Amman – more than meets the eye!...
If it’s an authentic, historic Middle Eastern experience you’re looking for, you won’t find it in Amman. More modern than antique, Amman doesn’t hold a candle to Cairo or Damascus in terms of impressive Islamic culture. If you’re booking flights to Amman in an attempt to find a culturally significant Arabic city, you may be sorely disappointed by the Westernised atmosphere permeating the city.
There are two sides to Amman: the rigidly Islamic and conservative eastern end of the city is home to the urban poor and contains expansive Palestinian refugee camps on its suburban fringe, while the modern western side of town is the cultural and financial hub with pleasant residential neighbourhoods, trendy restaurants and pubs, and magnificent galleries. It is essential to experience both sides of Amman if you want to get a true sense of the city, or even Jordan itself.
The influx of Palestinian – and, more recently, Iraqi – refugees has permanently altered the personality of the city. Most of these displaced expats are highly educated and unfazed by the closely monitored social and cultural control exercised by Amman’s Islamic conservatives. These immigrants have joined with young Jordanians to reshape Amman into a more tolerant, forward-thinking metropolis.
If it is diversity and an international flare you’re looking for, flights to Amman will not disappoint. If you arrive in Amman seeking medieval bazaars and classic Islamic architecture, you won’t find it. But if you want a warm welcome, a thriving downtown scene, and a city with a charisma all its own, you won’t want your flights from Amman to depart too soon.
