Destination guide

Stone Town

A UNESCO maze of coral-stone alleys where Africa, Arabia and India collide

Stone Town is the historic heart of Zanzibar City, a labyrinth of coral-rag houses, carved doors and spice bazaars. Its single job for a traveller is to be walked slowly, absorbing a thousand years of Swahili trading history on foot.

By the numbers

~230,000

Population

Zanzibar City urban area

2000

UNESCO listing

World Heritage Site

1,000+

Historic buildings

densely packed in the old town

Mjini Magharibi

Region

Urban West, most populous in Zanzibar

1840s

Sultanate seat

Oman moved its capital here

Born 1946

Freddie Mercury

in a Stone Town house

Best time to visit

The long dry season from June to October brings warm days, low humidity and the ZIFF festival, while February is prized for the Sauti za Busara music festival. Avoid the heaviest long rains of April and May, when narrow alleys flood.

Common questions

Two nights lets you take a walking tour, visit the slave-market memorial and spice farms, and enjoy an evening at Forodhani before heading to the beaches.

The main streets and Forodhani area are generally safe and lively, but the alleys are dark and confusing after dark, so keep valuables discreet and consider a guide or taxi late at night.

Zanzibar is conservative and Muslim, so cover shoulders and knees away from the beach; light, modest clothing is respectful and comfortable in the heat.

ATMs, exchange bureaux and mobile-money agents are common in the old town, and most hotels and cafes offer wifi, though speeds can be modest.