Stone Town, Zanzibar

Stone Town is the old quarter of Zanzibar City and one of the most atmospheric places in East Africa. Built from coral rag and lime mortar around a jumble of narrow lanes, it grew wealthy as the capital of the Omani sultans and the hub of the Indian Ocean spice and trading routes.

Its Swahili, Arab, Indian and European influences have layered over one another for centuries, producing a unique architecture of carved wooden doors, shuttered balconies and inner courtyards. In 2000 the whole historic town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the rare way its cultures fused together.

Stone Town is not a museum, though — it is a living neighbourhood of mosques, temples, markets and family homes, where children play in the alleys and the smell of cloves and grilled seafood drifts over the seafront at dusk. Getting lost here is the whole point.

Most travellers spend a night or two in Stone Town before or after a beach stay on Zanzibar. From our base in Moshi we can pair it with a spice tour, a dhow cruise or a full island itinerary — just tell us your travel dates.

Walking Stone Town is like reading a history book in coral stone. Buildings are tall and tightly packed, shading the lanes below and catching the sea breeze through shuttered windows and galleried verandahs. Many date from the nineteenth century, when Zanzibar was the seat of the Omani sultanate.

The famous carved doors are a signature of the town — heavy teak or mahogany, studded and framed with floral and Quranic motifs. Indian and Arab families competed to commission the finest, and each door tells you something about the wealth and origins of the household behind it.

Landmarks include the House of Wonders, the Old Fort built by the Omanis on the site of a Portuguese chapel, the Old Dispensary, the ornate Sultan’s Palace and the Anglican cathedral at Mkunazini, built on the site of the former slave market. A guided walk brings the stories together.

• House of Wonders (Beit-al-Ajaib) — the grand ceremonial palace that once boasted electric lights and a lift.
• Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) — a seventeenth-century Omani fortress, now hosting performances and craft stalls.
• Anglican Christ Church Cathedral — built on the old slave market, with a poignant memorial outside.
• Darajani Market — the bustling heart of local commerce, vivid with produce, fish and spices.

By the mid-nineteenth century Stone Town was one of the most important ports in the western Indian Ocean. It was the capital of the Omani sultanate and the centre of the world’s clove trade, its warehouses and customs houses processing spices and goods bound for Arabia, India and beyond.

The town’s history is inseparable from the East African slave trade, for which Zanzibar was a major market. The cathedral and the memorial at Mkunazini stand as reminders of this difficult chapter, and the small Slave Market Museum explains it with honesty and dignity.

Later came British influence, a brief period as a protectorate, independence and the revolution of 1964, which reshaped the island’s identity. That layered story — glory, commerce, suffering and resilience — is what gives Stone Town its depth, and why it is so much more than a pretty stopover.

Stone Town smells of cloves, cinnamon and the sea. At Darajani Market you can wander stalls piled with fruit, dried fish and spice pyramids, and at the famous Forodhani Gardens the seafront transforms each evening into an open-air feast. Skewers of fish and octopus, samosas, fresh sugarcane juice and the legendary “Zanzibar pizza” are all cooked in front of you.

Shopping is another pleasure: antique shops, carvings, kanga and kitenge cloth, Tingatinga paintings, beaded jewellery and spice packets fill the lanes near the Old Fort and Hurumzi. Bargaining is expected and friendly — take it slowly and enjoy the ritual.

For coffee lovers, a Zanzibari coffee stop is part of the experience, and the cultural fusion continues in restaurants spanning Swahili, Indian, Omani and even Italian cooking. Book a rooftop table for dinner and watch the dhows and ferries move across the harbour at sunset.

Stone Town is compact and best explored on foot, but the lanes are narrow, unpaved in places and deliberately confusing. A local guide is the easiest way to find the key sites and to understand what you are looking at — and it supports families who live in the old town.

Dress modestly, as this is a strongly Muslim community; shoulders and knees covered is respectful, especially away from the seafront. Ask before photographing people and be mindful around prayer times.

• Wear comfortable shoes — the lanes are uneven and sometimes wet.
• Carry small change in Tanzanian shillings for markets and snacks.
• Dress modestly away from the beach and during Ramadan.
• Start early to beat the heat and the tour groups at major sites.
• Agree taxi and guide prices before you set off.