Stone Town - everything you need to see!

Stone Town-everything you need to see in this charming city. We loved staying in Stone Town and discovering its secrets. The unique blend of cultures and history makes it a must visit.

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Can you do Stone Town as a day trip?

Yes, absolutely. You can book a tour from any of the beaches to Stone Town although we think it is a great city and really recommend a couple of days here if you have the time. If you have to do it as a day trip then this Stone Town day trip is the one we recommend.

Is it worth staying in Stone Town, Zanzibar?

YES! This is one of the most beautiful and culturally important places on the island and absolutely worth staying. We stayed for 3 nights and had a wonderful time. This is a truly lovely place with so much to offer, it also makes a great base for tours. Below are the best places to stay and what you need to see here.

Zanzibar Stone Town Hotels

We stayed at a little home stay style guest house and it was lovely. Super clean and the staff were lovely. The location was great as we could easily walk to all of the things we wanted to see in Stone Town.

Other places we recommend are:

Sharazad Wonders Boutique – Great location, lovely rooms and service. Great breakfast and rooms

Spice Palace Hotel – very clean, beautiful rooftop, outdoor pool, pretty authentic details.

Maru Maru Hotel – we loved this hotel, the rooftop is great. We came here every afternoon for cocktails and I would love to stay here next trip!

The Neela Boutique Hotel Stone Town – this is a beautiful hotel with local details. We really love the decor.

Zanzibar Serena Hotel – beachfront location, the Serena Hotels are a popular chain in Tanzania. We popped in here for a coffee and the pool area was lovely.

Stone Town – everything you need to see

There is a lot to see and do in and around Stone Town! It is an exciting city with a poignant history and truly not to be missed.

#1 Walk the streets of Stone Town

This is the first on my list as it is my favourite thing to do here. I could have spent everyday getting lost in the labyrinth of streets and finding new pretty details. There are paths you can follow to see all of the old doors, shops, buildings and important places around the city. A walking tour is an excellent way to learn about the city and this Stone Town Private Walking Tour is run by the people who have put information boards up around the city, no one knows it better!

#2 Find all the Doors of Stone Town

If you don’t do a walking tour you might not notice all the unique and beautiful carved wooden doors. These are really historic with less than 800 left, you will find them in different styles such as Indian and Omani. Learning about them is really interesting and a walking tour will help you understand more of their history.

#3 Jaws Corner

Another place that might be missed if not on a Stone Town Walking Tour is the little square called Jaws Corner due to the painting of the movie on the wall in the picture below. It is a place where locals come to chat, play cards and dominoes. There are some food stalls here as well as the popular Babus Fruit Shop. It gets busier in the later afternoon as locals wander down to meet up. We sat here and just observed the local life and loved it.

#4 Darajani Market

Head here to enjoy the hustle and bustle of locals buying their foods and supplies. You can purchase from the stalls to buy baskets or spices, bargaining is allowed but do it politely. The spices are all packaged up to take home with you.

#5 The Old Dispensary

The Old Dispensary, now a hospital is a turquoise building which houses history inside its walls. Although it is a functioning hospital you can walk into the foyer and check out the historic photos and artefacts in the atrium.

#6 Slave Musuem

You absolutely need to visit the Slave Museum when in Stone Town. This museum really gives a clear account of the slave trade that brought so many cultures to Zanzibar. There are personal accounts on the information boards and whilst it may look like information overload it is worth it to go in with enough time to really read through each as the history collected here is important. After reading through the information boards you will walk through the main building and down some stairs to the holding cells. This is where the information you have read becomes real. These are some of the holding cells that were used during the period and up to 75 people were held in these tiny spaces. There are chains and a very small window. The cells would flood spreading disease through the small area. It is a somber moment, imagining the trauma that existed here. Moving on you will come outside to the church, don’t miss the slave statues to the right as well. There is a lot to unpack here and a guided tour can really help you to understand the history, this Stone Town tour is really popular.

#7 Find all the cute cats

Yep it is a bit of a cat town! We loved finding all the cuties, but be warned they aren’t as friendly as those in Greece and aren’t looking for too many pats!

#8 The Freddie Mercury House

This is a very popular spot. We didn’t go inside as there was often a line up but if you are a Queen fan then it might be for you, enter to see his childhood home. Near by you can also see the Old Post Office Building

#9 The Old Fort

Unfortunately The Old Fort was being restored while we visited but we were still able to go inside and check out the arena and little shops that surround it. This is the oldest building in Stone Town, built in 1699.

#10 The Sunset Jump Spot

Find this spot to watch locals race like crazy to the waters edge and launch themselves off the edge in to the water. For a fee they will hold up a sign and make a video with you, there are loads of tourists doing this so you can choose to take part or just sit and watch the action! Time your visit here with sunset as it really gets busy then. You have probably seen it on Instagram or TikTok, it is as hectic as it looks.

#11 Sunset Boat Tour

Another must do during sunset hour is a boat tour, if you haven’t already done one they are gorgeous sailing along the Stone Town waterfront.

#12 Night Market

While the night market could really fit in to the where to eat in Stone Town section it has to be a category in its own right as it is such a vibe. You will find loads of street food vendors all selling their version of schwarma, crepes, fruits, seafood BBQ and more. The air is heavy with the scents of these foods and draws you over to them. Located right near the sunset jump spot you can’t miss it!

#13 Cocktails on the rooftops

We loved our nightly cocktail up on the roof over looking Stone Town and out to sea. There are a lot to choose from but we loved our drinks at Maru Maru! Great views, great drinks and great pricing. They also give out snacks with drinks so make sure to ask for them if you miss out.

#14 Prision Island tour

This tour is usually done from Stone Town due to the location. You will see lots of vendors selling this trip and booking before you go is easier than trying to decide while you’re there. This Prison Island and Nakupenda Boat Trip with Lunch is a really popular tour and is often booked out so make sure to book as soon as you can.

#15 Check out the souvenir stores

This is where you will find the highest concentration of souvenir stores in Zanzibar. Each location has slightly different souvenirs. For really beachy-style clothing or decor I would get it at one of the beach locations. Shopping in Stone Town is best for masks, baskets, bags, unique clothing, jewellery, body care products and spices. I would definitely check out Max Shop in Zanzibar as he has a great little store and does a good price. Bargaining is expected when shopping in Stone Town but if you are given a good price to start then just try for a little off, there is a lot of competition making it hard for shop sellers.

#16 Coffee shop hopping

There are a lot of coffee shops in Stone Town and popping in to each to find your favourite is a great way to spend a little time each day. My favourite was Cafe Karafuu. It is located near the waterfront and has a really lovely open cafe space with lots of different areas to enjoy your coffee. I found this little spot by the window overlooking the water to enjoy an iced coffee, ask for dates and you will get a little plate for free!

Serena Stone Town is a nice place to stop in for an iced coffee, we really loved sitting on the patio by the pool. Other coffee shops to try are Out of Afrika, Swahili Cafe, Zanzibar Coffee House.

Zanzibar food – Where to eat in Stone Town

There is a lot of good food in Stone Town, try as much as you can! Each dish is so flavourful using all of the incredible spices of the island. These are the places we loved:

Lukmaan Restaurant: This was our favourite place to eat while in Stone Town. The experience is just as good as the food. There is a huge mix of dishes here and it is served buffet style. You can go up to the counter and choose your meals, they will calculate the price and you pay at the middle section. I loved the curry vegetables, pilau rice and the rice ball and rice pancakes! All gluten free and delicous. Mike tried the shawarma as well and loved it.

The Secret Garden Restaurant located in the Emerson Spice Hotel. This is a beautiful restaurant open for meals only, the dinner service is particularly popular.

Cape Town Fish Market: This restaurant is highly rated and right on the waterfront, it is pricey but you can watch the sun set in to the ocean.

Emerson on Hurumzi: The most stunning rooftop dining experience, pricey but worth it.

Zanzibar Travel Tips

This is everything we wished we knew before going to Zanzibar, there is alot of informaiton out there and some of it was confusing. This is the important stuff!

The best money exchange with the best rates for small notes is The Peoples Bank of Zanzibar located between the fort and the waterfront (see right hand image below). The Post Office has the best exchange for large notes. (see centre image below)
You will need to carry cash for smaller purchases and markets. We could tap our card at many places but ultimately there was a need for cash also. We brought some small USD and withdrew some TZS at ATMs.
The rumours are true about being stopped when renting a car and driving between towns is true. You will be stopped by police or other local authorities and charged a fine/fee. There are some real checkpoints that you will see the guides and taxis stop at and pay a fee to get through, or have prepaid it. It is easier to use a taxi as they already know what to do and how much to pay.
It is respectful to wear modest clothing. The general rule is covered to the shoulder (or elbow) and knee unless you are on a beach. This is particularly important in Stone Town or the small villages.
Bring sunscreen and mosquito repellant. We also took malaria tablets while in Zanzibar.
Only drink clean bottled water at all times, also use it to brush your teeth.
Tipping is expected by tour guides but not by taxi drivers or local restaurants. It is always appreciated by everyone though, especially as the service is usually excellent.
Pre-booking your tours online does make it easier when there so you aren’t trying to organise on the fly.

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