Nablus was so famed for it's sabon nabulsi that it was Queen Elizabeth's soap of choice back in the 14th Century! By 1907, there were around 30 soap factories Nablus, though only two remain today... after an Earthquake in the early 20th Century as well as the impact of blockades by Israel.
A visit to the Touqan soap factory in Nablus is a really fun experience, where you can see the traditional soap making process and admire the 19th Century factory. The friendly staff there will take visitors on a short, informative tour and are happy to answer questions about the production. You'll see soap at different stages of production, can take some fun photos and of course buy some soap, which is made with only three ingredients: Virgin Olive Oil, a sodium compound and water.
If you're lucky you will catch a glimpse of the soap wrapping process - apparently the experts can wrap up to 1500 bars of soap an hour.
Combine with a visit to the Tahini factory, which is a 3 minute walk from Touqan's Soap Factory.
