Fuheis

Fuheis sits in the hills northwest of Amman and is a largely Christian town, which shows in the way it works: restaurants and cafés along its main street serving alcohol, a small brewery that has become well known in the country, and an arts festival each summer with music and theatre. The old quarter has stone houses on narrow streets, and the position on the ridge gives views down towards the Jordan Valley.

Background

Fuheis lies in Balqa Governorate, 6 kilometers from Salt and 13 from Amman, at elevations from 740 to 1,050 metres, and gets approximately 500 mm of precipitation a year, with occasional snow on its peaks. The 1961 census found 2,946 inhabitants, the town became a municipality in 1962, and the 2021 estimate was 21,908. Many who emigrated to Europe and the United States come back for the summer. The cement factory, the town's largest industry, employs about 70% of the population. The Latin Parish founded a secondary school here in 1885, and in the Rowaq Al-Balqa' district hundred-year-old stone cottages of the old town have been preserved. The town is known for singing and dabke dancing.

Source: Wikipedia, "Fuheis"

What you'll find

• The restaurants - the eating and drinking street the town is known for.
• The brewery - the small independent producer based in the town.
• The old quarter - the stone houses on the narrow streets above.
• The summer festival - the arts and music event held each year.

When to go

April to June and September to November are the pleasant months. The summer festival is usually in July. Evenings are when the town works.

Practical notes

The town is a place to eat rather than to sightsee. Restaurants are busy at weekends and booking helps. It is a taxi ride from Amman with limited public transport.

Nearby

Amman is southeast, and As-Salt is northwest.

Key facts