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Amman Downtown Walking Tour: Experience Local Culture and Cuisine
4.6
37 Ratings
Amman
Experience the best of Amman’s downtown area with this walking tour. Discover hidden spots, taste authentic Jordanian food, and immerse yourself in the local culture and history. Perfect for families and couples.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Grand Husseini Mosque - Begin your journey by meeting your welcoming local guide near the Grand Husseini Mosque, a significant landmark in downtown Amman, constructed in the early 20th century on the site of an older mosque. Discover the mosque’s role in the daily lives of locals and the history behind its construction. Your guide will introduce you to the city, offering insights into Amman’s history and contemporary life.
Close to this mosque are two renowned souqs: Souq Bukharia (ideal for souvenirs) and Souq Al-Sukar (offering fruits, vegetables, nuts, and spices).
- Al Balad – Downtown Amman - Al Balad is the oldest part of the city, characterized by a maze of markets. Its rich history is reflected in numerous historical sites, such as the Amman Citadel, the Roman Theatre (we recommend visiting the Amman Citadel and the theatre before or after the tour), and the Roman Nymphaeum, which we will pass by during the tour.
Pause at a traditional Jordanian bakery for a quick snack. Try freshly baked Ka’ak (sesame bread) or a Falafel sandwich, giving you a taste of local street food and enjoy the food samples throughout the tour.
- Basman Street - Discover hidden gems as you visit various shops in Amman Downtown, from spice shops to perfume-making, traditional clothing, souvenirs, and more. Immerse yourself in Amman’s vibrant souks, experiencing the lively atmosphere of the local markets. Explore the Gold Souk, Spice Market, and the bustling Fruit & Vegetable Market. Your guide will assist you in navigating the stalls and share stories about the local traders and traditional products.
- Duke of Mukhyber’s Residence - This historic townhouse, built in 1924, has functioned as a post office (Amman’s first), the Ministry of Finance, and a hotel. Today, it has been restored with period furnishings by a notable Jordanian businessman, who is also the duke of the village of Mukhaybeh. The collection of old photos of Amman offers an intriguing glimpse into a bygone era. It’s all quite understated but charming nonetheless.
- Habibah Sweets Øلويات Øبيبة - Indulge in a sweet dish called Kunafa, crafted by the Habibah family, who have been making these sweets since the 1940s… so they must be doing something right.
What's Included
- Registration fees
- Private Local Guide
- Pick-up from the starting point
- Food samples along the tour
What's Not Included
- If you enjoyed the tour, your good tip for the guide will be appreciated.
- Personal Expenses:
- Transportation
Additional Information
New to Amman?
Have friends and family visiting you in Amman?
Best introduction to all things to see and do in downtown.
If you are wondering what to do in Amman, and looking for places to visit in Amman this tour is the best option for you, the tour has a unique mix between food and culture experiences focused in the downtown part of Amman, a chance that you will get to explore the city as a local.
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You will get to eat & taste Multiple Authentic Jordanian’s Food and drinks in restaurants more than 90 years old. So make sure to come hungry ;)
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Discover hidden spots & shops in the downtown and experience the city vibes while walking in downtown.
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Mix with locals and understand the Jordanian culture and history.
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Ideal for families and couples.
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Roman theater & Amman Citadel are not included. (you can visit it before or after the tour)
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Kindly note this tour is a Shared-Tour
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Kindly provide us with your email address by a message.
- the guide will show you shortcuts to visit Amman citadel and other tourist places, since it’s not included in the tour.
- it’s advised to wear a good walking shoes.
- The itinerary is flexible and can be adjusted based on your preferences and interests. Whether you choose the day or night tour, your guide will ensure a personalized experience.
- This tour will have a maximum of 15 travelers.
Location
Grand Husseini Mosque
King Talal Street
the tour guide meets the travelers at grand husseini mosque front yard in Downtown
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(37 Ratings)
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Veronica_h
Dec 10, 2023
Wonderful guide and experience! - Orwah was a wonderful guide and I had a great time on this tour. As I was traveling alone, the guide went out of his way to make sure I was happy and taken care of as well as giving me lots of insight into Jordanian life, history, and a number of tastes of the country’s delicious food! I traveled extensively, and have been on many tours, and would highly recommend this one!
Review provided by Viator
Jillene86
Oct 25, 2023
A must do when you are in Amman! - It was lovely seeing all the downtown with explanation of Orweh who knows all the ins and outs of the city and Jordan.
We took our time to try some local snacks which were all lovely.
It was an amazing experience and Orweh is like a friend who can answer all your questions about Amman, we had a lovely talk and coffee after the tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julia
Oct 24, 2023
Sure and wonderful - The city is full of beauties and archaeological sites.
Special mention for the Jordanians: extremely kind: let me explain. We took an Uber from our hotel to the center. We strolled through the shopping streets, making purchases while bargaining but without any problem if we didn't agree on the price. The merchant did not insist.
To return, we couldn't call an Uber because there was no WiFi and communication would have been too expensive over 4G. We asked a young shopkeeper if he would order us a taxi. He offered us to share his connection without asking for anything in return.
Kindness found in a city in the country where we were lost. 2 men agreed to call our guide, again without asking anything.
You are never attacked for shopping or anything else.
I recommend 100%
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeckoss
Oct 21, 2023
Nicely tour - After a long time I found the note that Orwha had left me, now I can leave my review.
I was in Jordan in April, during Ramadan, and took the city tour with a friend of mine. It is not an archaeological guide (as some think) but it takes you to the heart of the old city among the hidden streets, with many shops and markets. He also let us enter the Mosque (closed for construction), it wasn't allowed but it was an exception. Very nice and we had a good time together in the days spent in Amman, in the last days before leaving he was very helpful and accompanied me to get spices from the market and other local products, as well as some good perfume. I hope to see you again next year!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Benlomond974
Oct 4, 2023
Local culture - The guide Orwah was great, communicated well with the meeting point prior to meeting and hung about to let me use his phone hotspot wifi to allow ne to use my phone to order an Uber. Waited until it arrived. The tour was great, took me round all the markets which was really nteresting and a great insight into the local culture, as always the guide makes the tour. Thanks Orwah. Tour 03 oct 2023 at 1400
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daniel
Sep 18, 2023
Excellent - It was very interesting and guide was very informative. He was also friendly and spoke good English. I highly recommend the tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shelley_d
Sep 16, 2023
Great walking tour - Fantastic walking/food tour with Orwah albakri this afternoon from 2pm till 5pm. Orwah went out of his way to give us the opportunity to see the real Amman Old Town and New Town. Interesting information throughout the tour and so much energy and enthusiasm. We tried so many different tit-bits of food from the markets which gave us a real flavour of the amazing Jordanian food and culture. Everyone was so friendly. Highly recommend doing this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Padmall
Aug 20, 2023
Excellent, informative tour - Thank you so much to Orwa for taking us on such a wonderful tour which included the new and old markets in Downtown Amman. We were very fortunate to have such a knowledgeable and informative guide who showed us so many areas that we would not otherwise have seen and he told us the history of each area. He was extremely courteous, friendly and spoke very good English and we would not hesitate to recommend this tour to anyone wishing to learn more about Amman from a local perspective.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
644joaquinu
Aug 19, 2023
ORWAH AL-BAKRI guide Amman - ORWAH AL-BAKRI 0096 2795 436 144
We spent a very interesting, educational and profitable afternoon in the daily reality of downtown Amman.
We enjoyed the old and new markets of the city. We shared our time with the welcoming local people.
Orwah is a good guide and a very good person like all the Jordanian-Palestinians in the country. Its ancestral connection with Al-andalus is clear and that is why it is recommended for the Spanish.
Communication is in English but it does not represent any problem.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Justsharol
Aug 28, 2023
Colorful, friendly markets and vendors. - I was a solo participant and enjoyed my guide.
The Grand Hussein Mosque was under construction with Big rigs and machinery, so weren't allowed in to see it, which was a mild disappointment.
I did enjoy the meandering through the old markets, sampling different things to eat and learning it's history. One gets a feel of the culture and exposure to the different smells, tastes, and interaction of the market places. I enjoyed the Habibah Sweets shop.
After 1.5 hours of walking in the heat, I asked about seeing the Citidel, the Roman theater, and the Roman Nymphaeum, that the tour description had said we would pass. It was only then, we walked across town to see the Roman Theater from a distance, and the Roman Nymphaeum. As for the Citidel, I was shown the direction I could visit it on another day.
I did enjoy what I did see, but would recommend spending less time in the markets to fit in more time with the historical sites.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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