The covered and open-air markets clustered around the Grand Husseini Mosque in downtown Amman are the most atmospheric shopping in the city — a continuation of trading that has happened on this site for centuries. The gold souk concentrates jewellers selling 18-carat and 21-carat Arab-style pieces; the spice market fills a covered alley with sacks of za'atar, sumac, dried herbs, and coffee roasters; the fabric souk sells bolts of cloth and ready-made abayas.
The tourist-oriented souvenir shops are concentrated around the Roman Theatre end; the further into the market streets you walk, the less curated and more local the goods become. The best time is mid-morning, after the early crowd thins and before the midday heat. Bargaining is expected in the more informal stalls; fixed-price shops are marked.