Syria Tourism & Travel Guide

Amman, the capital of Jordan, is a fascinating city of contrasts – a unique blend of old and new, ideally situated on a hilly area between the desert and the fertile Jordan Valley.In the commercial heart of the city, ultra-modern buildings, hotels, smart restaurants, art galleries and boutiques rub shoulders comfortably with traditional coffee shops and tiny artisans' workshops. Everywhere there is evidence of the city's much older past.Due to the city's modern-day prosperity and temperate climate, almost half of Jordan's population is concentrated in the Amman area. The Jordan Archaeological Museum is located in the Amman Citadel of Amman, Jordan. Built in 1951, it presents artifacts from archaeological sites in Jordan, dating from prehistoric times to the 15th century

Amman

Day 5 was when our flight was in the evening, hence we could do very minimum stuff in the capital city(which has lot to offer, hence I was a little sad due to the scarcity of time).

Amman is the capital city of Jordan and as per some old biblical dictionary it means a city perched atop 7 Hills. As I drove from the airport to my hostel in downtown, this fact became apparent as I came across several viewpoints which offered a panoramic view of the entire city. My stay was booked at The Boutique Hostel (nothing Boutique about it though) in downtown Amman. It was a small house managed by a helpful but shrewd Palestinian owner. The itinerary for the day was to visit the Roman Theater and the Citadel. Both nestled inside the city limits. I got my directions from the hostel manager and decided to walk (walking is the best way to explore any city).The entire downtown Amman is filled with shops that sell everything, from classy leather jackets and boots to the boring electronics to the much hyped dead sea cosmetics. People are warm and friendly. Infact, I was approached by many of them as they instantly recognized the traveler with a camera and the fact that he also looked Indian. Questions pertaining to Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sachin Tendulkar, Mumbai, Delhi were asked and offers made to buy discounted products from their shops. I only asked further directions to the Roman Theater.Unfortunately, the Roman Theater was closed due to severe flooding that had taken place due to torrential rains (something that is least expected in a desert) and I also came to know that the next place I planned to visit was supposed to be closed for the day in the next 15 minutes. I immediately rushed to my next destination, not wanting to miss out and have nothing to speak about my first day as a solo traveler. Upon my arrival at the Citadel, several tour guides offered an extra hour of sight-seeing beyond the closing time so that I could see the entire place, for an extra 20 JD. Well, it was totally worth it. The majestic sun was calling it a day, the city was turning into a burning red rose and I was on top of one of the 7 hills of Amman surrounded by history and roman architecture.I walked back to my hostel (atleast 4-5 kms) and upon my return, I got to meet my room mates – an Indian, a friendly Taiwenese man and an aloof Japenese teenager. Pranav had arrived two days back in Amman and was still to explore the many tourist destinations of Jordan. Being Indians, we bonded quickly and even faster we made plans about the places to visit for the next day. Pranav and me had booked a tour guide who would pick up from our hostel and take us through the King’s Highway to visit the Moses Burial Ground, the Dead Sea, Panorama and the Ma’in Hot Springs. King’s Highway is the one of the oldest trade routes in the middle east, offering scenic spots of the entire country side of Jordan and connecting all the major tourist spots. Its runs like a snake carved through mountains and has no speed limits. Going up and down the hills, it offers some great sights for photography.

Day 1 : We arrived in the city of Amman at the queen Alia airport . The airport is modern and well built .In Amman we opted for Le Meridien ,the hotel is located on a street which is not very far from the maddening rush of the downtown . After a brief rest on the first day , we drived north to Jerash, the best preserved Roman provincial city in the Middle East. While touring the City of Jersah it is good of you hire s good guide , the guide will take you through the ancient city with lot of facts and things which you will never know on your own . Be ready to question him back for the things you see, the guides are knowledgeable and very much ready to share it with the tourist . There will be lot of walk involved and the place is dusty. Wear the most comfortable shoes and clothes . The tour will take around 2 - 3 hours and you get to see Hadrian’s Arch , Hippodrome, Temple of Zeus, Roman theaters, Temple of Artemis, colonnaded streets, public baths, forum and market place be ready to be taken aback with the beauty and history of the place. Day 2 : . After catching up on early breakfast we headed out the beautiful citadel the oldest site of civilization in Jordan’s capital city. Sitting on the top of the highest of the original 7 hills of Amman,you can admire how the city has been build all around the oldest building and is quite a site to see . We also saw ruins from several different empires – an Umayyad Palace and Reception Hall, Byzantine Church, Mosque, Temple of Hercules and a Roman Cistern. There was a small Archaeological Museum which displays artifacts dating back to 6,000 BC. The citadel needs at least 2 hours to be explored , guides are available at the site but we didn't opted for any . The place has some beautiful and old structures. After this we had a little sneak peak at the local town and we ate the local falafel sandwich at the very famous Hashim and then we left for the Eastern Desert over basalt plains to visit 3 of the “Desert” Castles – Azraq Castle, Qasr Amra and Al-Kharaneh. Displaying beautiful examples of both early Islamic art and architecture, these buildings stand testament to a fascinating era in the country's rich history. On our way back to hotel we visited the Royal automobile museum , it has on display some world most beautiful , unique and historical cars .Don’t miss the museum on your visit , it’s a must do.

A mman Citadel. Perched on top of Amman, Jordan's capital city, the Citadel (or Jabal al Qala'a) is one of the most unmissable sights featuring the ruins of bygone Roman settlements and fortresses. Pose for a snap between towering columns of Hercules's Temple while admiring the panoramic view of old and new Amman from the hilltop.

Touching down in its largest city, Amman, I brace myself for chaos that characterizes most middle-eastern cities. What greets me instead is surprisingly serene, more arid one might say; the wind. Amman is as much a place for sleepy sand lined boulevards, scenic mountain top homes and spectacular palatial mansions as its old world charm. It is also home to international hospitality projects and top of the line lodgings, which are geared to keep even the most discerning of travellers easily in their comfort zone.A rather effective example was the Regency Amman where I checked in, which struck me by its ability to rework tradition into something innately fresh. Diving straight into the city, my excursion took me to the town of Jerash which is about 48 kilometres from Amman. Stopping over to satiate my taste-buds with authentic Jordanian cuisine from the much recommended “Lebanese House” restaurant, I find my way over the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa, to find myself face to face with real life roman warriors and gladiators at the Roman theatre inside the well preserved city. Three hours discovering the magnificent city as it was, tired, I return to my hotel room on the eleventh floor, to relax and polish myself for a dinner rendezvous at Levant restaurant located at Jabal Amman which served us excellent but humongous Arabic gourmet foods.

We went to see one last kibbutz Sha'ar HaGolan which was located on the Jordan border. The main source of income is a plastics engineering factory. The kibbutz also grows bananas, avocado and watermelons, and has a herd of dairy cows. After visiting the kibbutz, we crossed the Sheikh Hussein border to enter in Jordan. After 2.5 hours of drive in the countryside, we reached Amman. We went to the Rainbow Street in the evening which is always buzzing with restaurants, cafes and pubs. Day 10Mumbai, IndiaBack home.

I reached Amman at around 8:30 pm and Hassan (my couchsurfing host in Amman) waited to pick me up from the bus station. He had promised to show a bit around the city for 4 hours I had before heading to the airport. Hassan was a a young and bright engineering student who also spoke fluent German. He drove me to many beautiful places. We had good coffee, dinner and a sisha too in such less time. Amman was so different from the rest of Jordan. Hassan had warned me that Sishas are very strong in Jordan to which I didn't listen! Soon after, it kicked in and I wish I had listened to him. Don't do it before your flight if you are not used to such strong nicotine.????

1. Amman Walks – While Amman (Central Jordan) is usually treated as just a jumping off base to explore Jordan, this lovely ME city is a treasure house of historical wealth. It makes sense to dedicate 2 days to Amman to explore its interesting sights, winding hills, street art and bustling mix of exotic and cosmopolitan local life. Do visit the Jordan Archaeological Museum in Amman to see its star exhibits-the 4 Iron Age coffins and the Dead Sea Scrolls.