Amman Citadel

Jabal al-Qal’a, the Citadel hill, has been lived on for thousands of years, and its ruins span Roman, Byzantine and early Islamic times. The tall columns of the Roman Temple of Hercules stand at the edge of the hill, near fragments of a giant marble hand thought to belong to a statue of the hero.

Further along are the domed entrance hall of the Umayyad Palace, built in the 8th century, and a small archaeological museum. From the walls you look straight down on the Roman Theatre in downtown Amman.

An hour or two is enough, ideally late in the afternoon when the light turns golden. Combine it with the Roman Theatre and the souqs of downtown Amman. Bring a hat, as there is little shade on the hilltop.