The Best Places to Buy Souvenirs in Amman

As part of the socioeconomic development program for communities in the area, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in Jordan hosts various workshops, which take place in and around different nature reserves in the country, benefitting the rural areas. The people working in these reserves and helping with the workshops create unique products by hand, which they then sell in various nature shops, including the Wild Jordan Center. Many of these high-quality products make excellent souvenirs and gifts.

Wild Jordan Center, Othman Ben Affan St. 36, Amman, Jordan, +962 6 463 3542

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Located just off Rainbow Street, the Jordan River Foundation Showroom is effectively a beautiful display area for the works of the non-profit organisation The Jordan River Foundation, which aims to empower women in rural locales and promote local arts in Jordan by supporting the sales of arts and crafts.

As you enter the complex, the courtyard, where you can take a seat and relax, is brimming with trees and blossoming flowers. The handicraft market sits in the main building where various products are on display. The showroom itself is very aesthetically pleasing, and the products, which range from home goods, such as candles and pillows, to stuffed toys and jewellery, are all handmade and of the highest quality.

Jordan River Foundation Showroom, Jabal Amman, Amman, Jordan, +962 6 461 2169

Known as Amman’s oldest and most famous souvenir business, Al Afghani Bazar for Oriental Gifts actually got its start in the Hejaz in 1862 and Palestine in 1870.

Still operating as a family business, there is a selection of stores dotted around Amman, including in Jabal L’weibdeh and Downtown opposite the King Husseini Mosque. Although the larger store in Jabal L’weibdeh is easier to navigate, the Downtown Al Afghani is a real cave of wonders, crammed to the ceiling with ornate lamps and one-of-a-kind ornaments that look as though they belong in a museum.

Al Afghani Bazar For Oriental Gifts, Al Dabbas Complex, Al Shareef Nasir Bin Jameel St 12, Amman, Jordan, +962 6 568 0964

Also located Downtown are several spice and herb shops. Presuming that one of the highlights of your Jordan visit was the incredible food, cooking spices and herbs will make a wonderful souvenir. Not only do they smell amazing, but you can also get your hands on some spices that are very difficult (if not impossible) to find outside of the Eastern world. Try sumac, a dark red spice used generously in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly in salads in the Levant.

If you’re looking for something a little different to remember Jordan by, then why not opt for a witty, pop art-style T-shirt from pioneering outlets Mlabbas and Jobedu?

Their designs feature a smart, funny take on aspects of Jordanian popular culture without stepping over the line or being overly political or crude. As well as T-shirts, both Jobedu and Mlabbas also sell a selection of coasters, mugs and stickers.

Jobedu, Complex No 5, Al Nayrouz St 5، Jordan, Amman, Jordan, +962 6 593 3595

Mlabbas, Zahran, Amman, Jordan, +962 6 464 6473

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If you didn’t find what you were looking for in Amman, then check out the souvenir tents located in tourist sites such as Petra and Wadi Rum. They often have handmade goods such as rugs and ceramics for lower prices than you’ll find in some places in the city. They’re also a great place to stop for shelter from the sun whilst you are exploring the hot desert.