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Flanked on two sides by the sea, Stone Town is exotic, exciting and steeped in history.
Heavily laden dhows sail in and out of port, tall crumbling buildings cast shadows over labyrinthine streets and the smell of spices fills the air.
Colonial history of Stone Town
Much of Stone Town was built in the 19th century and remains unchanged to this day. A maze of haphazard alleyways lead between tall houses and palaces with intricately carved wooden doors with brass studs and heavy locks. There are ornate railings on the balconies, wide balustrades and pastel pink and green roofs. There is no room for cars in these streets, so they’re perfect for exploring on foot.
There is much to see and do in Stone Town, with museums to explore, tiny bazaars to browse and superb Zanzibari restaurants to sample. A visit to the early morning market is a must. Here, hessian sacks overflowing with black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and vanilla jostle for space with piles of fresh ginger, chilies and nutmeg. Shopkeepers weigh lemongrass on brass scales, people haggle at the tops of their voices and stray chickens make a dash across the dusty ground. In the evenings we recommend a stroll to the Forodhani Gardens. As the sun sets street vendors light fires and braziers on which they grill squid, octopus and lobster. With some excellent character guesthouses and lots to do we recommend you stay for a night or two.
who's been there
Start planning your tailor-made trip to Stone Town by contacting one of our Zanzibar Archipelago specialists
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617-223-4521617-223-4325
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Suggested itineraries featuring Stone Town
Our itineraries will give you suggestions for what is possible when you travel in Stone Town, and they showcase routes we know work particularly well. Treat them as inspiration, because your trip will be created uniquely by one of our specialists.
Places near Stone Town
- Chumbe Private Island 9 miles away
- Zanzibar Island 11 miles away
- Zanzibar beaches 25 miles away
- Mnemba Private Island 28 miles away
- Pemba Island 83 miles away
- The Mafia Archipelago 124 miles away
Photos of Stone Town
Accommodation choices for Stone Town
We've selected a range of accommodation options for when you visit Stone Town. Our choices usually come recommended for their character, facilities and service or location. Our specialists always aim to suggest properties that match your preferences.
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Zanzibar Palace Hotel
Stone Town -
Serena Inn
Stone Town
Ideas for experiencing Stone Town
Our specialists seek out authentic ways to get to know the places that could feature in your trip. These activities reflect some of the experiences they've most enjoyed while visiting Stone Town, and which use the best local guides.
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Jozani Forest Tour Jozani Forest Tour
Jozani Forest Tour
You walk through the nature trail of the forest which is a habitat for many species of animals and birds. It is famous for its red colobus monkey — a very rare species.
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Sailing Safari Sailing Safari
Sailing Safari
The bay has a number of uninhabited islands and sandbanks and is frequented by humpback and bottlenose dolphins.
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