Dan and I found ourselves at Aljoun Castle earlier this year on a day trip from Amman. We had previously never heard of Aljoun Castle, but it was a super cool castle with well-preserved exterior that tourists can walk around around. We would never had visited it without the stop being included on our day trip. Here are some pictures and information if you want to include a stop at Aljoun on your own Jordan tour!

Aljoun Castle is located a bit over an hour north of Amman. According to our guide and internet research, Aljoun Castle was built in the 12th century as a Muslim castle. It stands on the ruins of a monastery, and its name apparently is taken from a Christian monk who lived on the same mountain in the Byzantine period.

As I mentioned, Aljoun Castle is in pretty good shape and reminded me of the Moorish Castle in Sintra, Portugal. And since I usually only see castles in Europe, I was excited to find one in Jordan (especially since Europe remained closed to the US at the time)!

In any case, Aljoun Castle is a cool site that permits guests to climb throughout the castle and see gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside. I recommend pairing it with a visit to Jerash or en route to Amman. We spent about an hour at Aljoun, but you could make a shorter or longer visit.

To reach Aljoun Castle, cars drive almost all the way up the hill on which Aljoun sits. Guests must then exit their vehicle and walk the remainder of the hill, stopping for a security check before entering the castle grounds. There is a small souk selling drinks, ice cream, and tourist trinkets outside the castle. Be sure to wear good walking shoes, as you have to make it up the hill and the interior of the castle is not at all even…

STEAL OUR TRIP

Aljoun Castle: 3 km from the town of Aljoun. No website, but I linked Lonely Planet’s write up. Aljoun Castle cost a few JOR to enter; well worth it to see the castle. Walking shoes are a must. Visitors should note there are many stairs and lots of uneven surfaces.