One day in Amman: itinerary and highlights

Amman stretches across seven hills covered with limestone buildings in white, a uniform colour imposed by law that gives the city a compact appearance when seen from the heights of its citadel.

Capital of Jordan grown rapidly in the last century, it preserves in its centre the remains of a Roman and Umayyad past, today accompanied by cafés and galleries that animate its younger streets.

The Citadel opens the day: atop the hill that has hosted power for centuries, the remains of Hercules Temple and the Omayyad Palace command a view over the entire expanse of white houses of Amman.

Descending you reach the Roman Theatre, still used for performances, carved into the opposite hill's flank and capable of six thousand spectators in the times of ancient Philadelphia.

At its foot lies the historic centre, with its souks where spices, sweets and handicraft objects are sold among the narrow winding streets of the centre.

For lunch, the Hashem Restaurant, a historic family-run venue, remains an almost obligatory stop to taste the falafel and hummus of Jordanian tradition.

The King Abdullah Mosque is recognizable by its blue mosaic dome, visitable also by non-Muslims outside prayer times.

In the Jabal Amman neighbourhood, Rainbow Street is instead the street of cafés and art galleries, a reference point of contemporary Amman.

With evening, returning to the centre, venues around Rainbow Street remain an excellent base for dinner, with the lights of the white city lighting up on the surrounding hills.

The Citadel, the Roman Theater, and the historic center already compose Amman's stratification, while the afternoon choice between the Mosque of King Abdullah and Rainbow Street brings with it the religious or contemporary side.

The Jordan Museum and a trip to Jerash, with its even better preserved Roman ruins, remain chapters for a second visit. Seeing Amman's white houses climbing the seven hills at sunset remains the most direct image of the city.