There's not a huge amount to do in Ramallah if you are just visiting. A great way to spend your time could be to dip in and out of shops. Shop-keepers are among the most ready-to-talk and many have colourful lives. It gives you a good reason to walk around and take your time.
You will never find everything under one roof, but for a basket of common necessities, you will need to visit a baker, grocer, butcher, pharmacy and mini-market. Ramallah city centre, despite the development and growth of some new stores retains a small-town feel due to the protections for tenants that mean many shops have been in the same location for decades rent agreed at the outset cannot be increased, so in many cases is only a few USD per year.
GroceriesThe central 'Souq' or market, is located near the main bus station and the central mosque, about 50m away from al-Manara Square the centre of Ramallah. It is the cheapest place to buy fruit and vegetables. Produce is a mixture of Palestinian, Israeli and imported goods. Prices are basically fixed although bargaining is possible if you buy more than a few kilos.
BakeriesThe bakery on Al-Quds street where the buses emerge from the bus station is one of the best in town. The staple is 'kmaaj' or pitta bread. A bakery in the Old City Ramallah Tahta produces brown kmaaj and sliced bread.
Butchers - Meat / ChickenButchers in Ramallah normally sell meat Beef/Lamb or chicken. If they sell both, they are separated and attended by different people. One of the best butchers is on Tireh Street about 1km from Al-Manara. The butcher will cut the meat to your specification and will mince it for you while you wait for no extra charge. If you ask for barbeque meat, you will also get a mix of coriandar, garlic and spices ready for BBQ.
JuicePalestinians seem to love fresh fruit-juice. For under âª10 you can get a large juice with a mixture of anything from Pomegranate to Orange juice. On Al-Manara square, Silwadi juice shop is the most famous and has been around for decades. Silwadi's something of a purist - if you want a 'cocktail' which includes ice-cream, nuts and dried fruit as well as chocolate sauce âª10 head to the other side of the square.
Other ShoppingRamallah has few supermarkets and almost no international brands. Fake goods are common including clothing, jewellery and DVDs. For clothes, jewellery and other common purchases, there are various options in the city centre. For bigger shops, try the Plaza mall which also has a large supermarket.
