Stone Town, Zanzibar

A UNESCO World Heritage site featuring narrow streets, historic architecture, and cultural fusion of Swahili, Arab, and Indian influences. Visitors come for its rich history, spice tours, beaches, and vibrant local culture.

Things to do

• Explore the Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) — Walk through this 17th-century Arab fortress with its distinctive red stone walls, now featuring local artisan shops and cultural performances.
• Visit the House of Wonders (Beit al-Ajaib) — Tour this ornate 19th-century sultanate palace with carved doors and intricate architecture, now a museum showcasing Swahili culture and maritime history.
• Wander the narrow streets and markets — Get lost in the labyrinthine alleys of Stone Town's UNESCO-listed core, discovering hidden courtyards, spice shops, and centuries-old merchant houses.
• Tour a spice plantation — Visit a working spice farm on the outskirts where guides explain the cultivation of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla that made Zanzibar famous.
• Visit Forodhani Gardens waterfront — Stroll this seaside promenade at sunset with views of the harbor, street food vendors, and the atmospheric old stone buildings reflecting on the water.
• Tour the Slave Market Memorial — Pay respects at this important historical site documenting Zanzibar's role in the East African slave trade, located beneath the Anglican Cathedral.
• Climb the Palace Museum tower — Ascend to the top of the old sultanate palace ruins for panoramic views of Stone Town's rooftops, harbor, and the Indian Ocean.

Food to try

• Urojo — A beloved Zanzibari street food soup combining chapati, potatoes, chickpeas, and tamarind sauce, typically eaten for breakfast with a spoon and fork.
• Octopus curry — Fresh octopus cooked with coconut milk, turmeric, and spices reflecting the island's Arab and Indian culinary traditions, best enjoyed at waterfront restaurants.
• Biryani — Fragrant rice dish layered with meat, onions, and aromatic spices, a legacy of Indian and Arab traders who settled in Stone Town centuries ago.
• Pilau — Spiced rice cooked with meat or seafood and whole spices like cardamom and cinnamon, showcasing Zanzibar's reputation as the Spice Island.
• Fresh seafood at Forodhani — Grilled fish, prawns, and calamari prepared by street vendors at the waterfront gardens in the evening, drizzled with lemon and served with rice or ugali.
• Zanzibar pizza — A savory street food crepe filled with meat, vegetables, cheese, or egg and sealed like a pizza, sold by vendors throughout Stone Town's markets.

Local customs & good to know

• Dress respectfully — Stone Town is predominantly Muslim; wear modest clothing covering shoulders and knees, especially when visiting religious sites and during evening hours.
• Learn basic Swahili greetings — Greet locals with 'Jambo' (hello to tourists) or 'Habari' (how are you), and show respect by asking permission before photographing people or their homes.
• Haggle in the markets — Bargaining is expected in spice markets and with street vendors; start at 50-60% of the asking price and negotiate respectfully as part of local custom.
• Respect prayer times — Be mindful that many shops close briefly during the five daily Islamic prayers; plan visits to mosques and religious areas outside prayer times.

Nearby

• Zanzibar City — 0 km
• Kidichi Persian Baths — 8 km
• Nungwi — 13 km
• Kiwengwa — 15 km