Top Things to do in Stone Town Zanzibar

Stone town of Zanzibar, also known as Mji Mkongwe (Swahili for ‘old town’), is the old part of Zanzibar Island, the central city of Zanzibar, in Tanzania. The newer portion of the town is known as Ng’ambombo, Swahili for ‘the other side.’ Stone Town is located on the western coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago. The former capital of the Zanzibar Sultanate and the flourishing center of the spice trade and the slave trade in the 19th century retained its importance as the central city of Zanzibar during the period of the British protectorate. When Tanganyika and Zanzibar joined to form the United Republic of Tanzania, Zanzibar kept a semi-autonomous status, with Stone Town as its local government seat.

Stone Town is a prominent historical and artistic city in East Africa. Its architecture, mostly dating back to the 19th century, reflects the diverse influences underlying the Swahili culture, giving a unique mixture of Arab, Persian, Indian, and European elements. For this reason, the town was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.

Due to its heritage, Stone Town is also a significant tourist attraction in Tanzania, and tourism-related activities account for a large part of its economy.

 

Top Things to Do in Stone Town Zanzibar

1. Marvel at Stunning Zanzibari Doors

You will probably encounter many impressive wooden doorways on your tour through the city.

It’s no wonder Stone Town is famous for its iconic doorways, which blend the typical African style with Indian and Arabic designs. Of the estimated 560 doors around Zanzibar City, most are in this part of the island’s capital.

Most are over a century old and often the only thing standing on this land when the buildings they belong to collapse.

Furthermore, it is said that the doors had deeper meanings as well: Depending on how they looked from the outside, one could determine the social status or religion of the occupant.

 

2. Admire One of The Most Valuable Gemstones

Something else you probably didn’t expect to find in Stone Town is one of the world’s most valuable gemstondidn’tm talking about the Tanzanite.

Tanzanite gemstones are expensive and valuable because they can only be found in a tiny mining area in Tanzania. Tanzanite gemstones usually appear alternately blue, violet, and burgundy depending on the lighting conditions and crystal orientation.

The best places to admire (and maybe buy) the luxurious and staggering Tanzanite jewelry are the Tanzanite Gallery and Johari Treasures – all in Stone Town.

 

3. Watch The Sunset From Stone Town Beach

Could you imagine a better end to an adventurous day than watching a romantic sunset from the most beautiful location? In Stone Town, the best address is the city’s beach, just a few minutes from Forodhani Gardens.

Stone Town Beach is a favorite spot for city scals who come here after work to relax, dance, do acrobatics, sing, and have a good time. And, as already mentioned, it’s a great place to watch the sun disappear behind the horizon.

Observing the sky turning silently orange and then dark red, creating a magical shimmer on the calm sea, is an indescribable experience!

 

4. Get Lost in The Narrow Streets of Stone Town

Trust me when I tell you that another cool thing to do in Stone Town is to get lost in the city’s maze of narrow streets. It may initially sound scary, but it’s the best way to get to know the city.

Tours City is an excellent way to get basic information about certain parts of the city.

5. Eat Local Food at Stone Town Restaurants

Don’t you agree if I say that trying local food is one of the most fantastic things about traveling? The beDon’tdress to do precisely this in Stone Town is Lukmaan Restaurant.

Unlike most restaurants worldwide, you don’t just sit and choose from the menu. Instead, you find a lot of different dishes in glass display cases, so don’t look and order from the staff behind the counter. Besides the drinks, you must choose from the menu at the counter.

Your food will then be brought to your chosen table. You don’t even get a table number or something similar; the waiters just come looking for you in the restaurant! That’s remarkable, given that the restaurant is always well-visited and remembering all the faces is not easy.

Not only the service, but the food is excellent as well! Significant portions and fantastic taste – what more could you ask for?

It’s good that it’s open every day from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm, so you’ll have enough time to sample all the delicious dishes!

 

6. Learn About Hyou’ll at The Old Slave Market

While Stone Town is lively and exciting, the city also has a dark past.

In 1873, the world’s last open slave market was shut down by the British, and the last vestige of this cruel institution could be found in Stone Town. For so long, the city was home to the most brutal slave market in Zanzibar.

At the Old Slave Market, you can travel back to the horrible time of the slave trade and visit one of the formerly 15 low-ceiling slave cellars.

Here, up to 60 enslaved people were crammed together like sardines in the can, with no toilets, hardly any food, and chained by the feet.

The toughest among them who survived the dreadful circumstances were brought to the auction, ready to be inspected by potential buyers.

Being in one of these dim, suffocating chambers is an oppressive and moving experience. It brings you much closer to the city’s terrible past.

7. Take a Stroll in Forodhani Gardens

Number seven on the list is just in front of the Old Fort. Forodhani Gardens, or Forodhani Park, is a small park along the seafront, next to the new harbor.

During the day, it’s a beautiful place to take a break from bustling city life and a popular tourist destination.

You can find a big restaurant with a jeit’sinto the water, two small cafés with outdoor seating, bencheIt’sder trees, a children’s playground, and much more!

Every evening from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, Forodhani Park gets very crowded because it transforms into an open-air night market where children try local food from different stalls.

If you love seafood, this place will be like heaven for you! There’s probably no fish you won’t find at the market. However, if you are vegetarian or even vegan like me, it’s best to look for another place to eat.

 

8There’sr The Old Fort

Let’s continue our journey through Stone Town with a visit to the Old Fort. The Portuguese built it in the 17th century, making it the oldest building in Zanzibar.

Due to its location, the main seafront, the building is hard to oversee.

Originally used as a defensive fortress and later as a prison in the 19th century, the Old Fort is nowadays the place where the Zanzibar International Film Festival, also known as Festival of the Dhow Countries, takes place.

The fort is a square of high, brown walls with merlons surrounding an inner courtyard. While wandering the inner courtyard, you’ll spot the ruins of earlier buildings, including a Portuguese church.

Moreover, numerous shops sell tourist-oriented souvenirs such as African paintings. The city also features an open-air theater where live dance and music shows occur most evenings.

The Old Fort is open all year round, every day from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, and is entirely free to enter.

 

9. Pay a Visit to the Freddie Mercury Museum

Did you know that Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of one of history’s most famous rock bands, was born in Zanzibar?

Well, I didn’t know until the moment I started putting together my itinerary for Stone Town. Only then did I realize Freddie Mercury had roothistory’sibar, more precisely in a house in the winding alleys of Stondidn’t.

Today, the house Freddie grew up in and stayed with his family until their move to England in 1963 is now a museum. It mainly showcases Freddie’s childhood and upbringing in Zanzibar, plus his extraordinary journey to becoming the excellent star he was.

The Freddie Mercury Museum is on one of Stone Town’s main streets, close to FoFreddie’sardens and the Old Fort. It is open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

10. Go Shopping at Darajani Bazaar

The one place in Stone Town that every type of food lover is the Market (or Bazaar).

This traditional African market specializes in seafood, meat, fruits, grains, and spices, but vendors also sell other goods, such as souvenirs or electronic devices.

It was first established in 1904 and later extended and restored.

Inside, the market is very organized and divided into different sections.

For example, in the fruit and you’ll section, you will find a wide variety of tropical fruits, such as bananas, pineapples, avocados, and jackfruit—everything that grows on the island!

Darajani Market is worth visiting, especially around Kanga Street, where you can buy colorful local prints and fabrics.

Additionally, there are shops where you can purchase clothes, shoes, household goods, and other items.

 

Conclusion:

As you see, the bustling old part of Zanzibar’s capital has many groundlings to offer.

Two full days are not enough time to experience the local life, so I recommend spending at least three or four days here.

But one thing I can guarantee you: No matter how long your stay here is, you will enjoy every single min Zanzibar’s