Rainbow Street

Rainbow Street is the most popular place in Amman for an evening stroll, a coffee or a rooftop dinner, and one of the city's oldest streets. It runs east through the historic Jabal Amman district from First Circle towards Mango Street, and it was originally named Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Street before taking its current name from a cinema. Historic homes stand close by, including the al-Mufti House, the former residence of King Talal and the house of Zaid ibn Shaker, a former army commander and prime minister.

The street is lined with cafés, restaurants and small shops, and several rooftop restaurants and bars look out across the valley to the Citadel. It is a good place to shop for crafts with a social purpose: Turquoise Mountain, which works with master artisans to revive traditional crafts, and the Jordan River Foundation, a non-profit founded in 1995, both have showrooms here. The Wild Jordan Center of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, the body that runs many of Jordan's nature reserves, is also on the street; it reopened in September 2026 after a full renovation, with five guest rooms, a restaurant called Jeer and a shop of local crafts. Souk Jara, a weekly street market with crafts, food stalls and live music, runs close by on summer Fridays.

The street suits almost everyone: couples looking for a sunset terrace, families wandering after dinner and solo travellers who want an easy introduction to Amman's café culture. It is at its liveliest in the evening and at weekends, when local families and young people come out to walk, eat and meet friends, so expect it to be busy on weekend nights. Earlier in the day it is quieter and better for browsing the shops.

Allow an hour or two to walk the length of the street at a relaxed pace, longer if you stop for a meal. Pavements can be narrow and the area is hilly, so comfortable shoes help. Downtown lies below the hill, so you can continue on foot or by a short taxi ride to the Roman Theatre, the souks and Hashem Restaurant.

The British Council building fronts the street, which makes a useful landmark when giving directions to taxi drivers. First Circle, at the western end, is easy to reach by taxi from anywhere in the city.