Things to do in Jerash & The North
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Al-Saadi Restaurant
In the downtown area, this is one of the better places for Jordanian staples including roasted lamb and chicken, felafel, humus and fuul. Although it’s a cheapie, the dining area is pleasant enough and the service is decent – perfect for a quick and informal meal.
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Dibeen Nature Reserve
Established in 2004, this small area (no more than 8 sq km) of Aleppo pine and oak forest is Jordan’s newest nature reserve. Managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), Dibeen is representative of the wild forests that once covered much of the country’s northern frontiers. Despite its small size, however, the reserve is recognised as a national biodiversity hot spot, and protects 17 endangered animals (including the Persian squirrel) and several rare orchids. As Dibeen is still very much a work in progress, facilities are currently limited compared with other RSCN reserves. It’s best to check in advance with the RSCN through the Wild Jordan Centre …
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Abila (Quwayliba)
Lying just 10km north of Irbid, between the twin hills of Tell Abila and Tell Umm-al-Amad, are the ancient remains of the Decapolis city of Abila. At first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking that this site could only be enjoyed by the committed ruin hunter or the aspiring archaeologist. Indeed, little remains of this once-great city, especially since the earthquake of AD 747 did a pretty thorough job of turning Abila into a rock-strewn field. To date, much of Abila remains largely unexcavated and the site certainly isn’t set up for visitors, though you don’t need a guide to find the Roman-Byzantine theatre or the scattered remains of columns from the markets, temple…
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Al-Himma (Mukheiba) Baths
In Roman and Byzantine times, the ancient hot-spring town of al-Himma was the site of Gadara's bath complex, which was famous throughout the empire for its lavish design and architecture. Today, the al-Himma hot springs are located in the pleasant village of Mukheiba. The area is subtropical and lush, and though soaking in the springs can be a bit unpleasant during the muggy summer months, a therapeutic trip to Mukheiba is certainly worth the effort. The public baths consist of three indoor hot pools and one natural outdoor hot pool. There are separate bathing times for men and women, which alternate every two hours. At the time of research, men ruled the roost from 10am …
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Museum
Before you finish exploring the ancient city, try to visit the small museum just to the northeast of (and uphill from) the Oval Plaza. It houses a small but worthwhile selection of artefacts from the site, such as mosaics, glass, gold jewellery and coins found in a tomb near Hadrian’s Arch. All items on display are well labelled in English, though no photography is allowed. Just as interesting as the exhibits are the inscriptions, tombs and pillars lying higgledy-piggledy in the gardens outside the museum.
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Ajloun Nature Reserve
Located in the Ajloun Highlands, this small (just 13 sq km) but vitally important nature reserve was established by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) in 1988 to protect oak, carob, pistachio and strawberry forests. The reserve also acts a wildlife sanctuary for the endangered roe deer (which is being brought back from the brink of extinction through captive breeding programs) as well as wild boar, stone martens, polecats, jackals and even hyena and grey wolves.
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Lebanese House
A five- to 10-minute walk from Jerash’s centre, this is a much-loved favourite for local families, with outdoor seating and a kids’ play area. The menu here (as its name implies) is decidedly Lebanese, and offers a broad range of mezzes including everything from frogs legs to shinklish (tangy white cheese). Culinary daredevils can try a pair of hot and buttery cow testicles, washed down by a glass of local Machereus white wine. Maybe just stick to the basics…
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Jordan Natural History Museum
JordanNatural History Museum is one of two museums in the grounds of the vast Yamouk University. Both domestic and foreign visitors are welcome. The museum contains a range of stuffed animals, birds and insects, as well as rocks from the region, but very little is explained in English. It’s good for birders, with some beautiful bee-eaters and rollers on display. The museum is in the huge green hangar No 23.
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News Café
Downstairs from the Al-Joude Hotel, this is one of the most popular gathering places for Irbid’s cool set. Styled along the lines of a Western-style coffee shop, the News Café is warm and inviting, offering coffee, milkshakes, pizza and other snacks. True to its Middle Eastern roots, however, you can also indulge in the obligatory hookah here, which is a great way to lose an afternoon or evening to smoke-induced bliss.
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Jerash Rest House
Make no mistake about it – this restaurant located near Hadrian’s Gate is an absolute tourist circus, though that doesn’t mean you should steer clear. On the contrary, the all-you-can eat lunch buffet is a very good deal at JD5, and its convenient location will ensure that you have plenty of time to explore the adjacent ruins.
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University
There are two museums in the grounds of the vast YarmoukUniversity , which opened in 1977 and now boasts more than 22,000 students from across the Middle East. Visitors, both domestic and foreign, are welcome to wander around the university, and it's a good place to meet young Jordanians.
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Rooftop Restaurant
Meals are available in the tented rooftop restaurant if you give some notice, though you can always cook for yourself on the public barbecue grills. From the rooftop, check out the great views of snowcapped Jebel ash-Sheikh (Mt Hermon; 2814m) on the Syria–Lebanon border.
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Al-Khayyam Restaurant
Across the road from the city walls of Jerash, this popular spot specialises in charcoal-roasted chicken, lamb and mixed vegetables. Of course, those hot coals are also good for lighting up an apple sheesha (water pipe) – just the thing for lightening the head and settling the stomach.
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Beit Arar
BeitArar was set up to host cultural events and is located in a superb old Damascene-style house. The rooms are set around a courtyard paved with volcanic black stones and there are manuscripts and photo displays of Arar, one of Jordan’s finest poets.
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Visitor Centre
At the entrance to the reserve is a modest visitor centre where you’ll find a small restaurant offering traditional Jordanian dishes and some local Ajloun specialities, as well as a nature shop selling locally produced handicrafts.
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Alia Supermarket
Self-caterers and would-be picnickers should head to the Alia Supermarket near the Omayed Hotel, which has a good selection of local produce, including the region’s justifiably famous olives.
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