Named after its owner, who was the Minister of Finances at the end of the 18th century, Dar Hassan Pacha is a well-preserved palace, rebuilt throughout the years. It served as residence for governors and emperors passing Algiers. While Dar Hassan Pacha is closed to the public, it is a popular motive for pictures for its impressive facade and lovely central patio.

The Duke’s Diwan is a time capsule of early 20th-century Amman, hidden in plain sight on the busy King Faisal Street. Built in 1924 as the city’s first post office, this Ottoman-era stone house later became the Haifa Hotel before heritage activist Mamdouh Bisharat ("The Duke of Mukheibeh") rescued it from demolition in 2001. Today, its creaking wooden floors lead through rooms frozen in Jordan’s past, complete with antique typewriters, sepia photos of camel caravans on dusty roads, and a balcony overlooking downtown’s metamorphosis. More than a museum, it’s a living diwan (gathering space): poets hold readings at the carved oak table, while artists riff under the Arabian archways. Admission is free, and the duke himself sometimes holds court, spinning tales of old Amman over cardamom coffee. Don’t miss the upstairs gallery, where rotating exhibits spotlight Jordan’s underground creatives.

On the bank of the Kalimas River, the Indonesian Navy’s first submarine - the Soviet-built Whiskey class sub-Pasopat - is now a national monument honouring heroes of the independence struggle and celebrating the country’s seafaring tradition. Built in Vladivostok, it was bought by Indonesia in 1962.