Stone Town (Mji Mkongwe) is the old town of Zanzibar, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. It is a maze of narrow lanes, coral-stone houses, carved wooden doors and open squares on the waterfront, where Swahili, Arab, Indian and European influences meet. You visit it on foot, ideally with a map, in half a day to a full day. This page lists what is worth the detour, in what order, and points to a detailed page for each site.
Highlights
The Old Fort and the waterfront
The fort is one of the oldest buildings in the city; its courtyard is used by craftspeople and for shows. See the page on the Old Fort, and the neighbouring House of Wonders, whose interior access should be checked.
The sunset over the dhows
The waterfront is the best place to watch the sun set over the traditional sailing boats. In the evening, the Forodhani Gardens night market takes over for dinner.
The market, the museums and the memory of slavery
The Darajani market shows daily life (spices, fish, fruit). For history, count the Palace Museum, the former slave market and Anglican cathedral and the Freddie Mercury house.
Practical info
Tips
- Wander without a fixed aim at first: the lanes are made for it, but keep an offline map, because the streets look alike and online maps are sometimes wrong. Entry fees at the sites vary and change, so check them on the spot; there is no single scale for the whole town. A local guide helps you understand the history (spice trade, abolition of slavery), but only accept a guide whose price is fixed before you start. Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered): the town is mostly Muslim. Watch your belongings in crowded lanes and in the evening, and politely refuse touts selling excursions, see scams and safety in Zanzibar. To organise the visit: Stone Town in one day, the complete Stone Town guide and where to stay in Zanzibar. From the town you can leave for Prison Island or a spice farm visit.
How to get there
Stone Town is a few kilometres from Zanzibar airport: allow about 10 to 30 minutes by taxi, for about 10 to 20 dollars according to guides (see from the airport to your hotel). The port, where the Dar es Salaam ferries arrive, is at the edge of the old town. From the beaches of the north and east, allow about one to one and a half hours by road.
Opening hours
Our guides that feature it
Nearby
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