It’s 5.30am in Stone Town. I awake to the sound of the call to prayer from the nearby mosque. Oh, Zanzibar, how I’ve missed you.
Let’s start with a little bit of history (if you’re just here for the best things to do in Stone Town, skip down a bit).
The Zanzibar Archipelago lies in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Tanzania. It’s made up of 3 main islands (Unguja, Pemba and Mafia), plus a number of smaller islands. Unguja, the largest island is what most people talk about when they refer to Zanzibar.
The capital of Unguja is Zanzibar City, and the most famous section of Zanzibar City is called Stone Town and this is where you will find most of the tourist hotels.
The other part of Zanzibar City is called Ng’ambo which literally means ‘the other side’ and the two are divided by Creek Road. You still with me?
The word Zanzibar is said to have both Persian and Arabic origins – from the Persian “Zangh Bar” loosely translating as “land of the black people”, or from Arabic “Zayn Z’al Barr” which means ‘Fair is this land”.
Zanzibar is called ‘The Spice Island’ due to the number of different spices grown there and it’s also famous as the birthplace of Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury.
In my mind, there’s nowhere on Earth quite like Zanzibar.
Often described as a ‘cultural melting pot’, owing to the various different peoples who’ve settled here over the ages. All of which have all left their mark in one way on this island, whether it be in the architecture, the customs, the food, the beliefs, religion or on the people themselves.
The Swahili name of Unguja means “bowl of fruits” – quite fitting really!
Zanzibar was a major trading hub, as well as the starting point for many journeys into the then ‘unexplored’ African interior, including those of David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley.
This also meant that it was at the forefront at the slave trade during its peak in the 19th century when men, women, and children were forced into slavery on the mainland, brutalized, chained, and auctioned at the slave market then shipped off to other parts of the world.
That’s if they survived the journeys. Many didn’t.
Nowadays, it’s a place where the modern world meets the old world as traditional dhows (sailing boats) line the harbour alongside yachts and catamarans. A place of beauty and decay. With dark winding alleys and beautiful open beaches. A place to pray and and place to party.
Zanzibar might not be everyone’s cup of chai, but it is the place that fascinates me more than any other.
The mix of cultures and flavours, coupled with the proximity to the Indian Ocean means that Swahili cuisine is possibly the best food in all of Africa. Expect fresh fish and food cooked with traditional spices and plenty of coconuts.
Stone Town is UNESCO World Heritage Site and the kind of place you could spend days and days wandering around. But if you don’t have a lot of time, you need to make the most of it!
So here are my suggestions on the best things to do in Stone Town.
If you’re looking for the best things to do in Zanzibar as a whole, also have a read of this post.
Or have a read of my backpacking Zanzibar on a budget guide for all the other useful info that you may need to plan your trip including getting there, entry requirements, visas, getting around, and safety info!
Wondering how long to spend in Stone Town?
I would suggest spending at least 2 nights/2 full days in Stone Town and 2 nights elsewhere.
The Best Things To Do in Stone Town, Zanzibar
1. Stay at a Traditional Swahili Hotel
Now, I’ve stayed in many hotels in my time, but I have to say that the gorgeous Swahili hotels of Stone Town are some of my favourites.
If you ever want to feel like an Arabian princess, then Zanzibar is the place.
One of my favourites is the Emerson Spice hotel, an old merchant’s house and once home to the last Swahili ruler of Zanzibar, lovingly restored by Emerson himself.
It’s the type of place that makes you feel as though you’d been transported back in time to the days when Sultans ruled or perhaps to a mythical land where genies lived in lamps.
My favourite Stone Town Swahili Hotels include:
2. Get Lost in the Alleyways
Stone Town is the perfect place to stroll and wander, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the city.
On your travels you’ll get a chance to see lots of different Zanzibari architecture in the form of the beautiful Zanzibari doors (one of the most impressive being slave trader Tippu Tip’s house), buildings, and places of worship, highlighting Zanzibar’s cultural heritage.
This includes the Shiv Shakti Hindu temple, St Joseph’s Catholic Cathedral, Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, and the many mosques (although non-Muslims are usually not permitted in the mosques).
You could easily spend hours just shopping, eating, and getting lost in the maze of alleyways, which always remind me of a smaller Marrakesh.
And don’t worry, if you do get completely lost, Google Maps works very well or you can always ask a friendly shopkeeper to point you in the right direction.
3. Take a Walking Tour of Stone
If you want to make the most of your time in Stone Town, taking a walking tour with a knowledgeable guide is a great way to do it.
They’ll take you to many of the main sights in town, whilst explaining the history of the island and pointing out all of the intricate details of the architecture that you may not notice or understand on your own.
The best tours can be arranged through Juma at Emerson Spice Hotel, or through Farid Hamid (WhatsApp on +255777484734), a local tour guide and journalist, or In Zanzibar by Aiysha.
You can also take a great food tour of Zanzibar.
4. Shop at Darajani Market
If you want to experience the heart of Stone Town, then visit Darajani Market.
It’s a great, local experience as well as one of the best free things to do in Stone Town (well, that is if you don’t buy anything).
You’ll find vendors selling lots of different things, including fabric, clothing, spices, fruit, vegetables, meat and fish. Darajani Market is best in the early morning or late afternoon when you may catch the fish auction!
There are also lots of food stalls too, which is great if you’re on a budget.
5. Visit the Old Fort
Zanzibar’s Old Fort can be found right on the seafront.
It was originally built by the Omani people to defend against the Portuguese but these days, it contains a number of curio shops, a restaurant, and a small amphitheatre which is used for performances and events, like the Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom) festival.
6. Eat at Forodhani Gardens
Another cheap place to eat in Stone Town, is Forodhani Gardens, the nightly food market.
By day, there’s not usually much happening on this seafront promenade, which is opposite the Old Fort. But by night, it turns into a bustling food market with multiple vendors selling seafood and meat kebabs, samosas, urojo soup (Zanzibar Mix), fruit, grilled maize, Zanzibar pizzas, and sugar cane juice to both tourists and locals.
To find out where to find the best food (in my opinion), have a read of this post.
7. Eat at a Rooftop Restaurant
Stone Town is known for its rooftop restaurants. They’re great to visit at any time of day, but I love to go to watch the sunset with panoramic views over the terracotta rooftops of Stone Town, and listening to the evening Call to Prayer makes it seem even more magical and mysterious.
There are a few rooftop restaurants in Stone Town, but my favourites are Emerson on Hurumzi and the Emerson Spice Tea House.
Emerson Spice is great for a quiet, romantic evening. The menu changes daily and is usually 5 courses, created by the chef using the daily catch of their very own fisherman and the food is pretty exquisite.
Emerson on Hurumzi is more informal and you sit on the floor in communal style and they have a band from the local music school playing local Taarab music and you’ll often find people getting up to dance. The food is great and I actually prefer it to Emerson on Hurumzi, but if you’re a real foodie, you’ll probably prefer the Tea House.
8. Take a Spice Tour
Whilst on the ‘Spice Island’ you can take a spice tour where you’ll get to try lots of different locally grown spices, including vanilla, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon as well as many others, used for cooking or in traditional medicines.
Your guide will explain what the spices are used for and their unique properties.
9. Take a Cookery Lesson
When you’re in Stone Town, why not partake in a traditional Zanzibari cooking lesson.
If you want to hit two birds with one stone, I recommend doing a spice tour with a Darajani market trip and a cooking lesson from Tangawezi Bistro in Stone Town. A lot more fun and great to see the spices through their full journey. You can alternative tours here.
10. Visit the Old Dispensary
Stepping off the ferry, you’ll see the impressive Old Dispensary.
Inside you’ll find a pretty courtyard and a small museum and it’s a great place for photography. It’s also free to enter! Always a bonus!
It was originally intended to be a hospital for the poor, but the owner died whilst it was still under construction and his widow didn’t have the money to continue.
The building was later sold off and the new owner decided to use the ground floor as a dispensary, and the upper floors were turned into apartments.
After the Zanzibar revolution of 1964, the building was abandoned before being claimed by the government. It was eventually restored in the early 1990s.
11. Eat Swahili Food at Lukmaan Restaurant
Lukmaan restaurant is a bit of a Stone Town institution.
When I first visited Zanzibar, it was a tiny little restaurant with just a few tables and always filled with locals. It’s since quadrupled in size and is always busy with a mix of mostly tourists and
They have a big menu of authentic…
