The Complete Guide to Stone Town, Zanzibar: Spice Islands, Carved Doors, and Freddie Mercury
Stone Town is one of those places that resists easy description. It's a UNESCO World Heritage labyrinth of coral-stone alleys where Swahili, Arab, Indian, and European influences collide in every doorway. The birthplace of Freddie Mercury. The Spice Island capital. A former slave trade hub turned cultural treasure.
Here's everything you need to plan your trip.
Overview
Stone Town is the historic heart of Zanzibar City, on the western coast of Zanzibar island (Unguja), part of Tanzania. Many travelers combine Stone Town with a Kilimanjaro trek or a Serengeti safari on the mainland. The historic center houses about 16,000 people within its winding alleys, though the greater Zanzibar City metropolitan area is home to 230,000.
The town sits at the crossroads of African, Arab, Indian, and Persian cultures. The architecture reflects this — carved wooden doors with brass studs (Arab style) sit next to doors with floral Indian motifs. The call to prayer mixes with Swahili pop music from open windows. A Hindu temple stands around the corner from a mosque.
It's disorienting and beautiful and occasionally maddening.
Best Time to Visit
June to October is the dry season — temperatures of 25-28°C, low humidity, calm seas. This is peak tourist season for good reason.
January and February are also dry and slightly warmer.
Avoid April and May. The long rains (masika) are heavy, some businesses close, and boat trips get cancelled. November has short rains (vuli) but they're usually manageable — a couple hours of afternoon showers.
Zanzibar is tropical year-round: 25-33°C. Even in the "cool" season, you'll be warm.
Getting There
Fly into Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (ZNZ), 7km from Stone Town. Direct flights from Dar es Salaam (20 minutes), Nairobi, Doha, and several European cities seasonally.
Airport taxi to Stone Town: 20,000-25,000 TZS (~$8-10). Or arrange a hotel pickup.
From mainland Tanzania, ferries run from Dar es Salaam. East Africa's hub city Nairobi also has convenient connections to Zanzibar. to Stone Town (1.5-2 hours, $35-50 USD for tourist-class on Azam Marine or Kilimanjaro Fast Ferries). Book the morning departure — afternoon seas can be rough.
Where to Stay
Stay inside the historic center. Every hotel in Stone Town has character — the buildings are centuries old, the rooftops have ocean views, and the alleys outside your door are the attraction.
Budget: Kiponda B&B — clean, central, friendly staff. From $30/night.
Mid-range: Zanzibar Palace Hotel — restored historic building, AC, rooftop terrace. From $80/night.
Splurge: Emerson Spice — arguably Stone Town's finest boutique hotel. Restored merchant's house with the best rooftop restaurant in town. From $200/night.
Booking tip: Confirm your hotel has reliable AC. Stone Town gets hot and humid, and ceiling fans alone may not cut it in peak season.
What to Do
The Carved Wooden Doors
Over 560 intricately carved doors survive in Stone Town. Each tells a story — Arab-style doors have brass studs (originally to deter elephants in India, the design traveled with the traders), Indian doors have rounded tops with floral carvings. A guided door tour takes about 2 hours and costs $15-20 USD. Or just wander and spot them yourself. The oldest date to the 18th century.
Forodhani Gardens Night Market
Every evening from 6PM, this waterfront park transforms into the island's most famous street food scene. Must-try items:
Zanzibar pizza (a stuffed crepe, not actual pizza) — 3,000-5,000 TZS (~$1.20-2)
Urojo soup (a tangy Zanzibari specialty)
Octopus skewers
Fresh sugarcane juice
Budget 15,000-25,000 TZS (~$6-10) for a full meal. Arrive at sunset for the best atmosphere. Busiest on weekends.
Freddie Mercury's Birthplace
The Queen frontman was born Farrokh Bulsara at a house on Kenyatta Road in 1946. There's a small exhibit and plaque — free to view from outside, small donation (~5,000 TZS) to enter. It's not a proper museum, but for Queen fans it's a pilgrimage site.
Spice Tour
Zanzibar earned the name "Spice Island" from centuries of cultivating cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, and black pepper. Half-day guided tours visit plantations about 30 minutes from Stone Town. You'll taste, smell, and identify 15+ spices growing on trees. $25-35 USD including transport and lunch. Book through your hotel.
Fair warning: kids at the plantations climb trees to fetch coconuts and spices, and they'll expect a small tip. Have some small bills ready.
Prison Island (Changuu)
A 20-minute boat ride from Stone Town. Originally built for rebellious slaves, later a quarantine station, now home to Aldabra giant tortoises — some over 100 years old and weighing 250kg. The Seychelles also has Aldabra tortoises roaming free. You can touch and feed them.
Boat: 15,000-20,000 TZS return. Island entry: $4 USD. Snorkeling available on the surrounding reef. Allow 2-3 hours round trip.
Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe)
Built by Omani Arabs in 1699 on the site of a Portuguese church — the oldest standing structure in Stone Town. Free entry. The rooftop has harbor views, and a small craft market operates inside. Cultural performances happen in the open-air amphitheater during festivals.
Dhow Sunset Sailing
Traditional wooden dhow boats offer 2-hour sunset sails along the waterfront. $25-40 USD per person, usually with snacks and drinks. No motor — pure wind power. Book same-day from the beach behind Forodhani Gardens.
Anglican Cathedral (Former Slave Market Site)
Built in 1873-1880 on the site of the last slave market in East Africa. The altar sits where the whipping post stood. Underground slave chambers are preserved — you can enter them and see where enslaved people were held before auction. Entry: 5,000 TZS. Deeply moving and essential for understanding Zanzibar's history.
Food & Drink
Zanzibar's cuisine is a Swahili-Arab-Indian fusion unlike anywhere else in East Africa.
Lukmaan Restaurant (Hurumzi Street) — The best local food in Stone Town. Biryani, pilau rice, Swahili curries. 5,000-10,000 TZS per plate. No frills, incredible flavor.
Emerson Spice Rooftop — Multi-course Zanzibar set-menu lunch with ocean views. ~$25 per person. Book by morning — they prepare based on numbers.
House of Spices — Rooftop restaurant with harbor views. Zanzibar-fusion. Mains 15,000-25,000 TZS.
Forodhani Gardens — Already mentioned, but worth repeating. The $6-10 street food dinner here is one of the great food experiences in East Africa.
Drink-wise: Zanzibar is predominantly Muslim, so alcohol options are limited compared to mainland Tanzania. Hotels and some tourist restaurants serve beer and cocktails. Fresh fruit juices and spiced tea are the default drinks.
Budget Breakdown
Category
Budget
Mid-Range
Splurge
Hotel/night
$20-40
$60-120
$150-400
Meals/day
$8-15
$15-30
$30-60
Activities
$5-15 each
$25-50 each
$50-100+
Daily total
$35-70
$100-200
$230-560
Bring USD cash in small bills ($1, $5, $10). Most tourist services quote in USD. ATMs exist but often run out of cash or charge 10,000 TZS withdrawal fees. Many hotels add 3-5% for card payments.
Safety
Stone Town is generally safe for tourists (Level 1). Some specific notes:
Dress modestly. Zanzibar is 95%+ Muslim. Cover shoulders and knees in town. Beachwear is fine at beach resorts on the coast.
Papasi (beach boys) on the waterfront will approach offering tours, taxis, and trips. They're not dangerous but can be persistent. A firm "no thank you" works. Licensed guides carry ID from the Zanzibar tourism office.
Malaria is real. Take antimalarials, use DEET repellent, sleep under nets. Most hotels provide nets. Risk is highest during rainy seasons.
Navigation: There are no street addresses. GPS is useless in the alleys. Navigate by landmarks (Old Fort, House of Wonders, Cathedral). If lost, ask any shopkeeper.
Useful Swahili Phrases
English
Swahili
Hello
Jambo / Habari
How are you?
Habari yako?
Thank you
Asante sana
How much?
Bei gani?
Too expensive
Ghali sana
No, thank you
Hapana, asante
Good food
Chakula kizuri
Getting to the Beaches
Stone Town is the cultural base, but Zanzibar's beaches are the reason many people come.
Paje (east coast, 45 minutes): Kitesurfing capital, wide beach, good backpacker scene.
Kendwa (northwest): Less tidal impact, full-moon parties.
Spend 2-3 nights in Stone Town for culture, then head to the coast for beaches.
The Bottom Line
Stone Town isn't a resort destination. It's a living historical city with all the imperfections that implies — power outages, crumbling buildings, persistent touts, and alleys that smell alternately like cloves and sewage.
But it's also one of the most culturally layered places in Africa. Where else can you visit a slave market memorial, eat a $2 street food crepe, tour a spice plantation, sail on a dhow, meet giant tortoises, and stand at the birthplace of one of rock music's greatest voices — all in three days?
