Stone Town, Zanzibar

About This Destination

Stone Town is the historic heart of Zanzibar City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose narrow, winding alleys hold centuries of layered history from Swahili, Arab, Persian, Indian, and European trade and settlement. Named for the coral-stone buildings that give the old town its distinctive texture, Stone Town remains largely unchanged in its street plan since its 19th-century peak as one of the Indian Ocean's most important trading ports.

Highlights

The town's famous carved wooden doors, many st with brass and ornately decorated, once signaled the wealth and status of the merchants who commissioned them, and hundreds still survive throughout the old quarter. The House of Wonders and the Old Fort anchor the waterfront, while the Old Slave Market site offers a sobering look at Zanzibar's role in the 19th-century slave trade. In the evening, Forodhani Gardens transforms into a lively open-air night market of grilled seafood, Zanzibari pizza, and fresh sugarcane juice, set against the waterfront and the old town's silhouette.

- A UNESCO World Heritage old town with centuries of Swahili coast history

- Hundreds of ornately carved historic wooden doors

- The House of Wonders, Old Fort, and Old Slave Market historic sites

- Forodhani Gardens' nightly waterfront food market

Best Time to Visit

Stone Town can be explored year-round, though the dry seasons, June to October and December to February, are the most comfortable for walking its streets without heavy rain.

Getting There

Stone Town is a short taxi ride from Zanzibar's Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, and is typically visited as a half-day or full-day cultural stop at the start or end of a Zanzibar beach stay.

[6 Days Zanzibar Beach Holiday](https://mackafricasafaris.com/en/safaris/6-days-zanzibar-beach-holiday)

Six days split between Stone Town and the north coast: the old town and Prison Island, a spice farm, snorkelling at Mnemba Atoll and a sunset dhow cru...

[7 Days Zanzibar Honeymoon Escape](https://mackafricasafaris.com/en/safaris/7-days-zanzibar-honeymoon-escape)

A slow-paced week for couples: two nights in a boutique hotel in Stone Town, then four nights on the east coast with a Safari Blue day at sea, a priva...

[Stone Town and Prison Island Day Tour](https://mackafricasafaris.com/en/safaris/stone-town-and-prison-island-day-tour)

A day in and around Zanzibar's old capital: a guided walk through Stone Town's UNESCO-listed streets and markets, then a boat trip to Prison Island to...

[3 Day Zanzibar Tour](https://mackafricasafaris.com/en/safaris/3-day-zanzibar-tour)

Three days that cover Zanzibar's essentials: Stone Town's history, a spice farm and Nungwi beach, then Jozani Forest's red colobus monkeys and the Mic...

[Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti & Zanzibar Beach Getaway](https://mackafricasafaris.com/en/safaris/ngorongoro-crater-serengeti-and-zanzibar-beach-getaway)

Twelve days combining Tarangire, three days in the Ngorongoro highlands and crater, the Serengeti, a Hadzabe visit at Lake Eyasi and a Zanzibar finish...

[2 Day in Zanzibar](https://mackafricasafaris.com/en/safaris/2-day-in-zanzibar)

A short Zanzibar escape: a guided walk through Stone Town's UNESCO-listed lanes, a spice farm visit with tastings, and a night on the white-sand beach...

[4 Day Zanzibar Tour](https://mackafricasafaris.com/en/safaris/4-day-zanzibar-tour)

Four days across Zanzibar: Stone Town, a spice farm and Nungwi beach, Jozani Forest and the Michamvi peninsula, and an early boat trip to look for dol...

[5 Days Zanzibar Tour](https://mackafricasafaris.com/en/safaris/5-days-zanzibar-tour)

Five days and four nights exploring Zanzibar at an easy pace: Stone Town, Prison Island's giant tortoises, a spice farm, Jozani Forest, the Michamvi a...

[14 Days Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar](https://mackafricasafaris.com/en/safaris/14-days-tanzania-safari-and-zanzibar)

Two weeks in Tanzania: Tarangire, Lake Manyara, three days in the Serengeti and two in the Ngorongoro Crater area, then four nights on Zanzibar with S...

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