Amman, called Philadelphia a couple of centuries ago, is a concrete jungle. The muezzins’ calls to prayers mix with noisy car horns. The modern, glass-and-steel buildings stand not that far away from the traditional, sandy-colored part of the city. Amman is remarkably diverse, and this diversity is the essence of the Middle East.

As loud and chaotic as it is, the capital of Jordan is also very welcoming. It’s still not that touristy, but for a reason. There aren’t as many historical sites in the city for the visitors to see, compared with some other places in the Middle East.

In my opinion, the Citadel is by far the most beautiful place in Amman. While I was admiring the stunning, 360-degree view over the city, I could hear muezzins’ calls to prayer echoing all around me – and it was a truly magical moment.

The Roman Theater, located nearby, wasn’t as much of an attraction to me after visiting so many such places in Southern Europe. Nevertheless, it’s still a nice spot to relax and contemplate the rich history of the city.

Amman is noisy, but welcoming.

Tasting the local food in Hashem Restaurant or Al Quds (Jerusalem) Restaurant seems to be a very touristy thing to do. Still, these places are, in fact, often visited by the locals. Don’t leave without trying the traditional fattet hummus and delicious moutabal. And if you feel hungry early in the morning, just grab a cheap and yummy falafel sandwich from a street stand. This is exactly what I did just before stepping onto the bus to Petra.

The food is amazing!

For those of you who had been to the Red Sea before, for example to Egypt, Aqaba may be quite disappointing.

The city is a popular resort among Jordanian people and tourists because it’s basically the only place with sea access in the whole country. To me, this is where its advantages end. The fortress and the main mosque are just ok, while diving options aren’t as plentiful as in Egypt.

What I didn’t like in Aqaba the most was the clear division of the city center into two parts: the busy area around the public beach, and the resort area with all of the 5-star hotels. These two zones don’t mix, as if they were two different worlds.

Aqaba beach

Although I had an absolutely delicious cup of coffee and a yummy (and cheap) lunch very close to the city beach, I found Aqaba generally uninviting. Nevertheless, these feelings might have been brought on by the fact that my camera broke down there. (I miraculously restored my photos only after I was back in Warsaw.)

… but I found this cute orange chair!

I had mixed feelings about this place. It’s undoubtedly unique, but the super-salty water and mud baths weren’t actually as exciting as I would expect.

What I loved about the Dead Sea the most, was a drive along the Jordan Valley Highway at sunset. The rugged, rocky coast contrasting with the calmness of the water surface created an extraordinary vibe.

Nevertheless, the infrastructure at the Dead Sea coast leaves much to be desired. Apart from staying at a nice hotel, taking a mud bath or a short dip in the salty water, there isn’t really much to do there. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing—if all you want to do is to relax in this specific place. But it’s not my cup of tea.