Shopping · Amman · Jordan
Shopping in Amman
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rami Tarawneh, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Amman is good for spices, coffee, Dead Sea products and crafts made by community projects around Jordan, plus gold in the downtown souq. Best souvenirs: Dead Sea products, Arabic coffee with cardamom and Za'atar and spices.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Dead Sea products
Where to shop
Downtown (Al-Balad)
Gold souq, spice and coffee shops, textiles and everyday markets around the Grand Husseini Mosque.
Rainbow Street
Craft and souvenir shops in old houses on Jabal Amman.
Wakalat Street
A pedestrian shopping street of fashion shops and cafés in Sweifieh.
Abdali Boulevard
Modern mall and pedestrian boulevard with international brands.
Markets
Downtown vegetable market
The covered market for produce, olives and pickles near the Grand Husseini Mosque.
Souk Jara
A seasonal Friday market of crafts, food stalls and music on Jabal Amman, usually held in the warmer months.
What to buy
Dead Sea products
Mud, salts and skincare made with Dead Sea minerals.
Arabic coffee with cardamom
Freshly ground in downtown coffee shops and vacuum-packed.
Za'atar and spices
Thyme-sesame za'atar, sumac and spice blends from the souq.
Community crafts
Embroidery, ceramics and woven goods sold by nature-reserve and women's cooperatives.
Madaba-style mosaics
Small mosaic panels made in workshops in and around Madaba.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Market · Downtown (Al-Balad)
Downtown souqs and Grand Husseini Mosque
The streets around the Grand Husseini Mosque, built in its current form in 1924 on an older site, are the city's traditional market: the gold souq, spice and coffee shops, the covered vegetable market and stalls selling everything from shoes to cardamom.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- History
Street · Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street
Rainbow Street
Rainbow Street runs along Jabal Amman from the First Circle, lined with cafés, rooftop terraces, shawarma stands, craft shops and restaurants in old stone houses.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- After dark
- Couples
- Shopping
Viewpoint · Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street
Wild Jordan Center
Run by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, the centre has a café-restaurant with a terrace overlooking downtown and the Citadel, plus a shop selling crafts made by communities around Jordan's nature reserves.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Couples
- Shopping
- Food
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Knafeh, Manakish, Arabic coffee and Sage and mint tea. Sweet shops in downtown, especially in the lanes off King Hussein Street, often with a queue. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown (Al-Balad) | $ | Souqs, Roman ruins and budget hotels in the valley at the city's core |
| Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street | $$$ | Stone villas, café terraces and boutique hotels above downtown |
| Abdali | $$$ | New towers, a pedestrian boulevard and international hotels |
| Abdoun | $$$$ | Upmarket villas, embassies, restaurants and bars in the west |
| Sweifieh | $$ | Shopping streets, malls and mid-range hotels in west Amman |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in JOD. In restaurants, about 10% is usual if service is not already included; round up taxi fares and tip guides and drivers at the end of a tour.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in December–February; the busiest months are the peak holidays.
- July: Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts (usually July–August)
- August: Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts (usually July–August)
- December: Christmas celebrations in Christian neighbourhoods and Madaba (December)
Staying near the shops
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and shopping
Abdali
New towers, a pedestrian boulevard and international hotels
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Amman?
Dead Sea products, Arabic coffee with cardamom, Za'atar and spices and Community crafts.
+Where is the best shopping in Amman?
Downtown (Al-Balad): Gold souq, spice and coffee shops, textiles and everyday markets around the Grand Husseini Mosque.
+What are the best markets in Amman?
Downtown vegetable market and Souk Jara.