 1 is used almost exclusively by Royal Jordanian Airlines while all other carriers operate from terminal 2. The third is used exclusively for cargo flights.

Airport facilities
Airport facilities are basic but include ATMs, a bureau de change, Wi-Fi internet access, duty-free shopping, restaurants and car hire. The government is currently building a new passenger terminal which, once completed, will improve the airport's facilities and capacity. It is scheduled for completion in 2012.

Transport to the city
Airport Express buses operate a round-the-clock service to Abdali in the heart of Amman, from 0700-2200, and every 60 minutes from 2200-0700 (journey time - 45 minutes). Airport taxis are plentiful. To avoid overcharging arrange a cab through the airport taxi office and get a slip showing the exact amount of the fare.

Approximate flight times to Amman
Approximate flight time from London to Amman is 5 hours.

Getting Around

Public Transport: There is no integrated public transport system in Amman. A variety of different forms of transport operate in competition along a number of routes throughout the city. There is no timetable, and although there are what appear to be bus stops, they are mostly ignored with the various forms of transport picking up on demand.

There is a choice of minibuses, buses, yellow city buses and what is known locally as serveeces. These are shared taxis, containing between four and six people each paying a flat fare. They are easily recognisable: white cars with the route number they serve and cab number in black Arabic lettering on the front doors. Downtown acts like a hub and most transport routes radiate out from there.

Taxis: All licensed cabs are metered and provide an inexpensive way to get around Amman. Make sure the driver starts the meter as soon as you get in the cab. Some drivers will try to claim that their meter is broken or to negotiate a fixed fee. Have nothing to do with them and hail another cab.

Taxis can also be hired by the day or half day for sightseeing. Shared taxis are licensed vehicles that operate on one particular route picking up and setting down passengers just like a bus. They can also be booked through travel agents or hotels for longer trips to tourist attractions like Petra. Reliable taxi providers include Faraneh (tel: (06) 569 0310), Taxi Al-Barq (tel: (06) 464 1299) and Intercontinental Hotel Taxis (tel: (06) 464 1361).

Car Hire: Most of the international big names have offices in Amman but often the best deals can be had from local companies. Good car hire companies include Avis (tel: (74) 569 9420; www.avis.com.jo), Hertz (tel: (06) 553 8958; www.hertzjordan.com), Rent a Reliable Car (tel: (06) 592 9676; www.rentareliablecar.com), U-Save (tel: (06) 565 2207) and Watanieh (tel: (06) 560 1350).

Bicycle Hire: Bicycle hire is practically unknown in Amman, although more hotels are offering bike tours of the city. Contact your hotel concierge for more information.

Hotels

Hotels
Amman's hotels are either flea-pits or pricey 5-star hotels, with only a handful of exceptions.

The hotels below have been grouped into three pricing categories:
Luxury (over 130JD)
Moderate (40JD to 130JD)
Cheap (up to 40JD)
These prices are for a double room per night, including all taxes.

Recommended hotels

Kempinski Hotel Amman
The Kempinski has 283 guest rooms, including 24 suites and two executive floors. Offering the ultimate in business facilities, unashamed luxury with fine dining and splendid views, it is one of the best hotels in the city centre.

Abdul Hameed Shouman Street
Amman
Jordan
Tel: (06) 520 0200
Web: www.kempinski-amman.com/

Caravan Hotel
Close to the Bus Terminal and the King Abdullah Mosque, this excellent establishment is run by the Al-Twal family who operate the superb Mariam Hotel in Madaba. It has 27 en-suite rooms with satellite TV, central heating and a fan.

Sulaiman Al-Nabulsi Street
Amman
Jordan
Tel: (06) 566 1195

Geneva Hotel
Situated in west Amman, the Geneva is suitable for both tourists and business visitors. It's within easy travelling distance of the business district and tourist sites and a stroll away from the largest shopping centre in the city.

Abdulla Ghosha Street
Amman
Jordan
Tel: (06) 585 8100
Web: www.genevahotel-amman.com

Palace Hotel
The Palace is one of the oldest hotels in downtown, recently refurbished and conveniently located in the heart of Amman, near the Gold Souk and within easy access of the Roman remains and the Citadel. Choice of rooms with shared bathrooms or deluxe with en-suite, satellite TV and air conditioning, all at competitive rates.

King Faisal Street
Amman
Jordan
Tel: (06) 462 4326
Web: www.palacehotel.com.jo

Amman Marriott Hotel
Centrally located in the Shmeisani area, this is ideal for business and leisure travellers being close to tourist attractions, shopping and the business district. Facilities include a health club, valet parking and high speed Internet access.

Shmeissani Issam Ajluni Street
Amman
Jordan
Tel: (06) 560 7607
Web: www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/ammjr-amman-marriott-hotel

Four Seasons Hotel Amman
Undoubtedly the city's most luxurious hotel, the Four Seasons offers guests no surprises. You can expect the hotel's signature service, beds and ambience. But it'll cost you.

Al Kindi Street
Amman
Jordan
Tel: (06) 550 5555
Web: www.fourseasons.com/amman

Le Méridien Amman
This is a world-class hotel in the heart of the city's commercial and business district. Conference rooms, audiovisual facilities and a first-rate health club and spa make this a top choice for business and leisure visitors. The hotel's restaurants offer a choice of cuisine including Lebanese, Japanese and Mongolian.

Shmeisani
Queen Noor Street
Amman
Jordan
Tel: (06) 569 6511
Web: www.amman.lemeridien.com/

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview: Amman was little more than a village when the Emirate of Transjordan was created, after the Great Arab Revolt of WWI. Emir Abdullah bin Al-Hussein made it his capital and modern Amman developed from there.

A few isolated remains of previous settlements can be found amongst the modern buildings. Traces have been found of Stone Age homes dating to 7000BC. In the books of the Old Testament, Amman is mentioned as the capital of the Ammonites, Rabbath-Ammon, where the Israeli King David had Uriah the Hittite, whose wife he coveted, killed. At various times Amman was occupied by the Seleucids, Nabateans, Byzantines and Romans, when it was known as Philadelphia.

Amman is built on seven hills, known as jabals, which define the city. Each of these neighbourhoods once had a traffic circle and directions are given in relation to them. First Circle is near downtown and from there the city spreads westward to Eighth Circle.

Amman may be a product of the 20th century but at its heart is the ancient Citadel of Rabbath Ammon. Sitting on top of Jabal Al-Qala'a, it can be seen throughout the city. Excavations are ongoing but so far archaeologists have uncovered remains from the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic periods. Jordan's small archaeological museum is on this site and contains the country's collection of Dead Sea Scrolls.

Most of the remains of the Roman city of Philadelphia can be seen from the Citadel and it's a short walk downhill to visit the remains of The Forum, Nymphaeum and Roman Theatre. The Museum of Popular Tradition and the Jordanian Folklore Museum are located on either side of the theatre stage.

Also worth visiting are the Royal Automobile Museum, which contains most of the vehicles owned by the late King Hussein, and the Hejaz Railway Station with its excellent museum and collection of working steam locomotives.

Tourist Information: Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Third Circle
Tel: (06) 460 3360.
Website: www.tourism.jo

A selection of free glossy booklets, brochures and maps can be obtained from here. The Ministry has also established a unit to deal with customer care and a toll-free line (tel: 0800 22 228) to provide visitors with assistance and listen to complaints. Most information can be obtained online at www.tourism.jo and www.visitjordan.com.

Key Attractions

Al-Husseini Mosque
The Al-Husseini Mosque was built by the late King Abdullah in 1924 on the site of a much older mosque and possibly also the site of Philadelphia's Byzantine cathedral. Built in pink and white stone in the Ottoman style, it was fully restored in 1987.

Amman
Jordan
Admission Fee: No.
Disabled Access: Yes

Citadel
The site of the Citadel in Amman contains the remains of the Temple of Hercules, built between 161BC and 166BC, and the Jordan Archaeological Museum with its collections of pottery, glass, flint and metal tools, a copy of the Mesha Stele and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Nearby, the domed eighth-century BC Al-Qasr (palace) is the centrepiece of a once mighty Umayyad city. The Citadel ticket office is located on Mathaf Street, just off King Ali Bin Al-Hussein Street.

Citadel Hill
Amman
Jordan
Tel: 06 463 8795.
Opening hours: Sat-Thurs 0800-1600, Fri 1000-1600 (Oct-Mar); Sat-Thurs 0800-1900, Fri 1000-1600 (Apr-Sep).
Admission Fee: Yes.
Disabled Access: Yes

Hejaz Railway Station
The Hejaz Railway Station, which is best visited in a taxi, is like a time-tunnel to a vanished age. Just ask the taxi driver to take you to Mahatta - Arabic for Station. Trains leave from here to make the eight- or nine-hour trip to Damascus using rolling stock that was old when Lawrence of Arabia was attempting to blow it up. There's a fine collection of working steam locomotives that are used for corporate and tourist excursions, a remarkable little railway museum and a very friendly station master.

Madina Al Munawarah Street
Amman
Jordan
Tel: (06) 489 5414.
Web: nabataea.net/hejaz.html
Disabled Access: Yes

Little House of the Arts (Darat Al Funun)
This tranquil garden contains the former home of Peak Pasha, Captain (later, Lieutenant Colonel) Frederick Peak, who commanded the Arab Legion from the early 1920s until 1939. Now it is a gallery housing works by leading Arab artists.

Omar Al-Khayyam Street
Amman
Jordan
Tel: (06) 464 3251.
Web: www.daratalfunun.org
Opening hours: Sat-Thurs: 1000-1900 (until 1500 during Ramdan).
Admission Fee: No.
Disabled Access: Yes

Culture

If you're interested in sampling culture within the city, there is a wealth of things on offer.Culture

Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts
The Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts is a complex of cinemas, theatres and exhibition space. It hosts activities for which they produce a monthly programme. This is also the venue for the Jordan Film Festival each May. Jabal Al-Waibdeh Tel: (06) 463 0128. www.nationalgallery.org

Music and Dance

Royal Cultural Centre
The Royal Cultural Centre, just off the Interior Circle in Shmeisani and near the Regency Palace Hotel, is the number one venue for most cultural events. Classical and Arabic music is performed here as well as folk dancing and appearances by solo performers. Al-Malekah Alia Street, Shmeisani Tel: (06) 566 1026.

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