Roman Theatre, Amman

Tickets and tours: which to book

Entry is sold at the ticket office beside the theatre, and the price is low. The Jordan Pass, which covers the visa fee and entry to Petra, Jerash and many other sites, includes the theatre, so most foreign visitors simply show the pass. The ticket also covers the two small museums in the side passages and usually the Odeon next door. No skip-the-line products exist, and none are needed.

The one product on GetYourGuide is a day out from Amman that combines the Citadel and the theatre with the old Ottoman town of As-Salt and a lunch on a rooftop. It suits travellers who want a guide and a driver for a day of history and food without organising taxis, and it adds As-Salt, which few independent visitors reach. Check whether entry fees are included or covered by your Jordan Pass, and how long you spend at each stop.

Many visitors instead see the theatre on their own as part of a walk through downtown, climbing to the Citadel in the same morning. Local guides wait near the gate and offer short tours; agree the price first. For most people the sensible plan is the Jordan Pass and a self-guided visit, keeping the organised day for As-Salt.

A short history

Amman stood on the site of Rabbath Ammon, which the Ptolemies renamed Philadelphia in the 3rd century BC. Under Rome the city joined the Decapolis league and was rebuilt with a forum, temples, a nymphaeum and the theatre, which a Greek inscription dates to the reign of Antoninus Pius in the mid-2nd century AD. The theatre was cut into the hillside of Jabal al-Joufah opposite the Citadel and held about six thousand people. As the city declined after the Byzantine period, the theatre was half-buried and quarried for stone. Restoration began in the 1950s, and the side rooms became museums. It now hosts concerts, festivals and the Amman International Book Fair.

Getting there

Queen Alia International Airport is about 35 km south of Amman. Taxis and app cabs reach downtown in about 45 minutes, depending on traffic, and the Airport Express bus runs to the north of the city, from where a taxi completes the trip. Within Amman, ask any taxi for the Roman Theatre or the Hashemite Plaza; drivers know both. From the hotels of Jabal Amman, the walk down the long stairways to downtown takes about 20 minutes. Parking downtown is very difficult, so leave a hire car at your hotel. The entrance is on the plaza side, at the foot of the seating.

Rules and what to bring

Take care on the seating: the steps are high, often polished and without rails, and they become slippery after rain. Do not climb on the stage walls or the columns. Dress modestly, as in all of downtown Amman, with shoulders and knees covered. Drones need a permit from Jordanian authorities. Bring water and a hat in summer. Stalls and cafes on the plaza sell tea, juice and snacks, and there are toilets near the entrance.

When to go

Early morning, when the sun is low and the theatre is empty, is the best time to climb the seating; by late afternoon the cavea is in light again and the plaza fills with families. In midsummer the seating stores heat and the climb is tiring from late morning, so go early or near closing time.

Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from October to November, are the most pleasant seasons, with mild days and clear air. Winters in Amman can be cold and wet, with occasional snow, and the stone becomes slippery. During Ramadan opening hours are usually shorter, while evenings downtown are very lively after sunset. Summer festivals and concerts sometimes close the theatre to visitors in the evening, so check the programme if you want to attend a show. Friday is the weekly day of rest, when downtown is quieter in the morning. Allow 45 minutes to an hour, including both museums.