Stone Town, Zanzibar: sights, food and how to get there

What you’ll notice as you walk:

• The alleys: a maze of narrow alleys lined with houses, shops, bazaars and mosques³.
• The buildings: a mix of Arab, Persian, Indian and European³ elements.
• The baraza: a long stone bench along the outside walls³ of traditional houses.

The town’s wealth came from trade: it was a flourishing centre of the spice trade and the Indian Ocean slave trade in the 19th century³. Expect heat whatever the month, with monthly averages of 25.1–28.8 °C⁶.

For the beach bases, such as Nungwi on the northern tip of the island or Paje, known for kiteboarding², see the guide to towns and cities in Zanzibar.

• Forodhani Gardens: a small park on the main sea walk³ that fills with food stalls every evening after sunset⁷. More in the Forodhani Gardens guide.
• House of Wonders: a landmark building of the old town⁸, right on the seafront.
• Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe): built by the Omanis in 1699³, the oldest building in town, and headquarters of the Zanzibar International Film Festival⁹.
• Palace Museum: a late 19th-century³ building about the daily life of the Zanzibari royal family.

Wikipedia describes the fort’s courtyard as a cultural centre with curio shops, with dance and music shows in its amphitheatre most evenings⁹. Ask locally whether that still holds during the works.

Mwananchi reported in January 2026 that the Sauti za Busara festival was moving from the Old Fort to the Mnazi Mmoja grounds¹¹ for that year.

Freddie Mercury Museum

Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town, and his family fled Zanzibar for England in spring 1964¹². The museum in his childhood home on Shangani Street calls itself the world’s only museum dedicated entirely to Freddie Mercury¹³.

Adult entry is US$8–10¹⁴ (checked October 2026), depending on the source. Its own website gives 9am to 8pm daily, while other listings say 10am to 6pm¹⁴. The Freddie Mercury Museum page has the visiting details.

Inside you’ll find seafood, meat, fruit, grains and spices¹⁶. Around the old town’s shops, look for:

• textiles²
• handmade jewellery²
• wood or stone carvings²
• spices²

Maru Maru calls itself a boutique hotel set among the town’s winding alleys: a restored town house on Gizenga Street²⁰ with 51 rooms¹⁹. Agent prices for it disagree: Sonder shows US$125 a night before tax²¹, above the halalbooking.com rate in the table.

Planning beach nights too? Compare Zanzibar beachfront stay prices per night, or get the where to stay details for every part of the island.